Lot 26

Kalli Rolfe Contemporary, Melbourne
Private collection, Melbourne

Brett, G., and Benjamin, R., Juan Davila, The Miegunyah Press, Melbourne, in association with Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney, 2006, p. 242 (illus.), pl. 136

RELATED WORK:
Juan Davila, Women with a Parrot 2003, mixed media on paper, 188 x 234cm, private collection

Art serves as a powerful medium for challenging societal norms, provoking thought, and igniting change. Artists often use their work as a means of critiquing and questioning the world around them, delving into issues of identity, culture, and power structures. Among these bold and incisive artists is Juan Davila, whose journey from political turmoil in his native Chile to becoming one of Australia's most acclaimed and uncompromising artists, speaks to his resilience and dedications to his craft. Davila's work, marked by its deliberate political overtones and engagement with historical and contemporary references, consistently pushes boundaries of traditional art forms integrating cultural, sexual, and social identities.

Through his provocative approach, Davila has been able to reinterpret and subvert cultural images, particularly those that reinforce traditional norms and power dynamics. His take on well-known historical artworks, such as those by Fredrick McCubbin, Claude Monet, Edouard Manet, and Gustave Courbet, offers viewers an opportunity to confront uncomfortable truths and reconsider their perspectives on the world.

While visiting the Musée d'Orsay in Paris, Juan Davila encountered paintings by Gustave Courbet, particularly those featuring the artist's model and lover, Jo Heffernan. In many of these portraits Jo is depicted nude, serving as a public expression of Courbet's desire. Courbet's renowned portrait Woman with a Parrot 1886 embodies the artist's mastery of realism while also reflecting the limitations of the male gaze. She is positioned in such a matter that we cannot meet her gaze. Rather, our gaze goes to the makeshift theatrical presentation: a woman playing in bed with a bird.(1)

In 2003, Davila created this own interpretation of Courbet's Women with a Parrot with two works on paper, one being of the same title, along with Untitled. In these works, Davila introduces an Australian setting and cultural references, situating the narrative in his own cultural environment and challenging traditional perspectives. By repositioning the woman's body and altering the visual composition, Davila disrupts the viewer's expected gaze and infuses the artwork with psychological complexity. In contrast to Davila's Women with a Parrot where the female figure is depicted nude, Untitled features the same female subject clothed, with her gaze meeting the viewer's, expanding on the notion that the female sitter need not be portrayed nude, as is common in many of Courbet's paintings. The metaphor of the parrot has been expanded; it is now a pictogram representing the Lacanian psychotic structure of holes without signifiers, as explored in the nude woman's analysis.(2) Davila integrates a male sitter, possibly an analyst, into the composition, offering a new perspective on the events and contributing to a more nuanced interpretation of the narrative.

Davila's art acts as a bridge between eras and perspectives, creating a tapestry of anxieties, celebrations and introspection that challenges and confronts the viewer with an unfamiliar perspective. His ability to reimagine iconic works, infusing them with Australian context and fresh interpretations, enriches the narrative and transcends conventional limitations. His influence is felt across Australia, South America, North America, and Europe, with his works included in major international events such as the 1982 and 1984 Biennales of Sydney and the 1998 Bienal de São Paulo, Brazil and prominently featured in Documenta 12, Kassel, Germany, in 2007. In 2006, a major retrospective exhibition was held at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney and National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne. Today, his contributions are recognised and appreciated in major public collections worldwide.

Hannah Ryan
Art Specialist

(1) Brett, G., Benjamin, R. and Davila, J., Juan Davila, The Miegunyah Press, Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney, 2006, p. 216
(2) Brett, G., Benjamin, R. and Davila, J., Juan Davila, The Miegunyah Press, Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney, 2006, p. 216

© Juan Davila, licenced by Kalli Rolfe Contemporary Art