Dick Frizzell
b. 1943 Auckland, New Zealand
Lives in Auckland
Dick Frizzell is one of New Zealand’s most widely known and celebrated painters. With a remarkably diverse repertoire of imagery and styles, Frizzell has created a unique body of work. His output includes works of landscape, cartoonish portraits, works of homage to notable artists including Picasso and McCahon, pointedly kitsch kiwiana, text-based artworks, abstract paintings, and much more. Frizzell has been painted, printed, and drawn this seemingly boundless range of subjects on an diverse range of scales.
Frizzell has mastered the ability to continuously reinvent his practice, traversing a range of themes and styles, though always through a highly skilled handling of paint. His works often tap the New Zealand psyche and strike a strong emotional resonance – be it playful humour, nostalgia, or rebellion. He pushes the boundaries of tradition, often intertwining high art and popular culture. This playful and idiosyncratic artistic sensibility invites the viewer to consider painting from a fresh perspective, as a culturally engaged and constantly reinvented artform.
Frizzell studied at Ilam School of Fine Arts, University of Canterbury in the 1960s. Subsequently, he pursued a career in advertising before becoming a full-time painter in 1995. He has exhibited extensively since, with career highlights that include the major travelling retrospective Dick Frizzell: Portrait of a Serious Artiste (City Gallery, Wellington, 1997), his residency in Antarctica as part of the Invitational Artist Programme (2005) and the publication of the monograph Dick Frizzell: The Painter (Random House NZ, 2009). In 2011 Frizzell penned It’s All About the Image (Random House, 2011) a rough guide to New Zealand Art History commissioned by the publisher.
His work is now held in collections throughout the country, most notably Christchurch Art Gallery, The Chartwell Collection, Auckland Art Gallery and Te Papa, Museum of New Zealand. He was commissioned to create some of the official artwork for the 2011 Rugby World Cup.
Dick Frizzell was included in Gow Langsford Gallery’s inaugural exhibition in 1987 and has been represented by the gallery since.
-
Windwhistle Road, 30/1/2021
-
Burnt Stumps, 26/3/2018
-
Foxton Fizz, 2024
-
Cass, 2022
-
Empty Square, 2022
-
No Hands, 2022
-
No More Tears, 2022
-
Still Life with Wooden Bird, 2022
-
The Bridge, 2017
-
Figure with Pool, 2016
-
I'm Here for the Monkey #67, 2016
-
A Sam Hunt Poem - Loki Chord I & II, 2/1/2012
-
Tarawera Rest Stop, 1989
-
Green Man with Moko, 10/7/2006
-
Vacant Possession
Dick Frizzell 19 Oct - 5 Nov 2022 Auckland CityDick Frizzell is a perpetual student, always revisiting and re-evaluating art history. The origins of his recent exhibition can be traced back to his university days when he travelled to Europe on sabbatical in the early 1990s. Having previously relied on images in books he delighted in seeing works in the flesh. As he toured galleries and museums, he collected postcards as mementoes of the masterpieces he had admired.Read more -
Ceci N'est Pas 1921
Dick Frizzell 28 Oct - 21 Nov 2020An exhibition of works from Dick Frizzell.Read more -
Landscapes
Dick Frizzell and Karl Maughan 3 - 27 Oct 2018Considered two of New Zealand’s most prominent living artists, close friends Karl Maughan and Dick Frizzell have joined forces once again. Their sold out 1998 joint exhibition aptly titled Landscapes will be revisited 20 years later as both artists draw on the New Zealand landscape as a mutual point of inspiration. It is what Frizzell calls “The reunion tour …getting the band back together”.Read more -
Escape From Salvation Part III: The Dick Frizzell Group Show
Dick Frizzell 26 Oct - 19 Nov 2016 Lorne StreetEccentric artist Dick Frizzell needs no introduction. Easily one of the most recognisable artists of our time, Frizzell has brought us iconic imagery, and design through painting for the past...Read more -
Up The Road
Dick Frizzell 1 - 25 Apr 2015 Auckland CityThere are no epic vistas or sublime sunsets in Dick Frizzell’s latest series of landscapes. The subjects in Up the Road are intentionally somewhat unspectacular. They are familiar, belonging anywhere; his farm gate could be my farm gate, it could be your gate, if you have a farm. Although there is a hint of that Frizzellean naivety, the new works are too “good” to fall strictly into his self-proclaimed “bad landscape” genre. These works are the result of the Man on the road; noting the landscape’s attractions and distractions as he goes, before working them into these wondrous (albeit at times awkward) homescapes. He takes no prisoners in defending his portrayal of everyday environments in this manner; Frizzell has long since distanced himself from the critical fraternity.Read more -
The Wrong Gallery
Group Exhibition 28 Jan - 28 Feb 2015 Auckland CityThe Wrong Gallery was conceptualized by Maurizio Cattelan, Ali Subotnick and Massimiliano Gioni in 2005. It is a 1:6 scale reproduction of New York’s smallest exhibition space of the same name, which they founded together in 2002. Subsequent versions have been shown all over the world including at Tate Modern (2005). Our rendition of The Wrong Gallery will be installed in our Kitchener St Gallery and will, fittingly, be filled with miniature artworks by gallery artists.Read more
-
Spirit of Adventure Trust Charity Auction
November 2, 2023Each year, Gow Langsford lends its support to a worthy cause through an art auction. Raising funds to assist a charity that we believe in...Read more -
Dick Frizzell on The Good Oil Podcast
