Peter Sorrell
Born in Chipstead, Surrey, on the 6th April 1948. He left school the day after his 15th birthday to study Graphic Design at Reigate School of Art. Peter, ever the individualist, left without his diploma, having upset his tutors by going on holiday before the final term had finished. This didn’t prevent him from being hired almost straight away by a large London advertising agency, as a Junior Art Director, before going on to work as a graphic designer at two leading design groups, in the Scott/Jaffe and Talmadge, Drummond & Partners. Peter had at first toyed with the idea of immigrating to Canada, but decided on Australia in 1969, and worked as Art Director for what was considered its best agency at the time, Connaghan & May in Sydney, and consequently as a freelance designer.
He had attended a series of lectures at Sydney University given by Robert Hughes, a precursor to the book "The Shock of the New". The sheer charisma of Hughes rekindled within Peter's spirit an intense interest in the fine arts; listening to Hughes, feeling the desire and passion for art would change the course of his life.
Peter decided to leave everything behind and traveled throughout South East Asia, and after working for Batty advertising in Singapore for a while, he ended up living on a Greek island where another chance meeting would further lead him towards painting.
The American artist Douglas James Johnson offered Peter a house in the village of Forcalquier in the south of France for as long as he wished, and this was the start of finally doing what he realized he loved most: Fine Art.
It was there in the solitude of the beautiful surroundings, in a 12th century house that Peter began drawing, using the village and the surrounding area as inspiration to create the works for his first exhibition at the Robin Gibson Gallery in Sydney in October 1979, followed by a Paris show the following March at Krief-Raymond, a new and progressive gallery where on first view, his intricate and delicate drawings labeled as "pencil paintings" looked out of place. Galleria Forni in Italy then gave Peter access to exhibitions all over the world. Before moving to Paris, he went to study painting with Ricardo Tommasi Ferroni in Rome.
Over the years, Peter has gradually adapted and modified his initial classical training, bringing to light his unique style; a natural feel and eye for the relationship of an object to it surroundings, the light and the shadow, what the Japanese call "Chabana".
As always, full of curiosity and the unquenchable thirst for knowledge and wisdom, Peter has continued to travel all over the world on a regular basis, visiting countless countries and peoples, and now divides his time between France, Australia, and America.
Maria Iida Perry
PERSONAL EXHIBITIONS |
|
| 2006 | Spectrum Gallery. London. England |
| 2003 | Royden Prior Gallery. Winsor. England |
| 2002 | Aggie Hendrikx Fine Art. Roermond. Holland |
| Gallery Pieter Breughel. Amsterdam. Holland | |
| 2001 | Libby Edwards Gallery. Melbourne. Australia |
| 2000 | Kunsthandal Pieter Breughel. Amsterdam. Holland. |
| 1998 | Murdoch & Barcalay. Melbourne. Australia |
| Robin Gibson Gallery. Sydney. Australia | |
| 1997 | Kunsthandal Pieter Breughel. Amsterdam. Holland |
| Louis Stern Fine Arts. Los Angeles. USA | |
| 1995 | Robin Gibson Gallery. Sydney. Australia |
| 1994 | Galerie Catherine Fernet. Brussels. Belgium |
| 1993 | Galerie Marie-Jane Garoche. Paris. France |
| 1992 | Galerie Catherine Fernet. Brussels. Belgium |
| 1991 | Louis Stern Galleries. Los Angeles. USA |
| 1990 | Galerie Paul Vallotton. Lausanne. Switzerland |
| 1988 | Galerie Paul Vallotton. Lausanne. Switzerland |
