SMH: King-of-bright John Olsen reveals his dark and melancholy side
:quality(82)/news/UTBbVIhw.jpeg)
SMH: King-of-bright John Olsen reveals his dark and melancholy side
Article by John McDonald
The public Olsen is a great performer but occasionally, alone in the studio at night, a different persona emerges. John Olsen: Goya’s Dog is an exhibition originally conceived by the late Bill Wright, and followed through by National Art School director Steven Alderton.
The idea, as explained in a letter that Wright wrote to Olsen, was to look at the artist’s “introspective” paintings.
Read more through the link below.
Image: John Olsen, Donde voy? Self-portraits in moments of doubt, 1989, oil on canvas (diptych), 183 x 366 cm, Private collection, Sydney
Latest News
Thursday 29 October 2026
:quality(82)/news/ElyssaSykesSmithNSW_Seed_SxSBondi2026_CCurd1.jpg)
Thursday 29 October 2026
Please see below for current and forthcoming exhibitions and events featuring our staff and alumni. Fergus Berney-Gibson: Waverley Art Prize Congratulations to alum Fergus Berney-Gibson, the winner of the 40th annual Waverley Art Prize. Berney-Gibson was presented with the $15,000 Open Prize by Waverley Mayor Will Nemesh for his silk screen and mixed media piece As if I would be proud of you. …
Wednesday 23 September 2026
:quality(82)/news/eDM-Single-Column-660-px-x-400-px-46.png)
Wednesday 23 September 2026
Please see below for current and forthcoming exhibitions and events featuring our staff and alumni. Oliver Abbott: Guide Alum Oliver Abbott (MFA, 2024) presents Guide at Dominik Mersch Gallery, Sydney. “Guide continues an ongoing investigation into a synthesised world. I glean fragments of architecture, infrastructure and landscape, rebuild and reconfigure them, and navigate the new space …
Wednesday 02 September 2026
:quality(82)/news/f28ae826-5619-41e1-b0a1-3de6cd01606f.webp)
Wednesday 02 September 2026
Create NSW is currently calling all emerging visual artists in NSW to apply for the 2027 NSW Visual Arts Fellowship (Emerging) program. The annual NSW Visual Arts Fellowship (Emerging) program, delivered in partnership between Artspace and Create NSW, has been a long-standing and successful platform for nurturing NSW’s emerging visual artists. With mentorship and support from Artspace’s curatori…