Charles Blackman’s children slam trust fund allegations

Australian painter Charles Blackman’s children have slammed allegations they withheld thousands of dollars worth of their father’s work, claiming those running the family trust were “unfit”.

Australian artist Charles Blackman died in Sydney at the age of 90 in 2013. Picture: Tracey Nearmy

The children of renowned Australian painter Charles Blackman have hit back at allegations they are withholding thousands of dollars worth of their late father’s work, instead claiming those running the family trust were “unfit” and had lost and damaged the precious artwork.

The Herald Sun last year revealed Aria award-winning singer-songwriter Bertie Blackman and siblings, Felix and Christabel, were locked in a legal battle, accused of not returning dozens of prints, sculptures and other artwork by father - who died in 2018 - to the family trust.

The Blackman Children’s Trust allege Mr Blackman, who is best known for the Schoolgirls and Alice in Wonderland series of the 1950s, gifted the total collection of his artwork to the trust in 1994.

Christabel Blackman and Bertie Blackman at their fathers exhibition held at Harvey House Gallery and Sculpture Park. Picture: Adam Yip

The BC trust claims it has since operated as “a business to market and sell the artworks” with proceeds to be used by the trust - a claim the three siblings deny.

The children have filed a counterclaim, alleging the trustees should be removed as they have failed their fiduciary duty by making profits from their roles in various business agreements, losing artwork and not properly supervising other artists who sought to collaborate with Mr Blackman’s work.

In documents, obtained by the Herald Sun, the siblings claim they were instructed by agents of the trust in 2013 to deliver a collection of bronze sculptures to popular Melbourne artist David Bromley.

David Bromley.

“(The BC trust) asked Beatrice to deliver to Bromley maquette bronze sculptures so he could look at them, perhaps colour them or build new plinths or make them more creatively attractive,” a defence filed with the County Court of Victoria last month claimed.

Bertie Blackman claims she loaded her father’s sculptures into her station wagon on July 23 and delivered them to Bromley’s Chapel St studio in Prahran.

The defence claims the BC trust’s terms of the consignment to Bromley were not discussed with Bertie or her brother Felix and were not a term of “any agreement, arrangement or understanding” made by and between the parties.

Bromley, who has described Mr Blackman as his “hero”, painted the late artist for the 2002 Archibald Prize and collaborated on a series of prints to “re-imagine” some of Blackman’s ink drawings.

Bertie Blackman and Felix Blackman at the Blackman and Bromley Exhibition, Gullotii Galleries Claremont Quarter.

In 2014, a pop-up exhibition in Sydney showcased original drawings, as well as new prints that Bromley had created using Blackman’s imagery for limited sale.

Defence papers claim some of the artwork alleged to be in the children’s possession was in fact sold at the exhibition.

The siblings deny they are in possession of any of the missing prints - but claim some pieces were provided to a studio established by Bertie and Christabel - who is an art restorer - to repair, display and sell.

As part of their counterclaim, Bertie and Christabel say they have suffered reputational damage with high-profile galleries including Soho and Manyung Gallery.