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Darling Portrait Prize 2022 Finalist
Through BighART I travelled and spent time painting Ngarluma Elder Tim Douglas, in his Country Ieramugadu (Roebourne) in Western Australia's Pilbara. Known as the Bundul Boss, Tim is an important cultural Elder and holder of many traditional songs and stories.
He is a traditional man and I kept that manner in this portrait. Aboriginal culture doesn't put emphasis on adornment as a sign of position, however purposely placing Tim in a seated pose with his cane evoked statesmanship. Producing the portrait from multiple sittings, revisiting passages, all contributed to building a patina of layers, mirroring Tim's life.
An interview with artist Evert Ploeg about his portrait of the Australian actor Deborah Mailman.
The Darling Portrait Prize is a biennial national prize for Australian portrait painting honouring the legacy of Mr L Gordon Darling AC CMG (1921-2015). The winner receives a cash prize of $75,000.
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