Archibald prize nomination for Monash academic
Night of the Wolverine by Dr Michael Vale
A painting of two of Australia’s best-known rock musicians by a Monash academic was nominated for one of the country’s most prestigious art prizes.
Lecturer in the Department of Fine Arts at Monash University, Dr Michael Vale, was named as a finalist in the 2012 Archibald Prize, which is awarded annually to the best portrait painting of a person distinguished in art, letters, science or politics.
Inspired by the song Night of the Wolverine, Dr Vale’s work depicts the song’s creators, Dave Graney and Clare Moore, while also attempting to represent the place to which the song has always taken him.
“It takes me to an unchartered place that’s pregnant with dangerous possibilities. I’ve also tried to depict the defiant, independent stance of Graney and Moore, and it would, of course, have been remiss to not include a lurking wolverine,” Dr Vale said.
“The idea for the portrait came about after immersing myself in a book of Anthony van Dyck’s paintings – proud people standing against enigmatic skies with a civil war about to erupt around them.”
Dr Vale, who teaches painting and film in the Department of Fine Arts, rediscovered his admiration for his subjects and their music while working as production designer on the independent feature film, Johnny Ghost, directed by Monash PhD candidate Donna McRae, for which Graney and Moore wrote the soundtrack.
The Archibald Prize, one of Australia’s oldest art prizes and anticipated by artists and audiences alike, is part of an annual exhibition run by Art Gallery NSW.
The Department of Fine Arts is part of the Faculty of Art Design & Architecture at Monash University.