The Troubadour
Oil on Canvas
150cm x 110cm

Shown here is a my 2006 HSC Visual Arts major work. It depicts an old busker outside the Australian Museum on College St, Darlinghurst. Painted in monochrome and in a photorealistic manner, The Troubadour mocks the connotations and conventions of traditional portraiture, as well as reminding the viewer of the grim reality of the man's situation. The scale of the painting further enhances these effects. Certain elements that were present at the time provide certain suggestions of social commentary, such as the clearway sign ('END') or the carefree passer-by. The assumptions behind portraiture are further dismissed, when it is noted that the busker is putting away a monetary note that the artist had paid the subject, for a photo from which to work.