Eric Smith (artist)
Encyclopedia
Eric John Smith is an award-winning Australia
n artist. Smith has won many of Australia's major art prizes multiple times including the Archibald Prize
for portraiture three times; the Wynne Prize
twice; the Sulman Prize
three times; and the Blake Prize for Religious Art
six times.
. At the age of 17 Smith undertook the study of Commercial Art and Painting at the Brunswick Technical School
and joined the Victorian Artists Society
. In 1940 Smith joined the Australian Army
for the remainder of the Second World War. Upon the end of the war, Smith returned to Melbourne and pursued his artistic ambitions. In 1945, a self portrait painted on an army canvass was runner up for the Archibald Prize
. In 1956 Smith had his work shown in the Macquarie Galleries, Sydney
, during the "Direction" exhibition. The success of this exhibition led to Smith's work being included in the 1963 exhibition of Australian art shown at the Tate
Gallery in London. Whilst in London in 1963, Smith gained further international recognition after winning the Helena Rubenstein Art Award. In 1970 Smith won the Archibald again for his portrait of Sydney architect Neville Gruzman
.
Smith's 3rd winning 1981 portraiture of the Archibald Prize
caused a controversy amongst the art world. In 1975 John Bloomfield winning entry was disqualified due to his portraiture of Tim Burstall
being painted from a photograph. It is a condition of entry that all portraits be painted from life rather than interpretations of photographs. Bloomfield asserted that Smith's portraiture of Rudy Komon resembled a photograph taken of the subject in 1974 and hence in breach of the competitions requirements. Bloomfield threatened legal action to prevent the prize being awarded to Smith. The controversy subsided when gallery director /art dealer Komon came to the defense of Smith and said he had sat for Smith many times over the previous twenty-one years.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n artist. Smith has won many of Australia's major art prizes multiple times including the Archibald Prize
Archibald Prize
The Archibald Prize is regarded as the most important portraiture prize in Australia. It was first awarded in 1921 after a bequest from J. F. Archibald, the editor of The Bulletin who died in 1919...
for portraiture three times; the Wynne Prize
Wynne Prize
The Wynne Prize is an Australian landscape painting or figure sculpture art prize. One of Australia's longest running art prizes, it was established in 1897 from the bequest of Richard Wynne...
twice; the Sulman Prize
Sulman Prize
The Sir John Sulman Prize is one of Australia's longest running art prizes, having been established in 1936.It is now held concurrently with the Archibald Prize, Australia's best known art prize, and also with the Wynne Prize, at the Art Gallery of New South Wales , Sydney.-Criteria:The Sir John...
three times; and the Blake Prize for Religious Art
Blake Prize for Religious Art
The Blake Prize for Religious Art is an annual art prize in Australia.The prize was established in 1949 as an incentive to raise the standard of religious art. Founded by Mr R. Morley, the Reverend Michael Scott SJ, Rector of Newman College, University of Melbourne, and lawyer Mrs M. Tenison, it...
six times.
Life and work
Eric Smith was born and raised in Brunswick, MelbourneBrunswick, Victoria
Brunswick is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 6 km north from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Moreland...
. At the age of 17 Smith undertook the study of Commercial Art and Painting at the Brunswick Technical School
Brunswick Secondary College
Brunswick Secondary College is located at 47 Dawson Street, Brunswick 3056 Victoria, Australia. It is one of two government secondary schools in Brunswick, the other one being Sydney Road Community School. BSC was created during the 1990s via an amalgamation of Brunswick Technical School,...
and joined the Victorian Artists Society
Victorian Artists Society
Victorian Artists Society established in 1856 in Melbourne, Australia promotes artistic education and exhibition in Australia. Fore-runner of the Victorian Academy of Arts, founded in 1870. In 1888 the Australian Artist's Association amalgamated with the Victorian Academy of Arts to form the...
. In 1940 Smith joined the Australian Army
Australian Army
The Australian Army is Australia's military land force. It is part of the Australian Defence Force along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. While the Chief of Defence commands the Australian Defence Force , the Army is commanded by the Chief of Army...
for the remainder of the Second World War. Upon the end of the war, Smith returned to Melbourne and pursued his artistic ambitions. In 1945, a self portrait painted on an army canvass was runner up for the Archibald Prize
Archibald Prize
The Archibald Prize is regarded as the most important portraiture prize in Australia. It was first awarded in 1921 after a bequest from J. F. Archibald, the editor of The Bulletin who died in 1919...
. In 1956 Smith had his work shown in the Macquarie Galleries, Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, during the "Direction" exhibition. The success of this exhibition led to Smith's work being included in the 1963 exhibition of Australian art shown at the Tate
Tate
-Places:*Tate, Georgia, a town in the United States*Tate County, Mississippi, a county in the United States*Táté, the Hungarian name for Totoi village, Sântimbru Commune, Alba County, Romania*Tate, Filipino word for States...
Gallery in London. Whilst in London in 1963, Smith gained further international recognition after winning the Helena Rubenstein Art Award. In 1970 Smith won the Archibald again for his portrait of Sydney architect Neville Gruzman
Neville Gruzman
Neville Gruzman, AM was an Australian architect, mayor of Woollahra, writer and architectural activist...
.
Smith's 3rd winning 1981 portraiture of the Archibald Prize
Archibald Prize
The Archibald Prize is regarded as the most important portraiture prize in Australia. It was first awarded in 1921 after a bequest from J. F. Archibald, the editor of The Bulletin who died in 1919...
caused a controversy amongst the art world. In 1975 John Bloomfield winning entry was disqualified due to his portraiture of Tim Burstall
Tim Burstall
Tim Burstall was an Australian film director, writer and producer, best known for the motion picture Alvin Purple....
being painted from a photograph. It is a condition of entry that all portraits be painted from life rather than interpretations of photographs. Bloomfield asserted that Smith's portraiture of Rudy Komon resembled a photograph taken of the subject in 1974 and hence in breach of the competitions requirements. Bloomfield threatened legal action to prevent the prize being awarded to Smith. The controversy subsided when gallery director /art dealer Komon came to the defense of Smith and said he had sat for Smith many times over the previous twenty-one years.
Awards
- 1944 Australia at War, War on Land Prize
- 1948 Catholic Centenary Art Prize
- 1948 CRTS Shell Company Prize
- 1948 CRTS Norman Bros Prize
- 1950 Victorian Artists’ Society, ‘60 Drawings’ Herald Prize
- 1953 Berrima Art Prize (Mural)
- 1955 Contemporary Art Society
- 1955 Contemporary Art Society, Madach Prize
- 1955 Adelaide Advertiser Prize
- 1956 Bathurst Art Prize
- 1960 Journalists’ Club Prize
- 1962 Royal Art Society of New South Wales Easter Show Prize
- 1963 Helena Rubenstein Art Award
- 1965 Roy H. Taffs Contemporary Art Society Award
- 1967 Darcy Morris Memorial Prize
- 1969 Royal Art Society of New South Wales, Portrait Prize
- 1975 Muswellbrook Art Prize