The Red Cloth paintings began when Brett Lethbridge built his gallery. Upon returning to Australia from a stay in Europe, he bought an old Queenslander house in Paddington, Brisbane, and was both living in and rebuilding it to be the future gallery. The internal doors had been removed and to have some privacy he hung red sheets tied in a knot in one of the door ways. A beam of light in the late afternoon shone on this particular red drape and its singular beauty and poignancy struck a chord with Brett and became his metaphor for passion, commitment and creativity.
The cloth in the paintings that followed increased in size and richness and followed the journey of his art, his gallery and his life. It was also at this time that he was waiting for his partner Olivia to join him. They had met and fell in love in Italy, and it was a few years before she packed up her life in Germany and moved to live with Brett in Australia. The cloth represented this relationship and the suspended commitment of those years apart. As the gallery grew and the relationship deepened, the cloth moved outside and increased in size, shape and energy. The motif continues its development today. Other elements like flowers and bees represent the creations of passionate endeavour and the nails stand for the pain and effort involved, all of which in the end, have to be let go.
The exhibition runs until 10th February 2018 – come over!
