Vale Charles Blackman – Australia says goodbye to an Antipodean legend

A portrait of him won the Archibald Prize in 1966, a Melbourne hotel was named after him, and he even wrote a manifesto that shaped Australian art history. Blackman’s legacy is great.

20 Aug 2018 12:00

Gina Fairley

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Visual Arts

Charles Blackman with his daughters Christabel (left) and Bertie (right); supplied

Charles Blackman turned 90 on Sunday (12 August). Some might say it was typical of Charlie, not willing to miss out on a party, always keen to embrace life to the fullest.

Blackman was one of Australia’s most iconic painters of the post war era; the subject of weighty art tomes and a key voice in creating an Australian narrative.

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Gina Fairley is ArtsHub's National Visual Arts Editor. For a decade she worked as a freelance writer and curator across Southeast Asia and was previously the Regional Contributing Editor for Hong Kong based magazines Asian Art News and World Sculpture News. Prior to writing she worked as an arts manager in America and Australia for 14 years, including the regional gallery, biennale and commercial sectors. She is based in Mittagong, regional NSW. Twitter: @ginafairley Instagram: fairleygina