Uploaded May 2021 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Ben Quilty was born in Sydney, Australia in 1973. He has an Honorary Doctorate from Western Sydney University, a Bachelor of Visual Arts from Sydney College of the Arts, a Bachelor of Visual Communication from the School of Design at the University of Western Sydney and certificate level studies in Aboriginal History and Culture from Monash University. Widely known for his thick, gestural oil paintings Quilty has explored a range of themes throughout his career. From the dangerous coming of age rituals of young Australian men, to the complex social history of our country, he is constantly critiquing notions of identity, patriotism and belonging.
He won the 2002 Brett Whitely Traveling Art Scholarship, the 2007 National Self Portrait Prize, the 2009 Doug Moran National Portrait Prize, the 2011 Archibald Prize and most recently the Prudential Eye Award for Contemporary Art in Singapore.
His work is represented in the collections of the National Gallery of Australia, the Art Gallery of South Australia, The Art Gallery of New South Wales, QAGOMA and the Museum of Contemporary Art along with numerous regional and private collections.
Ben's Website: benquilty.com
Artist Decoded Patreon: patreon.com/artistdecoded
00:00 - Introduction
03:17 - How Ben Began Painting
06:11 - Personal Approach To Art
07:43 - Happy Balance Between Business and Personal Expression
10:45 - Curating Your Own Thoughts & Creative Writing
13:22 - Trip to Lebanon
15:06 - Myuran Sukumaran's Story & Teaching Him To Paint Before Execution
26:54 - Current Feelings on Art Career
28:11 - Personal Works Destructive Young Masculinity
31:36 - Economic Rationalization of Education
32:38 - Contemporary Trends in the Art Market
34:53 - David Hockney's iPad Art
37:06 - Collaborating With Wife & Being an Artist Parent
39:44 - Empathy, Larrikinism, & The Frontier Wars
44:16 - Indigenous Australians & Artist Vincent Namatjira
48:27 - Beginning to Understand Yourself and Your Art as You Age
50:08 - Advice to Artists
51:37 - Wrap Up
Originally Posted 12. 2.2016
Ben Quilty was born in Sydney, Australia in 1973. He has an Honorary Doctorate from Western Sydney University, a Bachelor of Visual Arts from Sydney College of the Arts, a Bachelor of Visual Communication from the School of Design at the University of Western Sydney and certificate level studies in Aboriginal History and Culture from Monash University. Widely known for his thick, gestural oil paintings Quilty has explored a range of themes throughout his career. From the dangerous coming of age rituals of young Australian men, to the complex social history of our country, he is constantly critiquing notions of identity, patriotism and belonging.
He won the 2002 Brett Whitely Traveling Art Scholarship, the 2007 National Self Portrait Prize, the 2009 Doug Moran National Portrait Prize, the 2011 Archibald Prize and most recently the Prudential Eye Award for Contemporary Art in Singapore.
His work is represented in the collections of the National Gallery of Australia, the Art Gallery of South Australia, The Art Gallery of New South Wales, QAGOMA and the Museum of Contemporary Art along with numerous regional and private collections.
Ben's Website: benquilty.com
Artist Decoded Patreon: patreon.com/artistdecoded
00:00 - Introduction
03:17 - How Ben Began Painting
06:11 - Personal Approach To Art
07:43 - Happy Balance Between Business and Personal Expression
10:45 - Curating Your Own Thoughts & Creative Writing
13:22 - Trip to Lebanon
15:06 - Myuran Sukumaran's Story & Teaching Him To Paint Before Execution
26:54 - Current Feelings on Art Career
28:11 - Personal Works Destructive Young Masculinity
31:36 - Economic Rationalization of Education
32:38 - Contemporary Trends in the Art Market
34:53 - David Hockney's iPad Art
37:06 - Collaborating With Wife & Being an Artist Parent
39:44 - Empathy, Larrikinism, & The Frontier Wars
44:16 - Indigenous Australians & Artist Vincent Namatjira
48:27 - Beginning to Understand Yourself and Your Art as You Age
50:08 - Advice to Artists
51:37 - Wrap Up
Originally Posted 12. 2.2016