August 21, 2023Dick Frizzell sits down with Graeme Douglas on episode 12 of The Good Oil podcast. In this episode you’ll hear Dick talk about how landscape...Read more -
Dick Frizzell Interviewed on Stuff
November 20, 2021Dick Frizzell is launching a new book called The Sun is a Star featuring over 30 works by Frizzell's artists friends such as John Pule, Greg O’Brien, John Reynolds, Judy Darragh, Reuben Paterson, Grahame Sydney, Karl Maughan, Ani O’Neill, Reg Mombassa and Wayne Youle. He was recently interviewed by Stuff about the new book and his inspiration for writing.Read more -
Dick Frizzell Launches New Book
November 24, 2020Dick Frizzell has launched a new book Me, According to the History of Art published by Massey University Press. In the publication, Frizzell tracks art...Read more -
Dick Frizzell Contributes Cash Prize to Surrey Hotel-Newsroom Award
October 27, 2020Dick Frizzell along with Sir Bob Harvey (former Waitakere mayor) have contributed a cash prize of around $5,000 for next years recipient of the annual...Read more -
Artists Collaborate with Top Musicians to Raise Money for the Salvation Army
April 10, 2019Seven of our artists, Reuben Paterson , Darryn George , Dick Frizzell , Michael Hight , Max Gimblett , John Walsh and Karl Maughan have...Read more -
Dick Frizzell's New Residency
March 12, 2019Dick Frizzell has been chosen as the next artist-in-residence at Alexandra's Henderson House for the next two to three months. This invite-only residency provides artists...Read more -
Dick Frizzell Landscapes at Britomart Project Space
March 2, 2019Three landscapes by Dick Frizzell have been newly installed at the Britomart Project Space window at 26-28 Customs Street East, Auckland. The works installed from...Read more -
Dick Frizzell designs new Vodafone NZ Music Awards Trophy
October 31, 2018Dick Frizzell has put his stamp on the NZ music scene by designing the new Tui Trophy for the Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards to...Read more -
TJ McNamara Reviews Dick Frizzell and Karl Maughan's Landscapes
October 17, 2018Art writer TJ McNamara has posted a review of Dick Frizzell and Karl Maughan's joint exhibition Landscapes on his blog Engaging with Art. Read the...Read more -
Dick Frizzell for Art Ache 2017
November 23, 2017Dick Frizzell has joined four other New Zealand artists for the latest Art Ache event to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Dick Frizzell's first exhibition...Read more -
Dick Frizzell at Britomart Project Space
May 12, 2017A selection of Dick Frizzell's I'm here for the Monkey series is now installed at the Britomart Project Space located at 26-28 Customs Street East,...Read more -
Dick Frizzell teams up with Blunt Umbrellas and Oxfam NZ
December 1, 2016Blunt™ has teamed up with Dick Frizzell to create the limited edition ‘Weather Bomb’ umbrella. Frizzell comments 'I got together with my mate Tamati Coffey,...Read more -
T.J. McNamara on Dick Frizzell and Lee Ufan
November 13, 2016NZ Herald arts writer T.J. McNamara reviewed both of our current exhibitions from Lee Ufan and Dick Frizzell. On Frizzell, he writes: 'Frizzell's clever eye...Read more -
Frizzell to help fundraise for the Hundertwasser Arts Centre & Wairau Maori Art Gallery
October 20, 2016Dick Frizzell will lend his artistic hand to create a limited edition silkscreen print to help fundraise money for the Hundertwasser Arts Centre & Wairau...Read more -
Dick Frizzell launches Cooking 4 Change
August 27, 2016Artist Dick Frizzell and business partner Christian Kasper, along with TV personality Erin Simpson, have created the immense cookbook Cooking 4 Change, featuring 101 favourite...Read more
-
Sydney Contemporary 2019 | Booth B02
12 - 15 Sep 2019For Sydney Contemporary 2019, Gow Langsford Gallery is showcasing a range of works from New Zealand and Australian artists and works from prominent British sculptor Tony Cragg. Find us at Booth B02 to view works by John Olsen, Dale Frank, Lisa Roet, Colin McCahon, Gordon Walters, Laurence Aberhart, Dick Frizzell, Michael Hight, Reuben Paterson, Hugo Koha Lindsay, Judy Millar and Max Gimblett.Read more -
Auckland Art Fair 2016
Booth B14 25 - 29 May 2016For the 2016 Auckland Art Fair, Gow Langsford Gallery will present a solo project by Dick Frizzell and a group showing of new works by selected gallery artists, both local and international. Frizzell’s I’m here for the Monkey painting is based on his Phantom works that began in the 1990s. Like a pick-a-path book, viewers are encouraged to make their own narratives by creating their own groupings of several smaller works. The title is based on a famous Phantom adventure. 2016 is the year of the monkey.Read more -
Auckland Art Fair 2013
Booth 27 & 28 8 - 11 Aug 2013For Auckland Art Fair 2013, Gow Langsford Gallery is represented by two stands. The first exhibits new work by gallery artists Judy Millar, Dale Frank, Dick Frizzell and Michael Hight, the second showcases a selection of editioned work available through the gallery. Included in the Editions stand is work by Damien Hirst, Don Binney, Paul Dibble, Max Gimblett, Sara Hughes, Gregor Kregar, Reuben Paterson, Hye Rim Lee and Dick Frizzell, as well as new limited edition prints by Judy Millar and Karl Maughan.Read more -
Melbourne Art Fair 2012
1 - 5 Aug 2012This year at the Melbourne Art Fair we exhibited new works by James Cousins, Sara Hughes, Michael Hight, Dick Frizzell, Reuben Paterson, Chris Heaphy , Karl Maughan, John Pule, John Walsh, Gregor Kregar, Judy Millar, Dale Frank and Max Gimblett alongside works by Damien Hirst.Read more -
Auckland Art Fair 2009
Booth 18 1 - 3 May 2009For the 2009 Auckland Art Fair, Gow Langsford presented a selection of new works by our represented artists.Read more