The late Martin Sharp is to get his own museum dedicated to his life and works. Whispers has been told by a relative of Sharp's that his remaining family members are working hard behind the scenes to set up a museum to house his extensive works, re-create his studio and house his collection of toys (he loved vintage Mickey Mouse memorabilia)
They are also hoping to get government assistance much in the same way Wendy Whiteley received a $4M grant from the NSW government to buy the late Brett Whiteley's Surry Hills' studio which is open to the public and is popular with school groups.
A Martin Sharp museum is bound to be a tourist attraction with his worldwide fame and his pop art paintings. During his life Sharp also revived interest in the legendary Arthur Stace, an illiterate former soldier and alcoholic who found religion and wandered Sydney's streets as the first great graffiti artist, penning Eternity in white chalk & beautiful script on footpaths. A new East Sydney theatre has now been named Eternity and Sharp's version of the word featured on the Sydney Harbour Bridge during the famous New Year's Eve celebrations.
The family also scotched the odd rumour that has appeared in some media stories that Martin had left his Bellevue Hill mansion, part of his estimated $11M estate, to Cranbrook School which he attended. The house backs onto Cranbrook's playing fields and although the estate is still in probate, our family source confirmed that his house had been left in trust via friends and family and according to Sharp he wished the house to become an art's centre and possibly the ideal location for a museum dedicated to him. In fact there has been hostility for sometime between Sharp and Cranbrook.
Martin was also obsessed with Tiny Tim, bringing him out for tours of Australia and producing a still unfinished film of his life.
( Whispers interviewed Tiny Tim in his tiny Times Square apartment many moons ago. The flat was almost empty of furniture and had threadbare carpets but when he opened a wardrobe there must have been nearly 100 bottles of French champagne stored there !
Showing posts with label Tiny Tim. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tiny Tim. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 15, 2015
exclusive: Eternity for Martin Sharp
Labels:
arthur stace,
brett whiteley,
champagne,
cranbrook school,
eternity,
Martin Sharp,
museum,
new yotk,
pop art,
Sydney,
times square,
Tiny Tim
Saturday, December 14, 2013
Celebrating Martin
Labels:
Governor Marie Bashir,
jenny kee,
Jill Wran,
Jim Anderson,
Jimmy Barnes,
Martin Sharp,
Martin Sharp's,
Richard Nevile,
Roundhouse,
Tiny Tim
Thursday, December 5, 2013
Vale Martin Sharp
Martin Sharp's funeral will be held next Tuesday the 10th December at Christ Church St Laurence at 10.30am followed by a private cremation.
Christ Church St Laurence
812B George St, Haymarket NSW 2000 (02) 9211 0560
Sunday, December 23, 2012
Martin Sharp Honoured
He was an invited guest to last week's autobiography launch for the late film-maker Albie Thoms but illness prevented him from attending : artist Martin Sharp whose work was featured in Thoms' book.
Earlier in the week Sharp had received a long overdue award at the University of Sydney- an Honorary Doctorate of Visual Arts.
Martin joined a host of names when he received his award from Governor Marie Bashir in her last official act before she retires . They include Cate Blanchett, former NSW Art Gallery head honcho Edmund Capon, fashion designer Peter Weiss and musician and singer Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu.
Sharp was part of the infamous Oz Magazine trio of Richard Nevile and Richard Walsh who were busted for obscenity in the 1960s in Sydney and again in London. They were found innocent in both trials-defended in Sydney by a young barrister Nevile Wran who later went on to become NSW premier for 10 years.
His colourful works are now hung in galleries worldwide and he designed album covers for some of the 1960s major rock groups including Cream and wrote songs with Eric Clapton whilst living in Chelsea's famous Pheasantry building. Other residents at The Pheasantry included Clapton, Germain Greer and the film director Anthony Haden Guest. In the early 80s he campaigned to preserve Luna Park and redesigned the famous entrance.
During the last 10 years of his life, the unique performer Tiny Tim found a huge fan in Sharp who financed Tim's career and records and made a film of the eccentric singer's life. The movie still hasn't been screened.
Below is Tiny Tim's Tiptoe Through The Tulips:
Earlier in the week Sharp had received a long overdue award at the University of Sydney- an Honorary Doctorate of Visual Arts.
Martin joined a host of names when he received his award from Governor Marie Bashir in her last official act before she retires . They include Cate Blanchett, former NSW Art Gallery head honcho Edmund Capon, fashion designer Peter Weiss and musician and singer Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu.
Martin Sharp & Nevile Wran |
Sharp was part of the infamous Oz Magazine trio of Richard Nevile and Richard Walsh who were busted for obscenity in the 1960s in Sydney and again in London. They were found innocent in both trials-defended in Sydney by a young barrister Nevile Wran who later went on to become NSW premier for 10 years.
His colourful works are now hung in galleries worldwide and he designed album covers for some of the 1960s major rock groups including Cream and wrote songs with Eric Clapton whilst living in Chelsea's famous Pheasantry building. Other residents at The Pheasantry included Clapton, Germain Greer and the film director Anthony Haden Guest. In the early 80s he campaigned to preserve Luna Park and redesigned the famous entrance.
During the last 10 years of his life, the unique performer Tiny Tim found a huge fan in Sharp who financed Tim's career and records and made a film of the eccentric singer's life. The movie still hasn't been screened.
Below is Tiny Tim's Tiptoe Through The Tulips:
Labels:
albit thoms,
Cate Blanchett,
chelsea,
eric clapton,
germain greer,
haden guest,
Marie Bashir,
Martin Sharp,
nevile wran,
oz magazine,
pheasantry,
Tiny Tim
Sunday, November 1, 2009
just for fun
Richard Neville and portrait
Martin Sharp & Neville Wran
One of the nation's true eccentrics, artist Martin Sharp has been given his first retrospective exhibition by the National Trust at the Sydney Museum. Sharp designed record album sleeves for 1960's greats like Cream and Jimi Hendrix and was the illustrator for the infamous Oz Magazine which landed many of it's originators including Sharp in jail twice-in Australia and England. In both the highly publicized cases the defendants were finally released upon appeal and in the course of the trials helped relax strict censorship laws in both countries.
The English trial defending barrister was a young Geoffrey Robertson QC-now a pillar of the British establishment whilst in Sydney another bright young barrister Neville Wran QC helped free the accused.
Wran, now in his 80s and a darling of the left went onto to become NSW premier for many years and launched Sharp's show with a speech about the trial , describing the jailing magistrate as a 'mongrel' to much applause.
No Sharp exhibition would be complete without works based on the showman Tiny Tim whom Sharp helped launch into stardom.
Wran, now in his 80s and a darling of the left went onto to become NSW premier for many years and launched Sharp's show with a speech about the trial , describing the jailing magistrate as a 'mongrel' to much applause.
No Sharp exhibition would be complete without works based on the showman Tiny Tim whom Sharp helped launch into stardom.
Labels:
Georffrey Robertson,
Jimi Hendrix,
Marin Sharp,
Neville Wran,
Tiny Tim
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