Australian Women Artists

The Podcast

Episode 3 eX de Medici

I should start by saying that eX de Medici is a very private person (but very generous - delicious pastries and coffee on arrival!). She eschews social media, is very private about her personal life, and rarely allows herself to be photographed (or filmed). Her art does the talking for her. I was very fortunate to therefore have this opportunity to have this wonderful conversation with her in her fabulous studio in Canberra.

eX de Medici’s paintings have been described as ‘a mirror to society's ills, using beauty to draw viewers into confronting uncomfortable truths about violence, corruption, and environmental destruction’.

The paintings are beautifully crafted, meticulous, symbolic, and address difficult themes. She deliberately chooses watercolours to work with - which is apparently considered a 'woman's medium' - literally and figuratively weaponising those watercolours to fight conservatism.

And the use of watercolours was a by product of her government grant to head to LA to study tattooing in the 80's. All of which had her the subject of fierce debate in a Senate Estimates Committee.

She grew up in Canberra in the midst of punk and experimental art - and the influences on her work are obvious.

It's a fascinating story.

She has exhibited extensively across Australia and internationally, and her pieces are held in major collections including the National Gallery of Australia, National Gallery of Victoria, and various state galleries. She has won the National Works on Paper prize and has been a finalist in several prestigious awards, including the Dobell Prize for Drawing, the National Self-Portrait Prize, and the Singapore Art Prize. But, and I’m hazarding a guess here, I suspect she is just as pleased with the difficult conversations her work provokes.

Head to the link in my bio to hear our conversation for Australian Women Artists