News

Turf laid bare as artists produce feast for fans

19th Aug 2013

Sydney Morning Herald - Max Presnell - Sunday, 18 August 2013

The male nude, albeit hindquarters only, was a ring-in for the Inglis Equine Art Prize. ''We diversified this year,'' Arthur Inglis, judge and prime mover of the award, said.

The magnificent barn complex, part of the Newmarket stable at Randwick, was the gallery of equine magnificence, emphasising the house of Inglis is perhaps the last bastion of racing tradition in Sydney. The dynasty dates back to 1867.

The clippety clop of yearlings with the booming voice of the late John Inglis, the legendary auctioneer, have impregnated the walls of the gallery. Yet a nude hung in a prime stall, alongside an Alister Simpson, Australasia's most accomplished in the equine field, and looked starkly out of a place among great horses, live racing action, gallops, head portraits, stud and polo scenes.

Black Caviar was still the flavour of 2013. Andrea Michael caught her eye and Dave Manning produced a wonderful work of a yearling half-brother with the reflection of the mighty mare in a pool underneath.

But a real stunner was Katey Baddeley's Nelly, taken from a Bronwyn Healey photograph with permission from the Black Caviar syndicate, due to the delicate shades she has formulated with pencil.

Only 22, Baddeley has been using pencil since she was 12 but this was her first venture in colour. She is a late comer compared with Simpson, who ''from the age of two had a passion for drawing horses''.

Baddeley was competing in top weight-for-age company. For instance, the major prize winner, Jason Roberts, announced on Thursday, has fulfilled commissions from the Sultan of Oman. Roberts won the $15,000 first prize for Valyra Passes Beauty Parlour at Chantilly, a watercolour of a Chantilly (France) finish. The brilliance isn't questioned but I favour more of an Australian theme.

Maybe Martin Stainforth painted the world's greats but my pick will always be of Beauford and Gloaming in the 1923 Spring Stakes at Randwick. English-born and renowned worldwide for his equine art, he came here in 1909 for a holiday and stayed 20 years. At one stage the Australian Jockey Club had six Stainforths at Randwick. Hopefully the cash-strapped Australian Turf Club hasn't dispensed them at a garage sale.

Stainforth did well in the US and always commented on his subjects. Of the mighty Man O War the artist pointed out: ''He has a very strong personality, is as vain as a turkey cock and poses like an actor.''

No doubt a Stainforth quote can be applied to the finalists of the Inglis prize. ''It has been my endeavour to produce something for future generations,'' he maintained.

A US critic opined: ''Stainforth has his own style, he gives us the horse first and foremost … his orchestration gives the horse the solo voice and himself the instrument accompaniment. Which is as it should be.''

Stainforth issued a warning on photographs. ''The lens sees everything, often distorts due to camera angles and brings out a horse's faults rather than good points,'' he stressed.

Unlike Baddeley and Simpson, Stainforth came to racing late, in his 40s, eventually deciding to give himself nine months to study the anatomy of a horse. He rented a studio close to Randwick racecourse where he went every morning to study horses in every attitude. On race days he sat in the grandstand, sketching horses at full gallop. Mind you, the 2013 finalists shone in this aspect.

With Joseph Zbukvic's Final Effort the flying turf can be felt while the back view of The Wyong Straight takes you to the provincial course. Mud Sweat and Tears (David Mellor) featuring Makybe Diva and Glen Boss is hard to beat.

Bloodstock expert Les Young, a ''head man'', was taken with Barry McCann's acrylic of Al Maher.

Graphite was used to reproduce the epic Tommy Woodcock and Reckless sleeping by Linda Dicmanis.

And there can be no doubt about the atmosphere generated by Tony Pridham with Jockey Up, my selection for the ''People's Choice Award''.

Renowned for his painting of other animals, birds in particular, Pridham has captured the moment when a jockey has just mounted. It's more the motion than the horse and rider. Pridham is now headed to Africa to depict the problems with poaching.

The judging panel, Inglis, Simpson and Frank Giacco, an Archibald prize winner, were confronted with a top array and the exhibition will travel interstate and throughout NSW under the supervision of Mike Coward (australianartsales.com.au) with the dates to be finalised.

Of the 29 finalists, 22 were female. ''And most were under 30,'' Coward stressed.

But what about the nude? It was an example of Giacco's work.

(Picture: Katey Baddeley's Nelly, the champ Black Caviar)