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Darling Portrait Prize 2020 Finalist
This painting portrays my wife Kimberley and her cat Noam. Kimberley has featured in many of my paintings, falling into the role of muse. Often portraying a character in some ambiguous narrative, the task of painting her strict portrait offered a different direction. The image is inspired by northern Renaissance portraiture, particularly that of Holbein. I found the rigid formality of this format incredibly interesting, as it is completely at odds with the often sexualised, pseudo-candid selfies that flood our visual vocabulary. A bizarre image to the modern eye, this format allowed for a great expression of Kimberley’s character.
The Darling Prize is a new biennial prize for Australian portrait painters, painting Australian sitters. The winner receives a cash prize of $75,000.
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