Michael Zavros wins Mosman Art Prize with his tiny portrait of daughter Phoebe blindfolded by a Gucci scarf
MICHAEL Zavros has been described as “as one of the greatest painters in this country today”. His portrait of his daughter has won the prestigious Mosman Art Prize.
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A PAINTING of a young girl, naked and blindfolded by a Gucci scarf, is this year’s winner of the Mosman Art Prize.
The painting Flora is by prominent Gold Coast artist Michael Zavros, 42, who already has a string of major art prizes under his belt.
Only small, the painting measures approximately 40cm by 30cm and is described as photo realistic. The girl is his daughter Phoebe, 11.
Zavros takes home $30,000 and his painting has been acquired for the prestigious Mosman Art Collection. He beat 96 of his fellow finalists to win this year’s major prize, which was announced at Mosman Art Gallery on Tuesday night.
Zavros joins an important list of prominent winners which started with Margaret Olley in 1947.
Director John Cheeseman described Zavros “as one of the greatest painters in this country today”.
He said Zavros now joined a who’s who of Australian artists who have won the Mosman Art Prize and whose winning works has been acquired for the Mosman Art Collection.
Judge Susi Muddiman, director of the Tweed River Regional Gallery and Margaret Olley Art Centre, said Flora was “imbued with so many more layers of meaning than portraiture alone.”
“The spring bouquet motif on the Gucci scarf is a metaphor for Phoebe’s journey into puberty and her blossoming into a young woman,” she said.
Zavros’ technique has been described as “so realistic ......reminding us that the act of painting is in fact an act of deception”.
His paintings are often opulent and highly decorative and included a whole series of luxury ties.
Zavros has been an Archibald finalists five times and his prestigious awards include the Doug Moran National Portrait Prize in 2010 and the inaugural Bulgari Award in 2012.
He has recently been commissioned to paint the former Governor-General Quentin Bryce for the National Portrait Gallery.
Zavris once said: “If I couldn’t be an artist, I would be a gardener in a palace garden such as Versailles”.
The commendation award at the Mosman Art Prize was won by Min Woo Bang for his Cloud in Abstraction.
Robyn Sweaney won the Allan Gamble Memorial Prize for her painting The Promise, while the emerging artist prize went to Moritaka Toko Suzuki for his Mandarin still life.
Local finalists were Mosman artists Suzanne Alexander, Ken Done, Merryl Greaves, Marie Mansfield, Julie McConagh and Maria Guthrie from Neutral Bay.
Natasha Walsh, a current Archibald finalist from Neutral Bay, was also a finalist in the Mosman Art Prize.
ON DISPLAY
The exhibition of winners and finalists continues at the Mosman Art Gallery until September 25, with a meet-the-artists session on September 4.
Details: mosmanartgallery.org.au
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