Del Kathryn Barton is undoubtedly one of the biggest names in Australian art today.
Her work is hotly sought after internationally and, in Australia, she is probably best known for the rare achievement of having won the Archibald prize twice – no mean feat in a race where women have only won the award 12 times in close to 100 years.
Her paintings are instantly recognizable. Figures with drawn hands and faces look out of the picture with mesmerising eyes, existing in an imaginary world. That world is filled with colour and exquisite detail.
Barton has exhibited in over 20 solo shows including a 4-month major survey of her work at the National Gallery of Victoria last year and her work is held in many public institutions and private collections.
However, painting forms only part of her life’s work and, although we also talked about her film-making, we didn’t touch on her photo montages, sculptures and installations and her current New York show ‘sing blood-wings sing’ which includes a 10m long work in 5 panels of the same name.
We met in one of her Sydney studios where I was lucky enough to see 10 or so works in mid-completion for her upcoming October show at Roslyn Oxley 9 in Sydney.
She is warm and honest and openly speaks about dark times. However, as with her work, she seems to find a balance between the light and dark and laughter is always closeby.
To hear our conversation press ‘play’ beneath the above feature photo.
Current and upcoming shows
- Albertz Benda, New York, NY, ‘sing blood-wings sing’ current to 13 April 2019
- Roslyn Oxley9, solo show, October 2019
Show notes
- Del Kathryn Barton at Roslyn Oxley9
- Del Kathryn Barton at Albertz Benda
- Archibald prize
- Hugo Weaving
- Cate Blanchett
- Marc Etherington
- The Nightingale and the Rose at ACMI (with short videos on the making of the film)
- The Nightingale and the Rose (book)
- The Nightingale and the Rose by Oscar Wilde
- Brendan Fletcher
I am on a Drawing Research Residency in Caylus, France. Sitting in an old studio looking out onto a medieval town whilst listening to your podcast with Del Kathryn Barton and hearing her describe her love of the Australian Bush her practice of drawing was wonderful.
Thank you
Good to hear that Julianne! Hope the residency goes well. Maria 🙂
What an excellent conversation! I’m on the east coast US, but felt right there sitting with you both. Thanks for the inspiration.
Thanks Rachel. Great to hear from you! Maria 🙂
👍🏼Thank you once again for this wonderful interview. So important to hear about resilience in the face of devastating rejection ( Ray Hughes in this instance). It probably happens to most artists and it’s good to know it doesn’t mean much😁
Thanks Marvene – yes and it’s so interesting that Del went on to have a great relationship with Ray in the end – just shows you can’t take things too personally I suppose! Thanks for listening. Maria 🙂
Hi Maria
This was a great interview, you delved deeply but sounded like you both had a lot of fun too which made it all the more enjoyable!
thank you
Leanne
Thanks Leanne. Yes it was a very enjoyable interview! Thanks for listening. Maria 🙂
Enjoyed this episode immensely! As someone who paints in tremendous detail I especially loved when Del described her aesthetic as “maximalist” and when she spoke about the sort of calming trance she experiences losing herself in the details. I find that painting those repetitive small details to also be wonderful so I totally got that. Would love to have a “Part 2” !
Yes it sounds very meditative.Thanks for listening Barbara! Maria 🙂
Another thoroughly enjoyable listening experience from you Maria. I love Del’s work and the articulate way she describes herself and her process. I too would love a part 2!!
Thanks for listening and those lovely words Gai! 🙂