In this video we meet award-winning New Zealand-born artist Richard Lewer to unpack the layers of meaning behind his deeply evocative 2008 work, Every woman’s nightmare (Only to be with you), which is part of the virtual exhibition currently on our website Paying it Forward: Recent Acquisitions to the University Art Collection.
Based in Melbourne, Richard is known for his depictions of true crime stories, along with his artistic investigations of both religion and sport. Spanning video, animation, illustration and painting, his narrative work often focuses on the struggles of the human condition; exploring with gentle compassion our fears, insecurities and failures.
Inspired by the true crime story outlined in the Chris Smith book Stalked: Every Woman’s Nightmare, this painting taps into an anxiety and vulnerability familiar to many women and also reflects upon the human urge to share stories, no matter how challenging.