Brett Whiteley was an Australian artist, who represented Neo-Expressionism and Avant-garde movements. His works are deeply influenced by Vincent van Gogh and post-war British painters, such as Francis Bacon. Also, Whiteley often cited the Vietnam War and his abuse of drugs and alcohol as the impetus for his work, as evidenced in "The American Dream", a monumental work, about 72 feet, covered in street debris and collaged photographs.
Background
Brett Whiteley was born on April 7, 1939 in Sydney, Australia. He was the second child of Clement Whiteley, a publicity manager, and Beryl Mary (Martin) Whiteley. Brett grew up at Longueville, a quiet suburb on the northern shores of Sydney Harbour.
Education
Initially, Brett was educated at the Scots School in Bathurst. Some time later, he also attended Scots College in Bellevue Hill, Australia. During the period from 1956 to 1959, Brett studied drawing at the National Art School in East Sydney.
In 1959, Whiteley won an art scholarship, sponsored by the Italian government and judged by Russell Drysdale.
In 1956, Brett started to work in the layout and commercial art department at Lintas Pty Ltd, an advertising agency in North Sydney, New South Wales. In the beginning of the 1960's, he met Bryan Robertson, the director of the Whitechapel Gallery, and was included in the 1961 group show "Recent Australian Painting".
After receiving Italian government travelling art scholarship, Whiteley left for Europe in the early 1960's. By this time, he had long been gathering ideas about being a painter, and was ready to explore further not only techniques, but also the secrets of his artist heroes' charisma. His harvesting of inspiration from museums, galleries and churches gathered pace after his arrival in Italy in February.
At the end of the 1960's, the artist left for London together with his wife Wendy. There, he produced a series of abstractions, one of which, namely "Untitled Red Painting", was bought by the Tate gallery. This work glows with the colours of Australian earth, while also reflecting an admiration for the British painter William Scott, whose flat abstractions, derived from table-top still-life motifs, reinforced Whiteley’s interest in shapes, edges and daring proportions.
Some time later, Whiteley moved from his early abstractions into a bathroom series, reflecting an admiration for the French painter Pierre Bonnard. The series celebrated the sensuousness of his wife’s body, extolling the curve as a medium of sexual desire. This desire had a dark side. During that period of time, Whiteley developed another series, based on the necrophile serial murderer John Christie, whose crimes had been committed near Ladbroke Grove. The dissonance with the mood of his most recent work became a conscious ploy, as he toyed with opposites in a way, that disturbed art commentators. During this time, he also completed a series, based on the London Zoo.
In October of 1967, together with his family, the artist left for New York City. He met other artists and musicians, while he lived at the Hotel Chelsea. His first impression of New York was expressed in the painting "First Sensation of New York City", which showed streets with fast moving cars, street signs, hot dog vendors and tall buildings.
Brett's American interlude came to an end with the creation of the vast multi-panelled work "The American Dream" (1969). This work, which his dealer refused to exhibit, contained much anger and frustration, coming partly from a futile desire to change society, which he saw as sliding into insanity, and reflecting disintegration in his domestic life. Alcohol and drugs may have promised enhanced perception, but their influence was beginning to shadow his existence. In 1969, Brett came back to Australia, where he continued the development of heroic alter-ego paintings, which he started to produce in the United States.
A major turning point for the Whiteleys came in 1985. That year, the family purchased a defunct t-shirt factory, that they converted into a residence and studio. After Brett's death in 1992, this factory studio was acquired by the New South Wales government and from 1995 was maintained as a memorial museum.
Quotations:
"Art is the thrilling spark that beats death – that's all."
"I am interested in beauty which can best be described as being on time for the appointment."
"I can't stand mindless purity - I have soaked myself in skepticism and am by nature magnetized to bitterness."
"Everyone reaches a point in their life where they must either change or cease."
"Never trust an art dealer who'll sit in a room for more than ten minutes with a crooked picture."
"Drawing is the art of being able to leave an accurate record of the experience of what one isn't, of what one doesn't know. A great drawer is either confirming beautifully what is commonplace or probing authoritatively the unknown."
Connections
Brett married Wendy Julius in 1962. Their only child, daughter Arkie Whiteley, was born in London in 1964. Some time later, in 1989, the couple divorced. Whiteley later formed other relationships. Janice Spencer was one of his life partners.