YULE, JOHN (1923-1998)

"Mixed Bunch" (c.1960) 
oil on board
48 x 38cm
signed lower right
*private collection, Melbourne
 
John Yule is a forgotten, underrated Australian Artist, Teacher, Art Critic, Writer & Angry Penguin. The son of a Professor Of Medicine, Yule served briefly in WWII, before deserting prior to active duty. After spending time at the University of Melbourne, he studied at the National Gallery School, where he befriended classmates, David Boyd & John Brack. They exhibited regularly together, & Boyd introduced him to the Heide Circle, who were also Angry Penguins. The Angry Penguins comprised of several major Melbourne Modern Artists, including Sidney Nolan, John Perceval, Albert Tucker, Joy Hester & Arthur Boyd. Their work was imbued with 'a noisy & aggressive revolutionary modernism', as poet Max Harris stated, but upheld Australia's figurative tradition. Yule contributed articles to their successful magazine from 1946. He was a member of the Barjai Group of young poets. He wrote the much-admired The Living Canvas, Right & Wrong Roads into Art, & was working on a second book, at his death. He was lecturer for several years with the Council of Adult Education. He exhibited at the Contemporary Art Society & a selection of his works were included in an exhibition which toured South Africa in 1962. During the 1980s he mentored groups of artists & photographers on Australian outback painting tours. His works are represented in several important collections, including the Heide MOMA, and National Gallery Of Victoria!!