From the notorious Archibald Prize-winning feat of his ‘Self Portrait in the Studio’ and the stunning deep ultramarine harbour view of ‘The balcony 2’, the colour blue is synonymous with famous Sydney artist Brett Whiteley’s paintings. But another form where this fascination with blue emerges is in Whiteley’s ceramics.
A new exhibition featuring the most comprehensive display of Brett Whiteley’s painted ceramics has opened at the artist's former home, Brett Whiteley Studio in Surry Hills. Over 40 ceramic pieces – dating from the 1970s and 1980s – feature in the exhibition, which examines the connections between the artist’s work across various mediums and the use of the colour blue in his practice. Whiteley’s ceramics were primarily thrown by others to his specifications, however a small number of hand-formed works were made by the artist himself.
The ceramics are displayed alongside paintings, prints and drawings that showcase Whiteley’s recognisable iconographies – sex, nudes, religious imagery and nature – enabling the exhibition to trace and amplify these themes.
Brett Whiteley: Blue and White is on display at the Brett Whiteley Studio until November 27, 2022. Entry is free.
Want more? Plan your art crawl with our picks of the best exhibitions in Sydney.
