Garry Shead (b. 1942). Original Oil Painting 'Artist with a Geisha' 27cm x 20cm

A rare opportunity to acquire an original oil painting by distinguished Australian artist and Archibald Prize winner 1993, Garry Shead (b. 1942). Titled 'Artist with a Geisha' (Artist with Model), c.2000, the artwork is an oil painting on printed paper. signed lower left 'Garry Shead' and inscribed on backing verso: 'ARTIST WITH A GEISHA'.  Framed under glass in a thick bright mottled gold frame with double antique white acid-free mat boards. The artwork is in excellent condition with very minor wear to the frame. Provenance: Private Collection, Melbourne, Deutscher-Menzies, Sydney, 8 December 2004, lot 289 (Sale $7,500 inc Buyers Premium), Private Collection, Brisbane, Menzies, Melbourne, 23 September 2010, lot 95, Leonard Joel, Fine Art, Melbourne, 23/11/2021, Lot No. 144, Private Collection, Brisbane, Private Collection, Melbourne, © Garry Shead/Copyright Agency, 2025

Dimensions

Image size: 27cm x 20cm
Frame size: 71.5cm x 61cm x 3.5cm

Bio

Garry Shead was born in 1942 in Sydney and remains a prominent figure in Australian contemporary art, celebrated for his distinctive narrative style and contributions to the visual arts. His works are held in major public and private collections, including the National Gallery of Australia, Art Gallery of New South Wales, and Parliament House Collection. He is renowned for his figurative paintings, printmaking, and ceramics, often infused with allegory and symbolism that invite spiritual, philosophical, and historical interpretation. He trained at the National Art School, Sydney between 1961 and 1962. He originally worked in media, as an editor of publications related to Oz Magazine and as a scenic artist and film editor for the ABC during the 1960’s. Shead has exhibited in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide since the 1960’s. His work has been included in group exhibitions including the Archibald, Wynne, Sulman and Moran Prizes at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney. Shead was awarded the Young Contemporaries Prize by the Central Art School in Sydney, 1967, the Archibald Prize in 1993 and the Cite Internationale des Arts, Paris through the Power Institute in 1973. He was artist in residence at Karolyi Foundation Studio in Venice through the Victorian Arts Board in 1982 and has completed residencies with the Indigenous artists of Lockhart River. Shead’s work is held by the National Gallery of Australia, Canberra; the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney; the Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide and several regional galleries. Several monographs on his work have been published including ‘The DH Lawrence Paintings’ 1993, and ‘Garry Shead and the Erotic Muse’ 2001.