| 1986 | Studio Steffanoni. Milan. Italy |
| 1985 | Galerie Paul Vallotton. Lausanne. Switzerland |
| Galleria Il Sigillo. Padova. Italy | |
| 1984 | Galleria Forni. Bologna. Italy |
| 1983 | Galleria Il Narciso. Rome. Italy |
| Galleria Davico. Turin. Italy | |
| Galleria Astrolabio. Messina. Italy | |
| 1982 | Galleria Melozzo. Forli. Italy |
| Galleria La Banchetta. Bari. Italy | |
| 1981 | Gallery Forni. Amsterdam. Holland |
| Galleria del Naviglio. Milan. Italy | |
| 1980 | Galerie Krief-Ramond. Paris. France |
| Galerie Saint-Nicolas. Auxerre. France | |
| 1979 | Robin Gibson Gallery. Sydney. Australia |
COLLECTIVE EXHIBITIONS |
|
| 2006 | London Art Fair. Spectrum Fine Art. England |
| Madrid Art Fair. Spectrum Fine Art. Spain. | |
| 2004 | Royden Prior Gallery. Winsor. England |
| 2003 | Aggie Hendrikx Fine Art. Roermond. Holland |
| 2002 | Pieter Breughel Gallery. Amsterdam. Holland |
| 2001 | Libby Edwards Gallery. Sydney. Australia |
| 2000 | Aggie Hendrikx Fine Art. Roermond. Holland. |
| Pieter Breughel Art Gallery. Amsterdam. Holland | |
| Access Gallery. Melbourne. Australia. | |
| 1998 | Aggie Hendrikx Fine Art. Roermond. Holland. |
| 1997 | "Real. Is it? Moderm and Comtemporary Realism" Louis Stern Fine Arts. Los Angeles. USA |
| 1996 | Kunsthandal Pieter Breughel. Amsterdam. Holland |
| Editions Galleries. Melbourne. Australia. | |
| 1995 | Kunsthandal Pieter Breughel. Amsterdam. Holland |
| 1994 | "Maitres et Artistes Suisse et Francais" |
| Galerie du Chene. Lausanne. Switzerland | |
| XXVIII Prix International d'Art Contemporain de Monte-Carlo Winner. Prix de Ville de Monaco | |
| Kunsthandal Pieter Breughel. Amsterdam. Holland. | |
| 1993 | Galerie Catherine Fernet. Brussels. Belgium |
| 1992 | Galerie Contrast. Lille. France |
| Galerie du Chene. Lausanne.Switzerland | |
| Galerie Paul Vallotton. Lausanne. Switzerland | |
| 1991 | "Swiss and French Masters of the 19th & 20th Century" |
| Galerie Paul Vallotton. Lausanne. Switzerland | |
| "Perspectives on Realism. 1950-1991" | |
| Louis Stern Galleries. Los Angeles. USA | |
| World Art Gallery. Tokyo. Japan | |
| 1990 | "Works on Paper 1970-1990" Louis Stern Galleries. Los Angeles. USA |
| 1989 | Galerie Paul Vallotton. Lausanne. Switzerland |
| 1988 | "Paris Realists" Galleria Davico. Turin. Italy |
| 1987 | FIAC. Galleria Forni. Grand Palais. Paris. France |
| Galerie Paul Vallotton. Lausanne. Switzerland | |
| 1986 | Stockholm Art Fair. Galleria Forni. Sweden |
| Madrid Art Fair. Galleria Forni. Spain | |
| New York Art Fair. Galleria Forni. USA | |
| Los Angeles Art Fair. Galleria Forni. USA | |
| FIAC. Galleria Forni. Grand Palias. Paris. France | |
| 1985 | Art 16. Galleria Forni. Basel. Switzerland |
| FIAC. Galleria Forni. Grand Palias. Paris. France | |
| Galerie Paul Vallotton. Lausanne. Switzerland | |
| 1984 | International Contempory Art Fair. Galleria Forni. London. |
| Art 15. Galleria Forni. Basel. Switzerland | |
| FIAC Galleria Forni. Grand Palias. Paris. France | |
| 1983 | Galleria della Scudo. Verona. Italy |
| Galleria Il Narciso. Rome. Italy | |
| Art Fiera. Galleria Forni. Bologna. Italy | |
| FIAC. Galleria Forni. Grand Palais. Paris. France | |
| Galleria Davico. Turin. Italy | |
| 1982 | Fiera Internationale d'Art Contemporain. Galleria Forni. Bari. Italy |
| Art 13. Galleria Forni. Basel. Switzerland | |
| Galleria Il Narcisco. Rome. Italy | |
| Studio Steffanoni. Milan. Italy | |
| 1981 | Gallery International. Stockholm. Sweden |
| Konsthall Museum. Landskrona. Sweden | |
| Galerie Krief-Raymond. Paris. France | |
| Salon de Montrouge. Paris. France | |
| Galerie Madelaine. Grenoble. France | |
| "13 Artistes" Hotel de Ville. Paris. France | |
