Peter Garrett AM (b. 1953), musician, environmental activist, and former politician, is the lead singer of the band Midnight Oil. From the start, the Oils' songs aggressively addressed social concerns such as the environment, uranium mining and Aboriginal rights. In 1987 they released their eighth album, Diesel and Dust, which sold more than two million copies. It included the hit 'Beds are Burning', performed by the band at the close of the 2000 Olympics in black overalls printed with the word 'sorry'. President of the Australian Conservation Foundation from 1989 to 1993, and from 1998 to 2004, Garrett entered Federal Parliament in 2004 as Labor member for Kingsford Smith. As Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts he was instrumental in the campaign against 'scientific whaling' in the Antarctic. After resigning from politics in 2013, Garrett released his memoir, Big Blue Sky (2015) and a solo album, A Version of Now (2016). Midnight Oil's successful 'Great Circle' world tour of 2017 comprised more than 70 shows across fourteen countries.
Drawn to Garrett's legendary presence on stage, Peter Schipperheyn made a model of the musician using a plaster mould and clay study in 1992. Three years later he chose the Statuario marble block from the same quarry used by Michelangelo in Carrara, Italy. He carved the oversized marble portrait bust between 2014 and 2016.
Gift of the artist 2018. Donated through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program.
© Peter Schipperheyn/Copyright Agency, 2024
Peter Schipperheyn (1 portrait)
On one level The Companion talks about the most famous and frontline Australians, but on another it tells us about ourselves.
Sculptor Peter Schipperheyn talks about working with marble and his portrait of Peter Garrett.
Magda Keaney explores the symbolism in eX de Medici's portrait of Midnight Oil.
