Elsie Lange
The paint on Kay Le Vennais’ portrait of mental health advocate Nigel Gould has dried and now it’s ready to hit the road – all the way from Mt Macedon to the Archibald Prize.
The painting will be Le Vennais’ second entry into the prize and she describes her piece as “symbolic”.
“This piece is basically a manifestation of a lot of the things that have happened throughout Nigel’s life,” she said.
The artwork is vivid and bright, with different aspects of Mr Gould’s history spread across the canvas.
In the painting, Mr Gould sits in a dark suit and tie, wearing his yellow mining gear underneath.
Around him are the causes he cares about, including a mo-vember moustache for men’s health issues, and a Royal Flying Doctor plane, to represent a time when they evacuated his wife and daughter.
Mr Gould said the portrait came about after he was approached by a man whose life he had saved by raising funds for mental health and working as a peer support.
The man told him that he wanted him to sit for the Archibald Prize, because of what he’d done to support others.
Mr Gould said Le Vennais gave him the “vehicle” to spread his message, that it’s “OK not to be OK”.
“It’s okay to get help, it’s a simple message,” Mr Gould said.
The portrait can be voted for in the People’s Choice category.
Details: www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/prizes/archibald/2021/
