Ben Quilty’s 2009 Archibald Prize portrait of Jimmy Barnes, ‘There but for the grace of God no. 2’ has been featured in an article in the Sydney Morning Herald.
In the article, writer Louise Rugendyke touches on 6 renowned subjects, exploring the unique experience of sitting for the Archibald. In discussing his experience sitting for his portrait with Quilty, Jimmy Barnes noted, “Ben’s idea was to paint me in a way no one had seen me: flat on the floor, out of my mind for whatever reason. Unfortunately, I had spent most of my career that way; people recognised me immediately. Maybe he already knew that. I do like the portrait, it’s raw. I felt it looked beyond the surface and captured the torture I was feeling inside.” (Jimmy Barnes)
To read an excerpt from the article, please click here.
Image credit: Ben Quilty in his studio. Photography by Daniel Boud.