The Artist and the Author: Together Again
Two men whose friendship crosses generations are thrilled to be travelling together to West Australia later this year.
Thomas Delohery, an award-winning visual artist, originally from Ireland and now resident in Melbourne, has been named a finalist in the prestigious Black Swan Portrait Prize 2016 in Western Australia.
Thomas Delohery with his portrait of author and Holocaust Survivor Henri Korn
Finalist Black Swan Portrait Prize 2016
His muse is author and child Holocaust Survivor Henri Korn. Henri has written two books about his life – Saviours: The Story of a Jewish Altar Boy and My Past is my Future .
“We are as excited as schoolboys to be travelling to Perth for the announcement of the prize winner” the artist told J-Wire.
Korn, who wants to use Delohery’s artwork for the front cover of his third book is a guide at the Jewish Holocaust Centre Melbourne.
Delohery first met Korn and his wife Sandra in 2011 when Delohery was having his first Holocaust related solo exhibition in Melbourne. They two men met up later that same year when the artist was involved with a group exhibition called Forever In Our Hearts where they used Delohery’s artwork to promote the show.
In 2014 the pair got together again when Deakin University and the Jewish Holocaust Centre Melbourne were hosting a conference – The Future of the Past: Representing the Holocaust, Genocide and Mass Trauma in the 21st Century. Delohery’s artwork was used to promote the conference.
The friendship was rekindled and Delohery and his wife, artist Sandra Minchin, regard themselves as very fortunate to get to spend time with Sandra and Henri Korn on a regular basis.
The artist asked Henri to sit for him again so he could try to capture what he describes as “the wonderful presence that Henri exudes”. Delohery has painted Henri for two other major portrait prizes, the Archibald Prize and Doug Moran National Portrait Prize.
When he got news in early August that he was made a finalist with his latest painting of Korn called, I’m still here, Delohery says he was “beside myself”.
The finalists’ work will be on display from 8 October at the Art Gallery of WA and the outright winner of The Black Swan Prize will be announced on 14 October 2016.
For a previous interview with Thomas Delohery and Henri Korn
http://www.jwire.com.au/index.php?s=thomas+delohery
