BILLY PERRURLE BENN - MOUNT SWAN WAY

 BILLY PERRURLE BENN
MOUNT SWAN WAY,  1997
240 x 72 cm
Synthetic Polymer Paint on Board
 
PROVENANCE
Harts Range, NT
James Barry - Excerpt from 'Billy Benn' written by Catherine Peattie"Billy Benn first started working for Bindi Inc. in 1981, constructing metal boxes in the workshop. In the 1990's workshop co-ordinator James Barry realised Benn became tired quickly from making boxes. He began providing paints and off-cuts of metal and timber for Benn to work with. Ben soon took over a corner of the workshop and this became his painting space." 
 
STORY
Billy Benn's painting celebrates the land and the artist's knowledge of it. The country he paints is very special to him, it is his birthplace. Billy Benn no longer lives there, so he paints it from memory. He dreams of returning there but, until he does, he keeps his home close to his heart by devotedly painting every part of it. He plans to paint every hill from his country and then he will stop, and return home.