"Isn't it marvellous! I'm incredibly flattered to have been depicted like this in such a stunning scene."

Matthew Mitcham

The National Portrait Gallery's Curator, Dr Christopher Chapman, says that "the National Portrait Gallery is very pleased to acknowledge Matthew Mitcham's contribution to sport and to the gay community by including his portrait in the collection. The painting is terrifically dynamic and I am sure it will be immensely popular with our visitors when it is on display here."

Read Professor Martin Comte's fascinating insight of the Mitcham Painting

Ross Watson's recent painting featuring Australia's Olympic Gold Medal diving champion Matthew Mitcham is based on The fall of Phaeton by Sebastiano Ricci.

In the painting by Ricci, Phaeton, son of the sun-god Helios (or Apollo according to which version of mythology you favour), is falling from the sun chariot, as represented in Watson's painting by the falling horses. Watson has cleverly placed Matthew Mitcham in the bottom foreground of the painting – not in his usual pose of diving down, but this time rising up: perhaps to catch the falling Phaeton? It is a brilliant move by Watson to turn Mitcham 'upside-down' – that is, right way up! A lesser artist might have portrayed Mitcham as Phaeton himself. But no – Phaeton is falling and not diving: unlike Mitcham when he descends head-first, Phaeton is not in control. Watson introduces Mitcham as a new element that does not appear in Ricci's original work.

No representation of Watson's painting can capture its vibrant colours – particularly the background turquoise. Is this Watson's acknowledgement of the water in which Mitcham is triumphant? Or is it to represent the notion of cool water in opposition to the heat of the sun?

In Watson's painting we have the progeny of the sun-god falling into the arms of a 'water-god': a wonderful juxtaposition of opposites. It is Mitcham and not Phaeton who shines in this work.

Professor Martin Comte OAM, PhD

Matthew Mitcham models in Sydney
Paintings and Edition Photographs featuring Matthew Mitcham will be included in the forthcoming Melbourne and Sydney exhibitions. The openly gay Australian diver produced the highest scoring dive in the history of the Olympics, at the Beijing Games.

Forthcoming Exhibitions 2010
Classic De Novo II



Melbourne
22 January - 7 February
11 - 5 Friday - Sunday
Ross Watson Gallery
465 Nicholson St Carlton North

Sydney
23 February - 6 March
11 - 5 Tuesday - Saturday
11 - 4 Sunday
The Depot Gallery
2 Danks St Waterloo

To be Opened by The Hon. Michael Kirby
6 - 8pm Tuesday February 23

Celebrate with Matthew Mitcham on his birthday in the exhibition March 2

Click to see more photos from the Classic De Novo II Opening

"Beautiful subjects. Brilliant detail. Wonderful light. At once classic and challenging."

The Hon. Michael Kirby AC CMG

------------------------------

The Hon. Michael Kirby was one of the seven Justices of the High Court of Australia until February 2009. He has also served in many international and United Nations positions including Special Representative of the Secretary General of the United Nations. Highly respected as a judge and lawyer, Michael Kirby is openly gay, and is well known for his insight, warmth and intelligence. He visited the Ross Watson Gallery, and sat for a painting which will explore the theme of mentoring.

View Michael Kirby's website: www.michaelkirby.com.au

The Age, November 26, 2009

Ex-judge rules himself into art exhibition
SUZANNE CARBONE

MICHAEL Kirby has hung up his gown and wig as a High Court judge but remains a passionate waver of the gay flag. North Carlton artist Ross Watson, another proud gay man, will feature Kirby in his exhibition Classic De Novo II to celebrate famous Australian gay role models during the 2010 Midsumma Festival. Kirby is a fan of Watson's ''contemporary realism'' brushstrokes and agreed to pose after seeing a painting of Olympic gold-medal diver Matthew Mitcham. Kirby strolled into the Nicholson Street gallery on Tuesday for the sitting and even before the canvas has dried, the work has been snapped up. Watson said: ''The painting has pre-sold to a local legal eagle, setting a price record.'' Sir Elton John collects Watson's work, as does Grant Hackett, Petro Georgiou, the NGV and the National Gallery of Australia. Here's Elton's endorsement: ''I never tire of his paintings.'' Now Kirby: ''Beautiful subjects. Brilliant detail. Wonderful light. At once classic and challenging.'' The verdict is in.