| 1980 | "Actualities du Dessin" Maison de la Culture. Grenoble. France |
| Biennale International du Touquet. Le Touquet. France | |
| Salon de Montrouge. Paris. France | |
| Galerie Krief-Raymond. Paris. France | |
| FIAC .Galerie Krief-Raymond. Grand Palias. Paris. France | |
| 1979 | "Travaux sur Papier" Centre Culturel Municipal. Villesparisis. France |
| FIAC. Galerie Krief-Raymond. Grand Palias. Paris. France | |
| Galerie Saint-Nicholas. Auxerre. France | |
| 1978 | Galerie Krief-Raymond. Paris. France |
BIBLIOGRAPHY |
|
| 2006 | Art Review. January |
| Antiques Magazine. Febuary | |
| The Times. 16 Febuary. Derwent May. | |
| 1998 | The Age.'Get real" Zinta Jurjans Heard. April 8 |
| The Sun Herald. Timeout. Jane Hampson. March | |
| ABC TV. Arts Reveiw. March. | |
| 1995 | Sydney Morning Herald. |
| "Crowned heads and Hollywood stars flock to share dream" | |
| Daphne Guinness. November 1. | |
| 1994 | L'Echo."Troublantes realites" Stephane Rey. September. |
| Le Monde Medical. B.Simon. Review. September | |
| Pere Ubu."Une nudite sans fard" Paul Ide.October | |
| 1993 | La Gazette de l'Hotel Drovot No.42. November |
| 1992 | Le Quotidien de l'economie et de la finance. |
| "Plus vrai que vrai" Stephane Rey. November. | |
| Le Soir. Jean Rebuffet. Review. November. | |
| Le Marche. Francoise Genicot. Review. November. | |
| Ideart. Anita Nardon. Review. November. | |
| L'Instant."Meticuleux et poete" Maurice Peeters. November. | |
| "De kracht van het beeld" Stephane Rey. Exhibition catalogue. | |
| 1990 | Nouvelle Revue de Lausanne. J.Nidegger. Review. September. |
| Galerie Paul Vallotton. Marina Ducrey. Exhibition catalogue. June. | |
| 1988 | Le Democrat Delemont. Jean-Marie Hanggi. May. |
| Nouvelle Revue de Lausanne."La beaute pure" J.Nidegger. May. | |
| 1987 | 24 Hours."Artistes Francais et Italiens" Dominique Vollichard. March. |
| 1986 | Il Giornale."Con la matita inventa sogni un po'ambigui" Elisabetta Muritti. March. |
| 1985 | "La poetique de l'image dans l'Italie d'aujourd'hui" Exhibition catalogue. Bologna. Turin. Lausanne. |
| Flash Art. Roberto Tassi. Review of Bienalle Internazionale d'Arte di Milino. June. | |
| Gazette de Lausanne."Une revelation et des contemplations"B.Cruchet. February. | |
| 24 Hours. Dominique Vollichard. Review.February. | |
| FR 3 Television. France."Coup de Foudre" Marndo Sereville. March. | |
| Nouvelle Revue de Lausanne. "Une classicisme tempere" J.Nidegger. February. | |
| Tribune de Geneve. Review. January. "Peter Sorrell" Franco Solmi, Roberto Pasini, Marina Ducrey. Grafis. | |
| 1983 | Gazzetta del Sud. "Le immaginni di Peter Sorrell" Lucio Barbera. December. |
| La Repubblica. "Il Piacere dell' occhio" Mario de Candia. February. | |
| Galleria Astrolabio. M. Abbadessa. Exhibition catalogue. November. | |
| Gazzatta del Poplo. Janus. Review. October. | |
| L'Oeil Magazine. "Le renouveau du dessin" Monelle Hayot. September. | |
| Corrierre della Sera. Euzo Bilardello. Review. March. | |
| Galleria della Scuda. Roberto Pasini. Exhibition catalogue. May. | |
| Il Narciso. Franco Solmi. Exhibition catalogue. February. | |
| 1982 | Flash Art International. Roberto Pasini. May. |
| 1981 | "13 Artistes" Dany Bloch. Exhibition catalogue. September. |
| 1980 | Art Press No.35 Daniel Cornu. March. |
| International Herald Tribune. No.98 Michael Gibson. February. | |
| Les Cahiers de la Peinture. February. | |
| Paris Hebdo. Danielle Boone. Review. February. | |
| Galerie Krief-Raymond. Dany Bloch. Exhibition catalogue. January. | |
| 1979 | The Australian. Sandra McGrath. Review. October. |
| Sydney Morning Herald. Nancy Bordase. Review. October. | |
| The National Times. Susanna Short. Review. October. | |
