| 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
|
Durian tree, Changi camp
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'.