Peter Atkins
Fruit and vegetables 2022
synthetic polymer paint on board
Courtesy of the artist and Tolarno Galleries, Melbourne, and GAGPROJECTS, Adelaide

Peter Atkins
Fruit and vegetables 2022
synthetic polymer paint on board
Courtesy of the artist and Tolarno Galleries, Melbourne, and GAGPROJECTS, Adelaide


Peter Atkins


Fruit and Vegetables 2022–24
synthetic polymer paint on board
Courtesy of the artist and Tolarno Galleries, Melbourne, and GAGPROJECTS, Adelaide

Artist statement:

Over the past decade, I’ve been working and reworking these individual painted panels, which reference the wonderful signage seen at green grocers and roadside farmers markets. The work was completed this year when the conceptual framework was fully resolved. It’s not unusual for my works/projects to take many years to develop completely.

This long process was helped last year when I was commissioned to produce an artwork for an 18-meter-wide digital billboard using similar forms. These forms continually changed order over time, giving the billboard a dynamic, kinetic quality.

That exciting modular element was integrated into this painting, and, like the digital work, these painted panels have the potential to be reordered into new configurations, reflecting the continual, day to day movement and change, seen at fruit and vegetable markets.