Mountaineer Patrick Hollingworth with painting
“Portrait of a Man as if he Were Air”

September 16 – 26, 2011

During his successful 2010 climb of Mount Everest, mountaineer and scientist, Patrick Hollingworth provided daily updates to his website with great honesty and candour. His willingness during the climb to openly discuss his previous experiences with depression, and the subsequent raising of awareness for men’s health issues, contributed to Patrick’s expedition being widely followed.

One year later, Patrick once again entered the unfamiliar terrain of public attention when his painted likeness; “Portrait of a Man as if he Were Air” by Peteris Ciemitis was announced a finalist in the prestigious Black Swan Portrait Prize.

“In the painting, there are obvious expressions of self doubt, resolve and strength.  But the image also is layered with ideas of the mountain, of death on the mountain, of ice, of life and biology, of lines of thought and intellect.  Mostly it is about conditions; the constant flux of the environment, the light, cold and fury within which one becomes subsumed as if one were part of it … as if one were just air.”

The Black Swan Prize
Perth Town Hall, Perth, Australia