Bruce Heiser writes a detailed, meticulous history of a particular moment of
Brisbane art and culture. He moves from maybe the smallest –the story of Jon
Molvig, artist – to the biggest – the meaning of life. And he shows how they are
connected, and maybe couldn’t even have one without the other. An exemplary
piece of art-critical and art-historical writing.
Rex Butler, art historian
Jon Molvig remains one of the great enigmas of Australian art. Known for works
of savage expressionism, he switched styles and themes with a wilfulness
that would alienate many of his admirers. The Tree of Man series was the last
major undertaking of the artist’s career, made while he was already feeling his
mortality. The paintings proved deeply controversial, possessed of a simple,
persistent iconography that felt profound but deeply puzzling. Fifty years
later, Bruce Heiser takes another look at these mysterious pictures, analysing
Molvig’s symbolism, his sources of inspiration, and the way they were received
at the time. Do they represent a falling-away of the artist’s powers or a final
triumph?
John McDonald, art critic, Sydney Morning Herald; film critic, Australian Financial Review