Reflecting on his solo exhibition at Robin Gibson Gallery in 1985, revered Australian artist Brett Whiteley contemplated:

‘Drawing is a completely un-rehearsal and unrepeatable visual truth. The purpose of the drawing is to make freshness permanent… Some drawings are made in order for me to see something, some are made in order for me to show something, some are made to show off … It is better to have drawn and lost than never to have drawn at all.’

A new exhibition exploring the artist’s creative trajectory through his drawings is now on at The Art Gallery of New South Wales. Curated by Anne Ryan, Brett Whiteley: drawing is everything brings together 116 rarely-seen drawn works from the collections of Brett Whiteley Studio and the Art Gallery of New South Wales as well as loans from private and public collections across Australia.

The exhibition is expansive, with landscapes, abstract works, nudes, and portraits, tracing Brett’s journey around the world and through different creative explorations. ‘Drawing is where Brett started. It was his foundation, his drawings were thought bubbles.’ said Brett’s wife and creative partner Wendy Whitley, ‘ In many ways, every drawing was a self-portrait regardless of the actual subject matter. Each of his drawings holds an element of Brett.’

Brett Whiteley: drawing is everything
December 15th, 2018 – March 31st, 2019
Art Gallery of New South Wales
Art Gallery Road, New South Wales