The Paintings of Francis Brabazon
Exhibited for his Centennial at Avatar's Abode
Spring Sahavas October 2007
Raine Eastman-Gannett
This exhibition was brought together by Australia's painter John Parry specifically for the Francis Brabazon Centennial at Avatar's Abode October 2007 Spring Sahavas.
The paintings were exhibited in Beloved Baba's House in front of His room at Avatar's Abode. Francis Brabazon started out as a young artists' model at art school, he then started painting in 1936 through 1941 approx. This time for Francis, Ross Keating mentions in his presentation, was "A rite of passage into art and poverty."
His friends in the art world later became famous Australian artists and among them were Sydney Nolan and Albert Tucker. Way back then in 1941 they exhibited together in Melbourne, Australia, at the Contemporary Art Society.
Francis stopped painting, though, a few years later saying "he would do better to express himself in words and poetry than in paint." Francis knew a lot about art and painting due to this period of his life, and also due to having time on his hands in New York waiting for Baba to come there he would roam the New York Galleries taking it all in.
Robert Rouse and Bernard Bruford read some of Francis' letters and in one he said this of Art: "Art has to be a balance of intellect and heart, it should appeal to the highest intellect and the simplest heart"
The paintings shown are all by Francis Brabazon and thanks to John Parry we enjoyed this unique historical moment of having them all shown together for this wonderful weekend centennial Sahavas for Francis Brabazon's amazing life and all his artistic expressions of painting, music, plays, essays, books and poetry.
Once when John Parry asked Francis some questions about art Francis supplied knowledgable answers but added "Look, I am not a teacher but an informer."
The painting exhibited are:
1. "THE WEDDING," painted for Ossie Hall as a wedding present.
2. "ANNUNCIATION" was owned by Ossie and Betty Hall.
3. "TWO NURSES DANCING," owned by Robert Rouse.
4. "D24 POLICE STATION," owned by Bernard Bruford.
5. "KETTLE IN LANDSCAPE," owned by Avatar's Abode Trust.
6. "FLAGS," owned by Avatar's Abode Trust.
7. "MEDITATION," owned by Ross Keating.
8. "PORTRAIT OF A GOD REALIZED SOUL," owned by John Parry.
These photographs of Francis Brabazon's paintings were taken by Raine Eastman-Gannett and are copyrighted by her (© 2007). Please do not reproduce them without her permission and express permission from the Avatar's Abode Trust and/or the owners cited.