George Gittoes, who grew up in St George and lived and worked at Bundeena for many years, was nominated as a finalist in this year’s Sulman Prize.
The Art Gallery of NSW’s Sulman Prize rewards the best genre painting, subject painting or mural project by an Australian artist. Gittoes was recognised for his work titled The Beast.
The artist says his artwork is a symbolic representation of greed, describing it as a “big Donald Trump” piece.
“In 2011 at the Occupy Wall Street protest in New York, I took some paper to a park and did a giant version of a beast,” he said.
“With things happening lately like our recent election and Brexit, the divide between rich and poor is becoming so great, and my worry is that when that disparity becomes too great, it creates monsters.
“Trump is an example of one of these monsters who reflect our times.
“It also shows my new way of painting, where I focus on texture first by creating a beautiful surface, then add the final drawing.”
Gittoes, also a film-maker, won the audience award for Best Film of Contemporary Lives in the Biografilm Festival, Italy, for his most recent film, Snow Monkey. He is also releasing his autobiography this year.
The Sulman Prize exhibition is on now until October 9.
This year’s judge was contemporary Australian artist, Judy Watson. The winner from 25 entries was Flatland Dreaming by Esther Stewart.
- Details: artgallery.nsw.gov.au.
When the disparity between the rich and poor becomes too great, it creates monsters.
- George Gittoes, artist
