John Beard
(Wales, Australia 1943– )
- Title
- Janet Laurence
- Year
- 2007
- Media category
- Painting
- Materials used
- oil and wax on linen
- Dimensions
-
180.0 x 180.0cm
- Credit
- Purchased 2007
- Accession number
- 346.2007
- Copyright
- © John Beard
- Location
- Not on display
- Further information
Janet Laurence’s work has been described as echoing architecture while retaining a sense of the instability and transience found in nature; John Beard’s artist portraits share similar qualities. While painting the structure, or architecture, of his sitters’ heads and faces, he also aims to capture a sense of fleeting, ever changing expression.
From this collaboration of artists and artists-as-subject, a kind of double portraiture is possible. Without the use of colour to highlight the differences or similarities between the subjects, Beard focuses the viewer’s attention not just on the individual sitter but on the structure of the painting itself. Light also plays an important role, allowing the eye to move around the forms to fully appreciate their sculptural qualities.
Beard is a painter of the late 20th century whose subject is as much painting itself as the object he renders. In the history of portrait painting there is a fascinating debate that goes back to the mid 19th century. This is the question of authenticity of the image. It is not an issue of faithfulness to the illusion, but to a kind of presence that is realised through the fracture of the work.
Beard was awarded the 2007 Archibald Prize for this portrait of Janet Laurence.
- Bibliography (1)
-
Art Gallery of New South Wales (Australia, estab. 1874) (Author), Archibald Prize 2007, 2007. Archibald Prize winner
- Exhibition history (6)
-
The Archibald Prize 2007, Myer Mural Hall, Melbourne, 18 May 2007–01 Jul 2007.
The Archibald Prize 2007, Manning Regional Gallery, 06 Jul 2007–12 Aug 2007.
The Archibald Prize 2007, Grafton Regional Gallery, 16 Aug 2007–23 Sep 2007.
The Archibald Prize 2007, Bega Regional Gallery, 28 Sep 2007–03 Nov 2007.
The Archibald Prize 2007, Orange Regional Gallery, 09 Nov 2007–16 Dec 2007.
The Archibald Prize 2007, Broken Hill Regional Art Gallery, 21 Dec 2007–03 Feb 2008.
