Francis Giacco at his Australian Galleries exhibition

Talking with Painters

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2y ago 39:36

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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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