Artist John Olsen's wandering lines traced by new biographer Darleen Bungey

By Susan Wyndham
Updated November 23 2014 - 11:08am, first published November 17 2014 - 2:05pm
Living legend: Darleen Bungey fleshes out the life of "Australia's greatest living artist" – a common description she says is spot-on – as driven, ebullient and generous but also emotionally restless and sometimes self-doubting in her new book. Photo: Dave Tease
Living legend: Darleen Bungey fleshes out the life of "Australia's greatest living artist" – a common description she says is spot-on – as driven, ebullient and generous but also emotionally restless and sometimes self-doubting in her new book. Photo: Dave Tease
Artist biographer: Darleen Bungey (pictured alongside John Olsen's <i>Five bells</i> 1963 at the Art Gallery of NSW) was a good match for her larger-than-life subject. Photo: Wolter Peeters
Artist biographer: Darleen Bungey (pictured alongside John Olsen's <i>Five bells</i> 1963 at the Art Gallery of NSW) was a good match for her larger-than-life subject. Photo: Wolter Peeters
Living legend: Darleen Bungey fleshes out the life of "Australia's greatest living artist" – a common description she says is spot-on – as driven, ebullient and generous but also emotionally restless and sometimes self-doubting in her new book. Photo: Dave Tease
Living legend: Darleen Bungey fleshes out the life of "Australia's greatest living artist" – a common description she says is spot-on – as driven, ebullient and generous but also emotionally restless and sometimes self-doubting in her new book. Photo: Dave Tease
Vivid social and artistic history: Much of the best material in the book came from interviews with family, artists and others who have known Olsen – some just before they died.
Vivid social and artistic history: Much of the best material in the book came from interviews with family, artists and others who have known Olsen – some just before they died.
Living legend: Darleen Bungey fleshes out the life of "Australia's greatest living artist" – a common description she says is spot-on – as driven, ebullient and generous but also emotionally restless and sometimes self-doubting in her new book. Photo: Dave Tease
Living legend: Darleen Bungey fleshes out the life of "Australia's greatest living artist" – a common description she says is spot-on – as driven, ebullient and generous but also emotionally restless and sometimes self-doubting in her new book. Photo: Dave Tease
Artist biographer: Darleen Bungey (pictured alongside John Olsen's <i>Five bells</i> 1963 at the Art Gallery of NSW) was a good match for her larger-than-life subject. Photo: Wolter Peeters
Artist biographer: Darleen Bungey (pictured alongside John Olsen's <i>Five bells</i> 1963 at the Art Gallery of NSW) was a good match for her larger-than-life subject. Photo: Wolter Peeters
Vivid social and artistic history: Much of the best material in the book came from interviews with family, artists and others who have known Olsen – some just before they died.
Vivid social and artistic history: Much of the best material in the book came from interviews with family, artists and others who have known Olsen – some just before they died.
Living legend: Darleen Bungey fleshes out the life of "Australia's greatest living artist" – a common description she says is spot-on – as driven, ebullient and generous but also emotionally restless and sometimes self-doubting in her new book. Photo: Dave Tease
Living legend: Darleen Bungey fleshes out the life of "Australia's greatest living artist" – a common description she says is spot-on – as driven, ebullient and generous but also emotionally restless and sometimes self-doubting in her new book. Photo: Dave Tease
Artist biographer: Darleen Bungey (pictured alongside John Olsen's <i>Five bells</i> 1963 at the Art Gallery of NSW) was a good match for her larger-than-life subject. Photo: Wolter Peeters
Artist biographer: Darleen Bungey (pictured alongside John Olsen's <i>Five bells</i> 1963 at the Art Gallery of NSW) was a good match for her larger-than-life subject. Photo: Wolter Peeters
Vivid social and artistic history: Much of the best material in the book came from interviews with family, artists and others who have known Olsen – some just before they died.
Vivid social and artistic history: Much of the best material in the book came from interviews with family, artists and others who have known Olsen – some just before they died.

Darleen Bungey's plans to study art were thwarted early by disapproving nuns and a lascivious teacher. But after a career in advertising and journalism her interest has flowered in her biographies of two important Australian artists: the first on Arthur Boyd published in 2007 and a new book on John Olsen.

Subscribe now for unlimited access.

$0/

(min cost $0)

or signup to continue reading

See subscription options

Get the latest Tamworth news in your inbox

Sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date.

We care about the protection of your data. Read our Privacy Policy.