Charles Blackman OBE was renowned for his expressive paintings that explored the dualities of life.

His work is celebrated for its capacity to convey intense emotion and poetic observances of everyday urban realities.

His most feted series is the Alice in Wonderland suite of works.

He painted these works during the period between 1956 and 1957.

Blackman was born in Sydney in 1928 into extremely difficult family circumstances, and he and his sisters were cared for in foster homes.

Growing up in houses without books, the first time Blackman encountered Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland was on a talking book, borrowed for his wife Barbara, who was legally blind.

Blackman listened to the story again and again, and said, “I was absolutely thrilled to bits …The world is a magical and very possible place for all one’s dreams and feelings.”

Blackman was a strong proponent of figurative art as the vehicle for his dream-like and emotive imagery, and alongside art historian Bernard Smith and artists Arthur Boyd, John Brack, Robert Dickerson and others, was a signatory of the ‘Antipodean Manifesto’ which protested abstract abstraction.

Blackman leaves a remarkable legacy of some of Australia’s best-loved paintings.

The Bendigo Art Gallery collection includes numerous significant works by Blackman, a number of which are currently on display.

Vale, Charles Blackman, one of Australia’s most significant artists of the 20th century.

The Bendigo Art Gallery opens daily including public holidays (closed Christmas Day), 10am - 5pm.

Entry into the gallery is by donation.

Tours of the gallery’s permanent collection are held daily at 11am and 2pm.