Artist Profiles

Murray Griffin
1903-1992

AWM ART25097
Murray Griffin
'Got a light, Dig?'
AWM ART25097

Murray Griffin was born in Victoria in 1903. He studied painting and drawing at the National Gallery School, Melbourne, from 1919 until 1923 and taught art at Scotch College in 1935. From 1936 to 1940 he was drawing master at Melbourne Technical College.

Considered a modernist in his use of colour and design, Griffin was the first member of the Contemporary Art Society to be appointed an official war artist. In November 1941 he arrived in Singapore to take up his commission with the 8th Division AIF. Japan had not yet attacked Pearl Harbour and Malaya was not yet a war zone.

In January 1942 Japanese forces invaded the Malay Peninsula and captured Singapore in February. Along with 15, 000 other Australians Griffin became a prisoner of war. In captivity for over three years, Griffin retained his status as an officer and although required to do his share of camp chores, was exempt from forced labour. This enabled him to have more time to continue his work as an artist, though he had to make do with improvised materials.

During the fighting Griffin had stored his art supplies in Singapore. They were found several months later by a prison working party and returned to him. When these supplies were exhausted, fellow prisoners scrounged or manufactured replacements.

He completed over 230 works on the life of the prisoners and their struggle to survive. He also illustrated survivors accounts of the horrors of the Burma-Thailand railway, well known include the drawings Two men carrying basket of Ceylon Spinach, Changi (1944) and "Got a light, Dig?" (1944).