Marco Da Silva models in Berlin
Marco Da Silva, Kylie Minogue's most popular dancer, visited Watson's recent Berlin exhibition and modeled for Untitled 19/09 (after Caravaggio, 1596)

Click here to see more photos from the Berlin Vernissage

:: TRIBUTE TO OUR GAY HEROES
With the tagline 'Celebrate Our Heroes', acclaimed artist Ross Watson's latest exhibition, Classic De Novo II, is a diverse collection of portraits of gay icons and role models from all walks of life

Read Sydney Star Observer's article here

Classic De Novo - Ross Watson

'Love conquers all; let us all yield to love!': In his second reference of Caravaggio's 'Victorious Cupid', Watson's superb feature-painting for his upcoming Berlin exhibition explores the notion of the disposable and the sustainable in today's society. Depicted life-sized, contemporary German model Marcel holds a digital camera and stands in the foreground of the 17th Century scene. Watson produces just one painting of this size and calibre each year.

"On my many visits to the Gemaldegalerie I have felt a strong connection with Carravaggio's paintings, being struck by the almost photographic naturalism of his technique. The candid expression of cupid here is a perfect example. In Caravaggio's era everything was hand-crafted, cared for and kept, unlike so much today including many digital images which are discarded. I decided to paint Marcel lifesize to increase the level of realism".

This painting after Caravagio 1603 (Oil on board, 75 x 85 cm / 30" x 33") was sold to a private collection in London for US$21,500. Paintings included in the forthcoming Berlin exhibition may be pre-purchased, and will be available for shipping ex-Berlin July 1.

More Ross Watson on OhLaLa

Melbourne's broadsheet The Age has a full page article on Ross Watson and his art.
Read the whole story here.

MÄNNER Magazine Germany February 2009 Issue has a double page feature on Ross Watson.

View MÄNNER Magazine's spread

A Re-Imagining of the Classics:
Southern Star recently interviewed Ross Watson in the lead-up to the Classic De Novo exhibition.

Canada's hit gay travel TV series, BUMP!TV, visited Ross' recent Sydney exhibition. Presenter Shannon McDonough spoke with Ross about his art and career, in an interview which will be included in an episode featuring Australia, screening in Europe, the U.K. and North America from May 2008.

:: WHEN LIFE MERGES WITH ART
Sydney Star Observer - Sydney,New South Wales, Australia
Just as in his artworks though, the real and surreal elements of Ross Watson’s life seem to merge seamlessly. Exhibiting since 1984, Watson’s latest show, ...

:: ROSS WATSON MCV COVER FEATURE:

Beauty and Meaning - a feature interview with Ross Watson by Lucy Elliot in this December 2007 issue No 361, which illustrates Ross' portrait of Jake Shears, the edition of which is now sold out.

View MCV Cover

This painting which references Hans Holbein's (The Younger) 'Sir Thomas More', was commissioned by a Melbourne collector who is a lawyer, and who features on the painting's right side. Sir Thomas More was King Henry VIII's lawyer and was sentenced to hang for treason. Subsequently canonised, Saint Thomas More is a patron saint of lawyers and statesmen.

Holbein's painting hangs in The Frick Museum in New York, where Ross and the collector have enjoyed viewing it. This painting was the sole suggestion the collector made to Ross, and the rest was a surprise. On seeing it finished he commented, "Oh Ross, it far exceeds my greatest expectations".

:: SUCCEEDING FAMOUSLY
If securing high-profile subjects is a measure of an artist's success, Ross Watson is doing very nicely indeed.

Read Sydney Star Observer's article here

:: PROFESSOR DENNIS ALTMAN TO OPEN SYDNEY EXHIBITION:
In 1971, Dennis Altman published his book Homosexual: Oppression and Liberation - considered an important intellectual contribution to the ideas that shaped Australia's gay liberation movement. In 2005, he also published Gore Vidal's America, a study, as the title suggests, of Gore Vidal and his writings on history, politics, sex, and religion.

In 1985, Altman accepted an appointment at La Trobe University, where he later became Professor of Politics; he was appointed the visiting Chair of Australian Studies at Harvard University from January 2005.

:: ROSS WATSON BNEWS COVER STORY:

Ross is featured on the January 24 cover of BNews - Melbourne Star.

