“The starting point for this series was two portraits of Captain James Cook, which really links to the male psyche, and the notion of masculinity—what it was and is and how it changes” – Ben Quilty Ben Quilty’s portraits of Captain Cook are a key series in his oeuvre, as he was drawn to the figure as a the forefather of masculine identity in Australia and its complexities to Australia’s historical narratives. Quilty is one of Australia’s most acclaimed contemporary painters, and recognised for his idiosyncratic style of portraiture that won him the Archibald Prize in 2011. With recent exhibitions in London, Los Angeles, Berlin and Hong Kong, the artist is increasingly attracting international attention. His importance within Australia is demonstrated by institutional solo exhibitions at the Cairns Art Gallery (2020-21), Art Gallery of South Australia (2019), Art Gallery of New South Wales (2019) and Queensland Art Gallery / Gallery of Modern Art (2019). Ben Quilty’s work is collected by the National Gallery of Australia, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Art Gallery of South Australia, National Gallery of Victoria and Queensland Art Gallery / Gallery of Modern Art, amongst others