Narre Warren artist Robert Cook’s portrait of Sir Edward ‘Weary’ Dunlop will be displayed at the Shrine of Remembrance’s new education centre.By Rebecca Fraser
A NARRE Warren artist’s portrait of Australian war legend Sir Edward ‘Weary’ Dunlop is set to play a central role in this month’s Remembrance Day commemorations.
Robert Cook’s painting of the World War II prisoner of war will be on display at the Shrine of Remembrance’s new education centre from 8 November to 28 February next year and will be officially unveiled by Premier Steve Bracks before Remembrance Day.
The 21yearold Fine Arts student said he was thrilled and honoured to have his work on display at the Shrine.
Mr Cook said the painting was currently hanging in his father’s pub, the Duke of Kent in Latrobe Street, Melbourne.
“A lot of war veterans come into the pub because there is a war veterans’ association nearby and many came in and really appreciated the portrait,” he said. “Then the Totally and Permanently Incapacitated Association, which finds housing and support for men and women exservice people, asked if my portrait could go on the front cover of the printed magazine they publish.
“This was great but then the education officer at the Shrine of Remembrance, Margaret Markovic, saw the magazine cover and said she would love to have my work up in the Shrine of Remembrance’s new education centre,” he said.
The former Haileybury College student said he never expected the portrait would impact upon so many people and draw such strong public attention.
“I never fathomed that it (the portrait) would get this far,” Mr Cook said,
“It is just amazing and I cannot thank everyone enough I really can’t.
“It is such a great honour and I am really shocked by it,” he said.
Mr Cook has almost completed a Fine Arts degree at Monash University in Caulfield and said he was keen to pursue a fulltime career as an artist.
He also said that Weary Dunlop was the perfect subject to paint as he played such a crucial and memorable role in Australia’s war efforts.
“I do lots of different art styles outside of university,” he said. “I used to draw realistically and then I stopped and my work became more disjointed.
“When I decided to draw realistically again I thought that Weary Dunlop would be a very appropriate person.
“Everyone respected and loved him and he was the great Australian hero.
“I had heard about him in war stories and he is just such a strong character,” he said.
