THE dark and moody portrait of anti-whaling campaigner Captain Paul Watson was painted “with blood, bone and fat”, according to the artist.
The portrait by Sophie Cape includes her own blood and bits of animal bone, bitumen, tar and traditional painting materials.
Entitled Master and Commander, the portrait has intrigued visitors to the annual Portia Geach exhibition and won the People’s Choice Award.
“I’m surprised and impressed that this work was voted for by the people,” Sophie said.
“It is not nice work. It is not pretty. It is raw and visceral and violent. I painted it with blood, bone and fat.”
For three years running, Sophie and her mother Anne Cape have both been selected as finalist in the prestigious Portia Geach Memorial Award.
Anne Cape lives in Mosman and Sophie grew up in the suburb but now lives in Paddington. The finalists’ portraits were on show at the S.H. Ervin Gallery until last weekend and the exhibition will tour to the Tweed River Art Gallery in Murwillumbah in the new year. Last year, Anne Cape’s portrait of Kevin Connor was chosen for the People’s Choice Award at the Salone des Refuses.
Sophie Cape left last week for Europe to exhibit in Poland and take up art residency at the Cite Internationale des Arts in Paris.