BRETT WHITELEY (1939-1992)

'Drawing is a completely unrehearsable and unrepeatable visual truth. The purpose of drawing is to make freshness permanent - to trigger astonishment.' (Brett Whiteley in 162 Drawings Brett Whiteley 1960-8, (exhibition catalogue) Robin Gibson Gallery, Sydney, 1985, p.3)

Whiteley made his last visit to Paris in 1989 when he challenged himself to create 'a series of gouaches drawings, and photographs made between June and July 1989. The only ground-rule was to try to produce one work a day, for sixty days.' (Brett Whiteley in Paris 'Regard de Côté', Art Gallery of New South, Sydney, March - May 1990) There are a few works, such as the present drawing, which are dated after the 1989 trip to Paris. Although Whiteley was not to return again, he continued to depict Parisian imagery over the next two years, drawing from his experiences and imagination.

This work will be included in the forthcoming Brett Whiteley catalogue raisonné being compiled by Kathie Sutherland.