Mike Parr

Australia, b.1945

Polish Mud (12 Untitled Self Portraits, Set 6)

  • 1995
  • Dry-point, lift-ground aquatint and shellac wash
  • Purchased 2002
  • 1065 x 770mm
  • 2002/257.a-l

Between 1981 and 1996 Mike Parr used his own image as a way of analysing his response to the world. The almost violent style of these self-portraits is typical of his work.

Parr enjoys the accidental imperfections of the printing process, seeing this ‘noise’ as a device that allows him to distance his work from conventional self-portraits.

Widely regarded as one of Australia’s most gifted contemporary artists, Parr was born in Sydney and studied at Queensland University and the East Sydney Technical College. He has exhibited and performed extensively in Australia and internationally and is particularly well known for extreme performances that push his physical and psychological limits.

There is an information sheet available about this work.

Exhibition History