Durian tree, Changi camp

Places
Accession Number ART24468
Collection type Art
Measurement Overall: 35.7 x 31.2 cm
Object type Painting
Physical description oil on hardboard
Maker Griffin, Murray
Place made Singapore: Changi
Date made c 1942-c 1943
Conflict Second World War, 1939-1945
Copyright

Item copyright: Copyright expired - public domain

Public Domain Mark This item is in the Public Domain

Description

This painting depicts an old tree near the Changi camp gardens under which many of the prisoner-gardeners ate their midday rice.

The lush tropical forest of the Malay Peninsula fascinated Griffin. As it is so alien to the Australian landscape, he created many works whilst a POW that had some vestige of foliage. Griffin states, 'Malaya is beautiful. Rich glowing contrasts of colours, heavy massive foliage, grey twisting tree trunks curving through the air in mellow heat and stabs of brilliant colour to excite the senses'.

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