It is with great pleasure that Alcaston Gallery presents exciting new paintings by Rupert Betheras in his tenth solo exhibition, Inner Sanctum.

In early 2014 Betheras premiered paintings for Inner Sanctum in a solo exhibition entitled Field Work at Araluen Arts Centre, Alice Springs. These new works emerged from a period in 2012-2013 in which the artist lived in the Tanami Desert, in the Warlpiri community of Yuendumu, mentoring young footballers. Employing the materials at hand, including recycled sheets of masonite, school chalkboards, corkboards and canvas, Betheras marked out his landscape in oil paint, acrylic, ink and permanent marker. 

Inner Sanctum depicts the recurring form of the Australian Rules football field - the pregnant oval - etched with the skeletal markings of players' bodies - their backbones, ribs and skin - and messages, hidden to most except those in the 'inner sanctum'.

*image (left)
courtesy of the Artist & Alcaston Gallery, Melbourne