Tasmanians celebrated in new exhibition

Geoff Dyer: Portraits

A new exhibition celebrating contemporary Tasmanian portraits opens at the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery (TMAG) tomorrow.

Geoff Dyer: Portraits is an exhibition of portraits by well-known Tasmanian artist, Geoff Dyer.

Predominantly known for his landscape painting, Dyer has also built a national reputation through portraiture, frequently exhibited as part of the Archibald Prize at the Art Gallery of New South Wales.

In 2003, he won the prestigious prize for his portrait of Tasmanian author Richard Flanagan and is only the second Tasmanian to receive the award throughout its 98 year history.

On show are a selection of portraits by Dyer of notable Tasmanians including Alec Campbell (Gallipoli survivor), Dr Bob Brown (activist and politician), Richard Flanagan (author), David Walsh (founder of Mona), Christopher Koch (author), Graeme Murphy (award-winning choreographer), Robert Dessaix (author), John Clark (former Director of the National Institute of Dramatic Arts), Jim Everett (writer and poet) and Paul Lennon (former Premier of Tasmania).

This will be the first time the portraits have been publicly displayed in Tasmania, and the only time they have been exhibited as a group. The exhibition will shine a new light on this little known aspect of Dyer’s art, while also providing a unique insight into the portrait process and the life of each person pictured.

Visitors to the exhibition will be able to use their mobile devices to scan QR codes and listen to Dyer talking candidly about each painting, offering insight into his painting process and humorous anecdotes about the high-profile Tasmanians he paints.

Geoff Dyer: Portraits is on show in TMAG’s Henry Hunter Gallery 6 from 26 July until 6 October 2019.