Dead Goebbels he say

For over five decades Richard Larter maintained a highly experimental and original approach to painting, with a heightened sense of colour and an interest in both figuration and abstraction. Arriving in Australia in 1962, the London-born artist displayed a strong anti-authoritarian stance and free spirit, becoming influential to the Sydney arts community. He created both political figurative paintings and lyrical abstract paintings, at times even merging the two seemingly opposite genres.  

Integrating text and image, Larter highlights the absurdity of war and modern society in his painting Dead Goebbels he say, 1971. In the upper-right corner, he includes an image of Josef Goebbels, most likely performing as minister of propaganda for the German Third Reich under Adolf Hitler. The haunting image is overshadowed by an alluring nude veiled in red, who is possibly the English model Christine Keeler. In the centre of the painting, a large religious figure with his back turned is a sky pilot, also known as a military chaplain, who was the subject of the 1968 song, Sky pilot, written by Eric Burdon. This challenging juxtaposition of celebrities, dictators and politicians draws attention to the battles of power in modern society and exemplifies Larter’s unique visual language.

Elle Freak, Associate Curator of Australian Paintings and Sculpture