It was with sadness that I watched the news tonight to find out the Martin Sharp had passed and disappointment that it hadn't been picked up anywhere prominent in the online paper.
Martin Sharp was a Sydney artist who started the Yellow House artist collective in 1970 at 59 MacLeay Street Potts Point. The Yellow House was a living piece of art in true pop art style, all very underground and cutting edge for its time. I saw a 20th anniversary exhibition at the Art Gallery of NSW and I remember it made quite the impression. Looking at the catalogue now, it all looks a bit predictable - but at the time I was blown away. Part of the exhibition featured work by Brett Whitely who I was very obsessed with, so maybe it was just caught up in all that. I had forgotten about the Brett Whitely phase, including my own large scale drawings of Notre Dame with dripping ink - such a rip off. Spending afternoons in Lavender Bay hoping to catch a glimpse of him amongst the jacaranda trees. One day I'll have to write about all that here.
But tonight is a toast to Martin Sharp and thinking about how courageous it is to be true to yourself and taking the creative path. Always. He was a renegade, a talent, a Sydney legend and more people should know about him.
Martin Sharp was a Sydney artist who started the Yellow House artist collective in 1970 at 59 MacLeay Street Potts Point. The Yellow House was a living piece of art in true pop art style, all very underground and cutting edge for its time. I saw a 20th anniversary exhibition at the Art Gallery of NSW and I remember it made quite the impression. Looking at the catalogue now, it all looks a bit predictable - but at the time I was blown away. Part of the exhibition featured work by Brett Whitely who I was very obsessed with, so maybe it was just caught up in all that. I had forgotten about the Brett Whitely phase, including my own large scale drawings of Notre Dame with dripping ink - such a rip off. Spending afternoons in Lavender Bay hoping to catch a glimpse of him amongst the jacaranda trees. One day I'll have to write about all that here.
But tonight is a toast to Martin Sharp and thinking about how courageous it is to be true to yourself and taking the creative path. Always. He was a renegade, a talent, a Sydney legend and more people should know about him.
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