We acknowledge the Gadigal of the Eora Nation, the traditional custodians of the Country on which the Art Gallery of NSW stands.

James Drinkwater Encrusting the marvellous heart

oil and collage on hardboard

180 x 244 cm

Late one night, whilst sleeping in the desert, I dreamed that a woman and child surrounded my swag. They then pried my chest open allowing the contents of the sky to fall in, encrusting my heart like a jewel. That is where the title Encrusting the marvellous heart came from. This star-encrusted heart became a metaphor for the centre of this country. The painting seeks to express the enormity of this experience.

- James Drinkwater, 2015