Maitland artist James Brennan took home his fourth Bald Archy this month, winning the $10,000 national prize for best comic or satirical portrait of a distinguished Australian for his work, Anh Can Do.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The work, depicts comedian and artist Anh Do.
“While Anh Do is famous for a lot of things, in recent times he’s been really making it big on the art scene, so I wanted to paint him doing a painting,” Brennan says. “I thought a good way to portray that would be in the manner that the famous American artist Norman Rockwell did with his Triple Self-Portrait where I could capture the artist Anh’s three selves: the painter, the observer, and the public person.
“However, in my version of the public person I’ve turned up the volume of his portrait considerably, with the caricature showing him as larger than life – which he is – with that big beaming smile making everyone happy.
“It’s also a parody of Rockwell’s portrait with our famous Australian in place of Rockwell himself.
“I was hoping with this painting, in my own distinctive style, to pay tribute not only to Anh Do but Norman Rockwell as well.”
The 45 finalists in the Bald Archy awards will be shown in Newcastle in a touring exhibit. The show comes to Newcastle August 7 to September 1, showing at the Rydges Newcastle (formerly the Crowne Plaza). The hotel is owned by Jerry Schwartz, who is the major sponsor of the Bald Archy awards.
Jim Kellar
Jim Kellar writes about culture, art, food, drinks and music. He's been a journalist at the Newcastle Herald since 1997. jkellar@newcastleherald.com.au
Jim Kellar writes about culture, art, food, drinks and music. He's been a journalist at the Newcastle Herald since 1997. jkellar@newcastleherald.com.au
