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Francis Giacco at his Australian Galleries exhibition
Watch the edited video version of this podcast episode on the Talking with Painters YouTube channel
The exhibition of Francis Giacco’s paintings now showing at Australian Galleries in Sydney has been a long time coming. Covid pushed back the scheduling but it was worth the wait!
I met Francis at the gallery and we walked through the exhibition talking about several key works which cross portraiture, still life and landscape. Apart from the Archibald, Francis has won the Percival Portrait Painting prize (and other awards) and has been a People’s Choice winner in the S.H.Ervin’s Salon des Refuses.
Titled ‘Recent works: Pictures at an Exhibition (apologies to Mussorgsky)’, the show is a combination of recent work and major paintings from the 80s and 90s. It includes Francis’ enigmatic multi-figured portrait which won the Archibald prize in 1994. Several other works hanging in this first room were shortlisted in the Archibald and Doug Moran National Portrait Prize.
Influenced by Vermeer and the early Renaissance masters, his work exudes beauty and vitality. He’s a keen observer of the effects of light, whether it’s streaming from behind a still life or fracturing through a bamboo curtain and the way he depicts detail in the illuminated subject often pushes the real into the abstract.
Francis (also known as Frank to those who know him) was my first podcast guest and in the past also taught at Julian Ashton Art School where I first met him. Many of his students have gone on to make paintings which have hung in the Archibald prize themselves and I can think of at least three who are finalists in this year’s exhibition.
The exhibition continues at Australian Galleries until 2 July 2023.
To hear the episode click on ‘play’ above.
Click here to watch the shorter 8 minute video version of this episode.
Links
https://youtu.be/csBvbFfcwUc
Homage to John Reichard (1994)
egg emulsion on marine plywood, 202cm x 188cm
Archibald Prize Winner, 1994
Image courtesy of the artist and Australian Galleries
Lee Lin Chin (1993)
egg emulsion on marine plywood, 163cm x 127cm, Archibald Prize Finalist, 1993; Doug Moran Finalist, 1995.
Image courtesy of the artist and Australian Galleries
White widow 1999-2000
egg emulsion on marine plywood, 132cm x 119cm
Image courtesy of the artist and Australian Galleries
The piano 1984
oil on canvas, 96cm x 89cm
Image courtesy of the artist and Australian Galleries
Jenny’s garden #25 – the altar 2020-23
oil on marine plywood, 122cm x 128.5cm
Image courtesy of the artist and Australian Galleries
Jenny’s garden #20 – commotion 2020-23
oil on marine plywood, 43cm x 88cm
Image courtesy of the artist and Australian Galleries
Balthus’ cats 2020-23
oil on marine plywood, 122cm x 126cm
Image courtesy of the artist and Australian Galleries
The audition 1990
egg emulsion and oil on marine plywood, 60cm x 60cmImage courtesy of the artist and Australian Galleries
Bondi Pavilion 1988
oil on canvas, 76cm x 61cm
Image courtesy of the artist and Australian Galleries
Self portrait #3 – after Rembrandt c. 1980
oil on canvas, 31cm x 27cm
Image courtesy of the artist and Australian Galleries
Rushcutters Park – bushfire smoke c. 1990
oil on canvas on board, 39cm x 35cm
Image courtesy of the artist and Australian Galleries
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By Maria Stoljar
4.6
5858 ratings
Watch the edited video version of this podcast episode on the Talking with Painters YouTube channel
The exhibition of Francis Giacco’s paintings now showing at Australian Galleries in Sydney has been a long time coming. Covid pushed back the scheduling but it was worth the wait!
I met Francis at the gallery and we walked through the exhibition talking about several key works which cross portraiture, still life and landscape. Apart from the Archibald, Francis has won the Percival Portrait Painting prize (and other awards) and has been a People’s Choice winner in the S.H.Ervin’s Salon des Refuses.
Titled ‘Recent works: Pictures at an Exhibition (apologies to Mussorgsky)’, the show is a combination of recent work and major paintings from the 80s and 90s. It includes Francis’ enigmatic multi-figured portrait which won the Archibald prize in 1994. Several other works hanging in this first room were shortlisted in the Archibald and Doug Moran National Portrait Prize.
Influenced by Vermeer and the early Renaissance masters, his work exudes beauty and vitality. He’s a keen observer of the effects of light, whether it’s streaming from behind a still life or fracturing through a bamboo curtain and the way he depicts detail in the illuminated subject often pushes the real into the abstract.
Francis (also known as Frank to those who know him) was my first podcast guest and in the past also taught at Julian Ashton Art School where I first met him. Many of his students have gone on to make paintings which have hung in the Archibald prize themselves and I can think of at least three who are finalists in this year’s exhibition.
The exhibition continues at Australian Galleries until 2 July 2023.
To hear the episode click on ‘play’ above.
Click here to watch the shorter 8 minute video version of this episode.
Links
https://youtu.be/csBvbFfcwUc
Homage to John Reichard (1994)
egg emulsion on marine plywood, 202cm x 188cm
Archibald Prize Winner, 1994
Image courtesy of the artist and Australian Galleries
Lee Lin Chin (1993)
egg emulsion on marine plywood, 163cm x 127cm, Archibald Prize Finalist, 1993; Doug Moran Finalist, 1995.
Image courtesy of the artist and Australian Galleries
White widow 1999-2000
egg emulsion on marine plywood, 132cm x 119cm
Image courtesy of the artist and Australian Galleries
The piano 1984
oil on canvas, 96cm x 89cm
Image courtesy of the artist and Australian Galleries
Jenny’s garden #25 – the altar 2020-23
oil on marine plywood, 122cm x 128.5cm
Image courtesy of the artist and Australian Galleries
Jenny’s garden #20 – commotion 2020-23
oil on marine plywood, 43cm x 88cm
Image courtesy of the artist and Australian Galleries
Balthus’ cats 2020-23
oil on marine plywood, 122cm x 126cm
Image courtesy of the artist and Australian Galleries
The audition 1990
egg emulsion and oil on marine plywood, 60cm x 60cmImage courtesy of the artist and Australian Galleries
Bondi Pavilion 1988
oil on canvas, 76cm x 61cm
Image courtesy of the artist and Australian Galleries
Self portrait #3 – after Rembrandt c. 1980
oil on canvas, 31cm x 27cm
Image courtesy of the artist and Australian Galleries
Rushcutters Park – bushfire smoke c. 1990
oil on canvas on board, 39cm x 35cm
Image courtesy of the artist and Australian Galleries
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