DAVID RANKIN
For more than 40 years David Rankin has developed a unique body of work that has drawn from the Australian landscape, Aboriginal art, European abstraction and Chinese and Japanese art. Uniting such diverse influences has been Rankin’s consideration of essential spiritual truths and his reflection on the presence of a Divinity in nature. Rankin was born in Devon, England, and came to Australia with his family in 1949. A self-taught artist, he moved to Sydney in 1967, holding his first exhibition in 1968.
Over the past thirty years Rankin has exhibited throughout Australia, as well as in Paris, Beijing and New York where he has been based since 1989. Pursuing an interest in philosophical truths, his paintings share much in common with the abstraction of Mondrian and Rothko, yet his work also references the space and scale of the Australian outback, in gestures and patterns that allude to Aboriginal bark painting and the work of Fred Williams. In 1983 he was the recipient of the Wynne Prize and in 2005 Dore Ashton curated a touring survey exhibition of his art. Rankin’s work is represented in the collections of the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney and the Australian National Gallery, Canberra.
Explore and Follow Artists Shaping Contemporary Art
A respected voice in contemporary art discourse.
Focusing on ambitious storytelling and insightful art-world commentary. Ocula Magazine publishes in-depth interviews, critical essays and timely analysis on the artists, exhibitions and ideas driving the global art world.
Learn more about Ocula Magazine
Showcasing the best of the art world.
Ocula partners with galleries from around the world to highlight their artists, artworks and exhibitions. Gallery membership is by application and invitation, with each member vetted by an independent panel.
Learn more about Ocula Membership
Specialises in the sale of major artworks.
Led by a team with deep ties to the world’s leading auction houses, galleries and collectors. Ocula’s advisory team offers bespoke services to high-net-worth clients from around the world who are looking to acquire the best of contemporary and modern art.
Learn more about our team and services