Jamie Dunn Self Portrait
Jamie Dunn
- Sitter: Jamie Dunn
- Medium: Acrylic on Canvas
- Dimensions: 91.5cm x 122cm
- Representation: Jan Murphy Gallery (Brisbane) and Michael Reid Gallery (Sydney/Berlin)
About the artwork
This is Jamie Dunn’s third time in the Brisbane Portrait Prize, but his first time as an artist. He was painted in 2019 by Nick Kohler, and in 2021 by Matt Tervo. “I consider myself a part time artist and only indulge in it when the motivation takes me.”
The self-portrait’s monochrome palette is only alleviated by the playful pink frames of the glasses. There is a sense of humour throughout the portrait with the glasses hiding the sitters eyes, normally regarded as the windows to the soul, as if he’s keeping something of himself private.
“The whole pivot for the picture is the glasses.. I made them really shiny, almost reflective.”
The expressive lines of the beard, the quick brushstrokes of the balding head and the monumental size of the face, give the image energy and vibrancy.
“In this self-portrait I wanted it to be in stark black and white but felt it needed the hot pink sunglasses to draw the eye to it. When I showed it to my son he suggested I call it ‘Badass’. I think it shows me as I am.
“I paint in a corner on the verandah of our farm to relax and fulfil a creative need. I think art is like music it is a personal pleasure.”
About the artist
Jamie Dunn is a household name in Brisbane, famous for his work on breakfast radio voicing one of Australian TV’s most successful children’s characters, Agro from Agro’s Cartoon Connection on Channel 7. His radio career began with B105 in 1990, where he was a part of the popular Morning Crew. He also worked on other radio stations across the Southeast and currently does a Saturday morning show which is broadcast to 11 regional centres and Hawaii, through Resonate Broadcasting. He has won ten TV Week Logie awards.
Jamie Dunn has been painting since he was a child, and carries a sketchbook with him.
