"Fabian LoSchiavo"

 

"Fabian LoSchiavo"

[Double Portrait]

Kerry Wright, 1993

Oils on Canvas

182cm x 121cm

Fabian LoSchiavo (1949-2023) was a culturally significant, legendary, iconic gay Australian, at the height of his fame when he agreed to sit for me, to paint his portrait, in 1993. He precisely complied with the provisions for entry into the Archibald Prize competition, in his capacity as Mother Inferior of the Sydney Chapter of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. I had planned on entering the portrait into the 1994 Archibald. Alas, when I did so, the Trustees of the Art Gallery of New South Wales chose not to shortlist it. Instead, it was entered into the 1994 OutArt Exhibition as part of the Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras festivities that year. The opening night was a glittering occasion with Fabian in attendance in full habit, where he and his portrait were received with warm approval and applause.