Ashleigh Wilson

 Brett Whiteley Art, Life and the Other Thing

Ashleigh Wilson

The Text Publishing Company 2016

Elenberg and Brett raced around visiting friends in Melbourne. They went to see Asher Bilu, who was about to have a show of plywood cut-outs. Brett had a few suggestions, and Bilu, with whom he had had many conversations about abstraction and art in general, was happy to hear them. Brett and Elenberg suggested he call one of the works ‘Einstein’s Dream’ (Bilu eventually called it The Dream) while Brett urged him to make a white-on-white work (Bilu agreed and called it White for Brett). While there, Bilu took out his sarod – a lute-like Indian instrument – and began to play as Brett drew. The sketch took under ninety seconds to complete, which he recorded above his signature: For Asher 12/Sep/79 11.16am-11.17.30am.

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