WORLD renowned Australian artist Wendy Sharpe will celebrate ‘Women’s Empowerment’, with her latest work unveiled on a Camperdown street as part of the Perfect Match initiative.
Property owners are invited to find their Perfect Match by nominating their wall to be transformed by an artist. Wendy is one of Australia’s most awarded and respected artists, having won the Sulman Prize, the Portia Geach Memorial Award (twice), the Archibald Prize and many others.
Living and working in Sydney’s Inner West and Paris – unfortunately though, this year the Paris plan has obviously been curtailed, so she turned her attention to making a landmark contribution to her local neighbourhood through the Perfect Match program.
“During this challenging time of Covid-19 which has drastically affected so many people in the arts, I am delighted to have the opportunity through the council’s innovative Perfect Match program to paint a large scale artwork in Sydney’s Inner West, where I have lived and worked for 30 years,” she said.
“’Women’s Empowerment’ is an issue close to my heart … I want [the artwork] to be powerful, dramatic and strong. I was inspired by the words of Andre Lorde, ‘I am not free while any woman is unfree’, even when her shackles are very different from my own,” Wendy said.
Ewan Samway and his partner Matt Vagulans are the lucky property owners and are great fans of Wendy’s work.
“More than ever, it is important that the council and community get behind projects to support and encourage artists, so central to the vibrant neighbourhood we love so much,” Ewan said. “In particular, as gay dads of two young boys, we’re especially keen on showing our support for women’s empowerment and the #metoo movement in any way we can.”
Perfect Match for women’s empowerment
INNER West Council’s unique initiative, Perfect Match, hit new highs when its latest commission, by world renowned Australian artist Wendy Sharpe, was unveiled. Wendy (second from right) and assistant Morena Maurino were visited by the lucky property owners Ewan and Matt, and Mayor Darcy Byrne, as they completed the work.