“Ben Quilty paints as if there is no tomorrow.” 33 year old Quilty uses aerosol and thick paint. ABC Arts Space did a 30 minute piece on him. I add him to my aerosol mates Andy Warhol and Pro Hart as he represents his male ego mortality and toranas in his frenetic paintings. When he lost a good mate at a bucks party – the guy drowned – reality grabbed him by the throat. Quilty’s roots are part rev head mateship. Germaine Greer filled the space on this doco with her insights into him and maleness. With a bit of a shift from male mortality, he just won the 2011 Archibald with his portrait of 88 year old still life painting icon Margaret Olley. Some one said “He drives the market, the market doesn’t doesn’t drive him. ” Interesting. So these two – a contemplative still life painter painted by a “bogan” rev head are visual art saints and successful and satisfied and having an impact on the market. Great art story and he is certainly telling visual stories. And he is articulate and intelligent and honest. Having a couple of little boys and a wife fill his world now. And he still has his Torana!
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