John Olsen Obituary: The renowned Australian landscape painter John Olsen has passed away at the age of 95. Tuesday evening, Olsen died at his residence near Bowral, New South Wales, surrounded by his family. He had won the Archibald Prize in 2005 for a self-portrait and had been appointed to the Order of Australia in 2001.
Olsen’s daughters, Louise and Tim, said in a statement on Wednesday, “Our father was a titan of the art world and beloved by many in Australia and abroad, but to us he was dad, in all the wonderful humaneness, complexity, and humanity that word encapsulates.” Painting was our father’s livelihood, and he painted until the very end.
John Olsen Obituary
They claimed their father was very excited to see his artwork projected on the Opera House sails at Vivid Sydney next month, and they intended to stay at a hotel on the harbour for the opening night of the event.
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Olsen reportedly told his children only weeks ago, “I can watch my work on the Opera House sails in my own private light show in a beautiful hotel room with my family all around me before going to bed and quietly drifting away forever.” “What better way could there be to say goodbye?”
Premier Anthony Albanese tweeted a tribute to Olsen, describing him as “A giant who never lost his twinkle in the eye.” “A man of talent, charisma, generosity, and humility, he was a poet of the Australian bush, a truly great explorer and interpreter of the Australian landscape.”
After graduating from Sydney’s Julian Ashton Art School, Datillo Rubbbo Art School, and East Sydney Technical College, Olsen made his name with works created during his three years residing in Europe. He was born in January 1928 in Newcastle.