If you are interested in the arts in Australia you will know of Ben Quilty. He is one of the country’s most acclaimed contemporary artists.
In the last 15 years he has shot to prominence not just as an artist – although he’s won the Archibald Prize, Doug Moran National Portrait Prize and the Brett Whiteley Travelling Art Scholarship – but as an observer and commentator on social and political issues which concern us all.
Whether it’s issues faced by our indigenous communities, our involvement in wars on foreign soil, and their consequences, or the cruelty of the death penalty imposed on Myuran Sukamaran and on Andrew Chan and Quilty’s campaign to save their lives, he pours maximum energy in highlighting the inequities and injustices in our world through his actions, words and art. His belief that art can instigate positive change is inspiring.
The excellent survey show ‘Quilty’ has just landed in Sydney – via Adelaide and Brisbane – and the Art Gallery of NSW is the perfect venue for it given Quilty’s HSC major work was hung there in 1991 as part of Art Express and 20 years later he won the gallery’s Archibald Prize. He has since become a trustee of the Art Gallery. The exhibition is free and includes works over a 15 year period.
The next podcast episode is with Lisa Slade, the curator of the exhibition and close friend of Quilty, who gives an interesting perspective from a curator’s point of view. That episode will be online in a few weeks.
To hear the podcast interview click on ‘play’ beneath the above feature photo.
Above feature photo:: AGNSW/ Mim Stirling
Current exhibition:

‘Quilty, Art Gallery of NSW, current to 2 February 2020, free admission

Show Notes

Ben Quilty at Jan Murphy Gallery
Ben Quilty at Tolarno Galleries
Ben Quilty on Instagram
Margaret Olley
Tony Albert

Ben Quilty (centre) with Lisa Slade ( Assistant Director Artistic Programs AGSA and curator of ‘Quilty’) and Justin Paton (Head Curator International Art AGNSW)Photo taken at the exhibition ‘Quilty’ at the AGNSW
‘The Last Supper 2017’, 2017, oil on linen, 420 x 265cmCollection of the Art Gallery of NSWPhoto: AGNSW/ Mim Stirling

‘Margaret Olley’, 2011, oil on linen, 170 x 150cmWinner Archibald Prize 2011Photo: AGNSW
‘Kandahar’ 2011, oil on linen, 140 x 190cmPhoto: Australian War Memorial
‘Captain S. after Afghanistan’ 2012, oil on linen, 210 x 230cmFinalist Archibald Prize 2012Photo: AGNSW/ Mim Stirling
Self-portrait, after Afghanistan, 2012, oil on linen, 130 x 120cmPhoto: AGNSW/ Mim Stirling
‘High Water Mark’, 2016, oil on canvas170.5x 160.4cmCollection of the National Gallery of VictoriaPhoto: National Gallery of Victoria

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