‘Self-portrait in Ukrainian Shirt’ has been selected for the Salon des Refusés, the alternative Archibald and Wynne Prize selection. It’s an honour to have my painting hanging with the works of so many artists I’ve long admired. This is my third time in the Salon.
Artist statement: Often words can’t quite capture a feeling observed. In this self-portrait I’m thinking about the war in Ukraine and reflecting on my Ukrainian heritage and how my grandfather Dido left an indelible mark on how I approach painting. He taught me the importance of doing your craft with love, full effort and attention, and as a life journey. Choosing to paint this self-portrait in egg tempera mirrors the patience and passion of ‘vyshyvanka’ traditional embroidered Ukrainian shirts.
The Salon des Refusés 2023 exhibition will be held at the National Trust S.H. Ervin Gallery, 2 Watson Rd, Millers Point on Observatory Hill, The Rocks in Sydney, from 6 May to 23 July 2023.
The Salon des Refusés exhibition at the S.H. Ervin Gallery has established an excellent reputation that rivals the selections of the ‘official’ exhibition with works which examine contemporary art practices, different approaches to portraiture and responses to the landscape. The Salon takes its name from the renegade French Impressionists of the 1860s who held a breakaway exhibition from the French Academy.
Selection in the Salon des Refusés 2023
