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Johnny
O’Keefe "A little bit louder now…" 1999
by Ivan
Durrant
synthetic
polymer paint on board
122.0 x 91.5
cm
Collection:
National Portrait Gallery, Canberra
Commission
1999
Ivan
Durrant was commissioned in 1999 by the National Portrait Gallery to paint music
legend Johnny O’Keefe (1935—1978). Durrant wrote the following about
the Johnny O’Keefe portrait.
‘I
decided to paint Johnny as a sweet innocent young boy just entering the rock’n’roll
world. The painting brings a tear to my eye when I think about the "shell-shocked"
rock’n’roller that came out of the process at the end.
The
rock’n’roll industry is full of young fresh faced enthusiastic people
that all too often finish up like disillusioned bewildered soldiers. Not many
make it through with their health and sanity intact. I admire greatly these soldiers
of music and Johnny O’Keefe was the greatest.
I
first saw Johnny O’Keefe on TV when I was about 13-14 years old while living
at Melbourne Orphanage, Brighton, Victoria. We all wanted to look like J.O.K.
or Crash Craddock. I had a great "rocker" hairdo that was much admired
by the girls at school; in fact I thought I looked a lot like Johnny O’Keefe.
A
boy in sixth grade once lent me his Derwent pencils for a night and I drew at
least twenty portraits of J.O.K., completely demolishing his red, tangerine, ming
blue and bright green pencils. So I had a bit of practice for this portrait.
"A
little bit louder now" had to look a little bit louder now or a lot louder
now and it does. Using the line "a little bit louder now" in the title
guarantees many viewers will walk away singing at least a few lines of "Shout"
in their heads.’
Visit:
Ivan Durrant's
home page