View BNews cover page and story

Ross and Elton recorded a JOY Melbourne Radio I.D. after Elton learnt of the station, and how it was the first (and after the demise of a gay and lesbian station in Sydney), remains the only one of it's kind in Australia.

Sir Elton John was thrilled to receive from Ross Watson a complete set of photographs from his current Melbourne exhibition - Catalogue XXVII Photographs.

Elton has bought three large photographs from the series for his private collection.

Gifted to the ELTON JOHN AIDS FOUNDATION and valued at AUS$30,000, the photographs will be auctioned at Elton's 2007 White Tie and Tiara Ball.

Ross and partner Stephen Morgan, introduced high profile AFL footballers, Brodie Holland and Paul Licuria, to Elton at a back-stage party at his Melbourne concert Sunday 3rd December.

Ross' 2006 London exhibition received the greatest number of visitors, editorial coverage and commissions of any exhibition to date.

The classical references in the paintings caught the attention of the Libraries and Archive Department at The National Gallery in London, who have requested related artwork for their historical records.

:: CABLE TV FEATURE:
Ross' art and career is profiled in the FOX8 Television series OUT & ABOUT (Series 1, Episode 5 - Melbourne), screening in Australia, North America, Europe and the U.K..

:: UNTITLED #17/04 SELECTED FOR NGV COVER:
Ross Watson's painting Untitled #17/04 (after Jacques-Louis David, 1784; featuring Brodie Holland) has been selected for the cover of Issue 1 of the quarterley journal Australian Football. It is this edition that will be used as a souvenir for the National Gallery of Victoria's "The Spirit of Football" exhibition.

View larger image of cover

:: The National Portrait Gallery exhibits Untitled #9/03 (after Coypel, 1709 - Ian Roberts), the museum's board having approved the painting for the permanent collection, which includes portraits of famous Australians - from Cathy Freeman to Kylie Minogue. Featuring Australia's most famous gay man, ex football star, now NIDA Drama Academy graduate, it is the first painting depicting Ian Roberts in the museum's collection.

:: COLLECTOR'S WAITING LIST:
A non refundable AUS$100 registration fee is payable to join this list if you have not previously purchased a Ross Watson painting.
Wait List Collectors will be the first to be offered new paintings before they are featured on the website or in magazine editorials, with the collector at the top of the list at any given time offered first choice.
Please email us your contact details should you wish to be placed on that list.

:: COMMISSIONS:
Paintings may be commissioned and attract a 30% fee (ie. a painting of the size catalogued at $20,000, would be $26,000). As the collector, you will enjoy the opportunity to communicate your favorite themes, classical artists and models. The final concept is arrived at through a process of negotiation between the collector and the artist. The proposed concept must be of relevance to the artist's work, and he reserves the right to decline a proposal. A non-refundable deposit of 50% is required on the commission's commencement, and the balance due on completion after we have forwarded you an image of the painting by email.

National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, Australia
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, Australia
National Portrait Gallery, Canberra, Australia
Sir Elton John Collection, United Kingdom
Sir William Dobell Foundation, Sydney, Australia
Charles Cholmondeley, London, United Kingdom
Robert Woolley, Sotheby's New York, USA
Allens Arthur Robinson, Sydney, Australia
The Von Engelhardt Collection, Geneva, Switzerland
James D. Wolfensohn, President, The World Bank 1995-2005, Washington DC, USA
David Stevens Collection, Boston, USA
Abbott Tout Russell Kennedy, Sydney, Australia
Pancontinental, Sydney, Australia
Harrods (trompe-l'oeil), London, United Kingdom
Dave Clark Collection, London, United Kingdom
Ian Roberts Collection, Sydney, Australia
Grant Hackett, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
Professor Andrew Kaye, Melbourne, Australia
Russell Mulcahy, Sydney, Australia
Leslie Walford, Sydney, Australia
The Hon. Petro Georgiou M.P. Melbourne, Australia
K. Adams Collection, Melbourne, Australia
The Baden Von Bibra Collection, Melbourne, Australia
Dr Brett Archer Collection, Melbourne
Timothy Chow Collection, London, United Kingdom

HAND CRAFTED FRAMES:
Paintings are framed as illustrated above in hand crafted silver-leaf and gesso frames, complete with an individually coloured slip.

Click here to view larger image of framed painting.