Hazel’s dementia a ‘work-of-art’
Alzheimer’s disease patient Hazel Hawke is still a “living breathing person” – and New South Wales-based rhinoplasty surgeon and talented artist, Dr Gillian Dunlop, has captured the former first-lady’s humanity on canvas for this year’s Archibald Prize. The Archibald Prize is one of Australia’s oldest and most prestigious art prizes.
Alzheimer’s disease patient Hazel Hawke is still a “living breathing person” – and New South Wales-based rhinoplasty surgeon and talented artist, Dr Gillian Dunlop, has captured the former first-lady’s humanity on canvas for this year’s Archibald Prize.
The Archibald Prize is one of Australia’s oldest and most prestigious art prizes.
Dr Dunlop tells DPS News the painting portrays Ms Hawke as “the way Australia remembers her” in 1991 and then shows the person she is today.
“I was down at the National Portrait Gallery and was struck by the fact there was no portrait of Hazel. It seems to me a significant omission, she was an important figure in the life of our nation, and remains much loved,” Dr Dunlop says, adding her artwork is a “tribute” to Ms Hawke.
“You can see she is still a living, breathing person. She is a woman that gave so much to Australia and she was yet to be celebrated,” Dr Dunlop adds.
She delivered her painting to the NSW Art Gallery this Monday (5 March 2012) and says she has been moved by the response to her portraits. Dr Dunlop’s entry is among one of about 800 which will be examined by critics.
She shares how, with paint brush in hand to begin work, she visited the nursing home where Ms Hawke lives.
“The nursing home was lovely. Hazel’s daughter, Sue, gave her cups of tea and biscuits. It was lovely to see the warm mother/daughter bonding as I sat back and sketched with oil paint.
“Hazel looked really fit and well. She is amazingly healthy. And although she could not talk much, you could still see her connecting with her daughter… her smile is still as warm as ever.”
According to Dr Dunlop, when friends and colleagues admired her finished work, many people reflected on the portrait in much the same way.
“They would say after looking at the portrait that it would tell them a story about a loved one with Alzheimer’s,” she says.
Diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2001, Ms Hawke reportedly no longer recognises her daughter Sue-Pieters-Hawke, who was interviewed by DPS News last September to mark Dementia Awareness Week.
She spoke about her fight to bring Alzheimer’s to the forefront and described being a carer to someone living with the disease as a “very tough gig”.
The winner of the Archibald – one of Australia’s oldest and most prestigious art prizes – will be announced on Friday, 30 March. The winner of the People’s Choice will be announced on Thursday, 17 May.
