Lot 30

Work is in very good condition with no apparent faults to report. Canvas is stretched with no additional framing.


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Niagara Galleries, Melbourne (label verso)
Private collection, Sydney
Private collection, Melbourne 2017

Wynne Prize, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 2013

Noel McKenna, Landscape - Mapped, Queensland Art Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art, Brisbane, 18 Nov 2017 – 2 April 2018

Noel McKenna's introduction into the world of art wasn't quite as one might expect. Initially enrolled in architecture at university, he was politely told by his lecturers to pursue art school instead where his 'messy' drawings might be better appreciated. Gaining entry only just, Noel then went on to become one of Australia's most loved and collected contemporary artists.

Across a span of 15 years, Noel produced his map series. These works take Australia as the central story combining dialogues of nationhood and place. With his always witty approach, Noel addresses the redundancy of traditional maps, now replaced with GPS systems and digital diagrams. His map works are informative, although selectively so. When examining Centennial Park we can see Noel's notes on vicious crimes and murders that have taken place across the park, the acknowledgement of displacement of the traditional Indigenous land, and Noel's own personal anecdotes including where his son received the Cross Country title in 2010.

"I spend a lot of time in Centennial Park, mainly early morning on my bicycle: 5.30am start because of the lack of cars on the ride there and because cars do not come in until around 6.30am so it is much safer. The park is probably my favourite space in Sydney. It's large and an interesting design with more than 100 years of history. I researched quite a bit about different aspects of the park, which I have added to the painting in the texts, which include comments about wildlife, trees and crimes committed there, giving an idea of the space." (The Artist)

Olivia Fuller
Head of Art