About the Event
Mystery Unsolved: Who are the Three Well Known Australians?
Who do you see in this painting?
When 66-year-old Sydney artist Martin Shaw painted Three Well Known Australians 40 years ago, there was no predicting the intrigue and fascination that would be sparked by the unusual travelling work of art.
The mysterious artwork features; a headless blue person, a seated or squatting red figure and a green character holding an umbrella against a bright yellow background.
Three Well Known Australians began its national tour in 1983, inviting viewers across the country to guess the identity of the figures and record their opinions into yearbooks.
Visitors are encouraged to read the displayed opinions from well-known to everyday Australians.
Premier the Hon. Mark McGowan used the images and clues to come up with his best guess. Believing the seated red figure is “clearly a storyteller”, Mr McGowan guessed that it was Rover Thomas Joolama, a stockman and artist from the Kimberley that has made tracks raising the profile of Aboriginal art and was one of the first Indigenous artists to represent Australia in the Venice Biennale.
The Premier goes on to suggest the seemingly caring figure holding the umbrella is burns specialist Dr Fiona Wood, while the “hulking blue figure with the broad shoulders can only be Nat Fyfe”.
Martin Shaw will never reveal the identities of the Australians in the painting because he enjoys reading the opinions from people. Each generation interpret the painting differently and this is reflected in the yearbooks.
Three Well Known Australians is on at Mandurah Museum from 1 December 2022 to 15 January 2023.
Anyone who views the painting is welcome to make a guess as to who they think the three Australians are and submit them at the exhibition. Responses are collated into yearbooks, which travel along with the artwork across the country.
