Brett Whiteley Studio

Outstanding place to visit. Has an element of a secret garden, hidden in the back alleys of Surry Hills. The curators are very welcoming. The music is cool. The art is amazing. The studio gives a sense of what it would have been like. Thank heaven someone thought to preserve it and then open for free to the public. An absolute jewel in this great city.

Whether you know who Brett Whiteley is or not, this studio of his that remains partly untouched is definitely worth a visit when you’re next in Surry Hills. Its located on Raper Street, one of the laneways off Devonshire street and is slightly hidden from the crowds circling the bourke street bakery and crown street shops, which makes it even more of a gem.
You’ll know when you’ve found the place as you’ll see a sculpture of one of his iconic works out front. Two large matches, one burnt and one not yet lit, that seem to represent life and death. When you step into the studio, be prepared to be both awe-​struck and inspired. You’ll see hand carved wooden sculptures of what seems to be bulbous and curvaceous interpretations of women, landscapes of sydney in Whiteley’s identifiable calligraphy styled brushstrokes, big bummed and big breasted images of women on the beach and large mixed media paintings that stretch across the walls, filled with paintings of body parts, the Australian landscape, genitals, a sculpted replica of a brain and even a stuffed bird.
I think my favourite part of the studio though is the upstairs area which still remains untouched. This includes his bedroom and working studio space. You’ll see the books he kept by his bed, you can really see how they inspired him and added to who he was and his artworks, the futon he slept on with the paints and working materials next to it and also the random quotes on the walls that also speak of who he was, but that also seem to resonate with each visitor as they pass by this room.
This is such a great place to visit, I think every person should come here and experience this place at least once in their lives.

The Brett Whiteley Studio in Raper Street, Surry Hills was the studio and home of the famous Australian artist Brett Whiteley. Along with his wife, he bought the former T-​shirt factory and converted it into a studio which later became a home for himself. He moved to this studio from his Lavender Bay home when he separated from his wife Wendy in 1987. He lived here from 1988 through to 1992 where he died in Thirroul.
Managed by the Art Gallery of New South Wales, the exhibition is sponsored by JP Morgan allowing visitors to see the studio and exhibition free. As expected, photography is not permitted within the gallery. This studio/​gallery provides a fascinating glimpse into Whiteley’s private world. In his time he was leading the forefront of avant garde in the art movement in Australia and belonged to one of Sydney’s first artist communities at the Yellow House which still stands at Potts Point.
The exhibition features on the ground floor mostly from one of his most famed works the ‘Alchemy’. Painted over a year Alchemy is an expression of the artist’s state of mind and all Whiteley’s influences over his lifetime. It was painted from left to right but can be appreciated from either way and even if you start in the middle at the painted word of IT. This word IT has much impact on this piece of work but you will have to visit the gallery to find out why. One of the influences for this works was his friend Japanese Yukio Mishima who Whiteley made a portrait of, destroyed it and then included it within Alchemy. Mishima had committed Seppekuku believing the gap between art and action could be bridged with a ritual death. Seppekuku is a Japanese ritual of suicide by disembowelment.
In the studio upstairs the furniture, lighting, collections of memorabilia, postcards, photographs, objects etc., are all as he arranged them. The music that is played at the Studio during opening hours is from the artist’s collection. It’s a privileged and haunting insight into Whiteley’s world and the curators are more than happy to share their knowledge of the artist and his work. The studio/​gallery is available for education groups for Thurs/​Fridays only and drawing classes are available on Saturdays. Wheelchair access is available for downstairs only.
Brett Whiteley was one of Australia’s most celebrated artists and I hope this review intrigues you to find out why.