More on Canberra: the National Gallery of course has Jackson Pollock's Blue Poles, which has always been one of my very favourite artworks ever since I first saw it on its nationwide tour after being bought by the Whitlam Government in 1973. It blew me away then as a young teenager, it blows me away now. What a superb work it is. I remember the huge furore at the time of its purchase: waste of money when more could be done for <insert favourite spending topic here>, Government profligacy, artist was a drunkard etc ... the usual incompetent and ad hominem arguments of the choleric right-wing. I'm convinced that almost all the shrill nay-sayers had never actually seen the painting. Well, I love it, and had the Whitlam government done nothing else, they would get my eternal thanks for this one purchase.

#jacksonpollock #bluepoles #painting #art #controversy #australia

#johnshakespeare's #cartoon Vindicated: Priceless! #Bluepoles
#alt #alttext

#johnshakespeare's #cartoon @johnshakespeare@ Vindicated: Priceless! #Bluepoles

@IainMac9 Wasn’t too long ago a youngster Senator from SA wanted the Gov., to rid itself of this piece of Art, “It’s not the role of government to keep art”. I’ve seen this piece, up close. The Yanks ard still smarting over the fact this major piece of work by Pollock got out of the country. #BluePoles / #JacksonPollock