Champion of the North East Painting from Ned Kelly Series

A raw, powerful, and historically significant work by one of Australian arts most fascinating and paradoxical figures, Robert King Crawford, 1927-2018. Titled Champion of the North East, this 1994 oil on canvasboard is a prime example from the artists highly sought-after Ned Kelly Series. Crawford a celebrated public figure once dubbed Melbournes Czar of the Arts, channelled a creative energy that was anything but institutional. He developed his own philosophy of Mesmeratic Art, an intuitive, untutored style that aligns perfectly with the international Art Brut or Outsider Art movements. This painting is a testament to that philosophy. The canvas is alive with a thick, sculptural impasto, where fiery reds and oranges create a scene of chaotic energy. At its heart is a lone figure, arms raised in triumph or defiance, capturing the raw, folkloric spirit of the infamous bushranger Ned Kelly. This work enters into a direct dialogue with Sidney Nolans iconic modernist depictions of Kelly. Where Nolans Kelly is a cool, symbolic figure, Crawfords is visceral and immediate-a hero of the people seen from within the frenzy of the crowd. The piece is housed in a custom, handsome timber frame that complements its rustic energy. Its provenance is distinguished on the verso with Crawfords own signature and authentication label. This is a rare opportunity to acquire a compelling work that encapsulates a key theme in Australian folklore, created by an artist who was both a cultural insider and an artistic outsider. Oil on Canvasboard, Impasto. Presented in a custom timber frame, ready to hang.

Condition Details:
In very good condition showing only a few signs of wear such as small marks or scuffs.