Media coverage

Chinese Media seems to really like my story.

This video was from 2 serious looking state news via this site: http://www.shtv.net.cn/nInfo/View.aspx?id=20178

This from an arts website : http://www.peoplearts.cn/News/News_57827.html

So, I did something a little bit sneaky at the NGV.

I really should update this blog more often, but I've been busy on holidays, eating raw licorice root, and visiting the National Gallery of Victoria 

Then after I did this, I let a few friends know. Now some media have reported about it. It started with the Sydney Morning Herald, then the Daily Mail, and spread from there. I think this one written in German and this Chinese one are my favourites to run through the google translating program and read.

After about a week of deafening silence from the NGV, I called to ask if they had my painting in their lost and found department. 24 hours later their lost and found department called back and asked me to come and collect it.

I did. I wasn't spoken to by anyone from gallery staff. They just handed it back and sent me on my way.

A great opening night

Thank you to all who came to my exhibition opening. It was a great success, and I even managed to sell over half the show.

There are a few good paintings left. Please let me know if you are keen.

High Brow or Street Savvy

They say it's impossible to please everyone, especially in the art world... but I just might be able to do it!

Behold!  Both types of commercials!

One for the hip movers and shakers, the taste-makers with the fingers on the pulse of what's cool and what's stool.

And then there's a second commercial for the more refined and discerning art aficionado. The collector with both highly cultured tastes and a massive wad of cash in their pockets ready to shell out for the most important art produced in the Australia since Howard Arkley had a go.

For you're viewing pleasure..

Warning: Do not watch the ad from the category that does not describe you. I can't be held responsible for whatever it might cause.

For the Hip Groovy Set

For the Finer Art Connoisseurs 

Forthcoming Exhibition - 28th June - the press release

Former recipient of the now-defunct Itchiball Prize for Bad Art Ben Butcher once again puts two-dollar-shop paintbrush to hard-rubbish-scavenged canvas in his typically enthusiastic style capturing mundane and glorious moments, weird dreams, and re-imagined barroom anecdotes.

A retired Black Caviar earns some petty cash by acting as a jousting horse at a medieval fair while Ned Kelly sells balloons to kids.

Vladimir Putin joins Ivan The Terrible in throwing dogs and a spare dolphin from the Kremlin tower at Pussy Riot.

Julian Assange and his schoolyard friend Paul Cregan using tractor tyres as an army tank and a stick as a cannon.

Oh, and of course there are unicorns and rainbows.

After selling out his 2013 exhibition at the Old Bar gallery, Butcher has returned with a new collection of works fusing his trademark colour palette and unique perspective in a painstakingly-rendered display of exuberant jouissance. Butcher is a Melbourne musician, photographer, and teacher whose work has been described as 'like Sidney Nolan on acid' and addresses questions like 'what does God do in his spare time?' and “how come Tolstoy spent his whole life looking for the secret of universal happiness while David Walsh managed to find it quite quickly?”

Ben Butcher’s Art Show can be viewed at the upstairs gallery at The Old Bar (74-76 Johnston Street, Fitzroy) for a strictly limited time.

Opens : 6pm, Tuesday 28^th June

Final Day: Saturday 2^nd July

All enquiries, contact Ben

e. long.exposure@gmail.com

p. 0408 762461

w. http://australiasworstartist.blogspot.com.au/

I'm Having An Exhibition...again!

It's hard to believe that someone who's constantly being told they're the worst would bother putting themselves through the humiliation again... but here I go!

The exhibition is only on for 5 days!  Don't blink, or you'll miss it.

The All Important Whisky Page

As an "artist" I am notoriously difficult to work with. Often I ask to be paid in part with whisky, but not whiskey.

I ask that buyers of my paintings buy me a great whisky that I either love or have not tried before, and so this page is here to help you, the potential buyer of one of my paintings, with some guiding information to help you buy me a whisky I will be glad to receive.

In general, I would rather be given a bottle that:
* I have not tried before
* is heavily peated (or smoky flavoured)
* is really yummy

Whisky I would like to try
Ardbeg - Corryvreckan
Ardbeg - Supernova
Ardbeg - Ardbog
Lagavulin - 12 year old
Laphroaig - PX Cask (available via duty free only)
Laphroaig - An Cuan Mor (available via duty free only)
Laphroaig - 10 CASK STRENGTH (not to be confused with the regular 10 y.o.)
Kilchoman - 2007 or 2008
Port Ellen - (anything)
Hakushu Heavily Peated

Whisky I've had before and could happily have again
Bruichladdich - Octomore (any version)
Caol ila - Cask Strength
Caol ila - 12
Laphroaig - Quarter Cask
Big Peat - either Christmas Edition or normal version
Lagavilin - 16 year old
Bruichladdich Pot Charlotte - Peat Project


Whisky I have tried and do not need to try again
Johnnie Walker - Green
Talisker - 10
Talisker - Storm


If you are still unsure, print this page out and take it to your whisky specialist and let them help you.

Cheers!