David Larwill - Tanya Goes To Melbourne 1999

David Larwill is a significant figure in the art world. His unique mixture of childlike freshness, simplicity and sophistication has established him as one of the leading figurative expressionists in Australian contemporary art history.

Artistically, Larwill's work is an autobiographical visual journal of his sociopolitical views; as a result, the audience is compelled to react in an organic way to the fundamental truths presented in each piece. His stylistic marks emphasise the cheerful side of life, and the work has a strong story; it reflects what was going on around him at the time, such as family, friends, street life, the beach, parties, and his great love, Indigenous art. His unique style evolved naturally; he felt a need for order yet avoided solitary things, preferring to put multiple figures together to make a mathematically balanced image.

His distinct blend of youthful freshness, simplicity, and sophistication positioned him as a premier figurative expressionist in Australia and internationally. Larwill showed widely in Australia, the United Kingdom, and New York, and the globally recognised Victorian Tapestry Workshop transformed his work into numerous gigantic tapestries, the largest of which is displayed in Singapore's Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay.