Danica Lundy
Danica Lundy The inspiration of the poet 2021, Art Gallery of New South Wales © Danica Lundy
The inspiration of the poet 2021
A house with its walls peeled back to reveal the human drama within. Painter Danica Lundy has a talent for getting under architecture’s skin, exposing the vulnerability of dwellings and those who shelter within them. This painting, though based in memories of the artist’s young adulthood, is also a work of the 2020s and the pandemic period, reflecting how the many senses of interior – room, body and mind – became confused in the era of lockdowns. Lundy could have been describing this work when, in a 2020 interview, she spoke of painting as being like ‘a construction site, a house that’s built inside out, made without a T square, with some degree of danger and dark humour in the scaffolding around it, and all its nerves exposed like live wires’.
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K–6 discussion questions
Look at the painting. Who are these two people and what are they doing? List the objects you can see. Consider why the artist has included them.
Describe the colours and composition of the work. How does the viewpoint differ from that of other paintings you have seen? What impact does this have on the viewer?
Why do you think the artist decided to create a painting of this moment, rather than taking a photograph? Describe the similarities and differences between paintings and photographs.
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K–6 activities
This artwork presents a view from down low, looking up. Paint a picture of a scene from a low or high angle. Does this make your composition more interesting? Is it easier or more difficult to paint?
Our homes say a lot about who we are and what we like. What can you tell about the people in this artwork by looking at the space around them? Create an artwork based on your own home and the people who live there.
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7–12 discussion questions
Lundy describes her painting as a construction site with danger, dark humour and ‘all its nerves exposed like live wires’. What do you think she means by this? Find clues and qualities in the painting that convey some of these ideas.
Lundy includes autobiographical references in her artwork. Look at the scene in this painting and think about what memory she might be capturing. How does the title, The inspiration of the poet, offer clues about what’s happening? Consider the structural elements as well as the placement of objects in the composition. Is this a happy memory or does it reveal a sense of discomfort?
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7–12 activities
Lundy positions the viewer behind a wall, looking through it into the room as though with x-ray vision. What are the clues that indicate this position? Think about this approach and create an artwork inspired by the idea of x-ray vision or looking through.
Analyse the use of colour in this painting. How does the use of colour affect the way we perceive the work? Discuss the importance of colour and its role in adding another level of meaning to a painting. Create an artwork with your own colour palette and explain the significance of your choices.