face to face
We were thrilled to have multi-award-winning portrait artist Vincent Fantauzzo as our first ‘invited artist’. Vincent's famous 30:30 portraits collection (courtesy of Wonderment Walk) comprises thirty paintings of famous Australians.
The exhibition was presented together with works by eight Yarra Valley portrait artists of local identities from the wine, food, retail and community sectors.
Yarra Valley arts members included: Tessa Hubble, Ying Tang, Kerryl Shirley, Jenny Reddin, Bev Hardidge, Kate Baker, Raelene Sharpe and Margaret McLoughlin.
Vincent Fantauzzo
An Australian painter renowned for his portrait work, Vincent Fantauzzo has exhibited worldwide with shows in India, Vietnam, New York, Los Angeles, Hong Kong and Australia.
Born in 1977 in the UK, with a Bachelor of Fine Art in Painting, and a Masters of Fine Arts at RMIT University, he is now an Adjunct Professor with RMIT.
He is a four-time winner of the People’s Choice Award at the Archibald Prize, for his paintings of son Luca (2014), partner Asher Keddie (2013), actor Heath Ledger (2008) and child actor Brandon Walters (2009). Fantauzzo also won the Archibald’s Packing Room Prize in 2011, for his painting of chef Matt Moran, a friend and Luca’s godfather.
30/30 Project
Acclaimed Australian artist Vincent Fantauzzo painted 30 Australians, from different walks of life, in 30 days. The portrait subjects come from varying fields such as the arts, science, entertainment, politics, philanthropy and sport. Portraits include the Hon Bob Hawke AC; film director Baz Luhrmann; AFL legend Ron Barassi; actor Asher Keddie; champion Australian Rules footballer Heritier Lumumba; and David Walsh, founder of the Museum of Old and New Art (MONA) Tasmania – to name but a few of the 30 extraordinary subjects.
The collection has previously been exhibited at The NGV Studio, Federation Square, RMIT University and The Yarra Gallery, Federation Square.