Wayne Magrin | Office Reiner Opoku

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Wayne Magrin

Time for a break: Paintings of Soulsurfers and a legendary Bushranger

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Wayne Magrin exhibition @Office Reiner Opoku

The Works

ANNIE THE ACE, 2018

Acrylic on Board 152.4 x 152.4 cm

Annie grew up the only girl in a family of nine brothers. Annie could out fight, out drink, out swim and out surf all of her brothers. She was the most competitive surfer to hit the waves in years; heading to the World Championships when she was just 17. 
In this painting, she is at a secret surf break known as Treachery. It is Winter, and not only is the water cold, it is dangerous. There are jagged rocks just below the surface that can rip you to shreds, a strong undercurrent that can quickly drag you out to sea, and of course, the ever present shark population. Wet suit? No way says Annie. The boys can have mine. I like to feel alive when I surf- no restrictions.

HONOLULU LULU, 2018

Acrylic on Board 152.4 x 152.4 cm

Here we can see Lulu surfing in South America. It was on this trip that she decided to take up the challenge, and join her boyfriend in a pursuit that he is passionate about. Her poise and grace made her a natural surfer, and she quickly gained the confidence to take on the the bigger waves. Within months of her return to Hawaii, she took on Pipeline; home to some of the biggest waves in the world.

BEAUTIFUL DAVE, 2018

Acrylic on Board 152.4 x 152.4 cm

Here we can see Beautiful Dave taking the drop on a good size wave at Skull Point. Skull Point is considered to be one of the best wave breaks, however, it is also considered way too dangerous for most. Most, but not Dave. Dave is the ultimate show man. Everybody knows that when the big waves are pumping, Dave is out. He appears out of the blue. You never see him paddle out. He somehow manages to leap from a rock shelf; a feat in itself that requires perfect timing. With a headland full of admirers, Dave comes to life and puts on the best show for the crowd. Then, as quickly as he came, he is gone; leaving all to guess if he survived that final ride, usually the biggest wave of the day.

THE CAPTAIN, 2018

Acrylic on Board 152.4 x 152.4 cm

The Captain is a most calculating man. He has the gift of looking at a wave and knowing if it will peel into a tube, or close out before the ride ends. Such is his skill, that some say they have never seen The Captain get his hair wet. 
Why do they call him The Captain? He is a freight plane pilot with the exacting skill needed to land cargo planes in the remote jungles of Papua New Guinea.

FEARLESS FRANK, 2018

Acrylic on Board 152.4 x 152.4 cm

Fearless Frank builds timber speedboats for a living. His other love is surfing. Frank takes on the biggest waves on his surfboard, but likes nothing better than trying out a wave in his favourite boat 'No Fear'. “I have never seen anything like it !” says his brother Hank. “It's like he is part dolphin! He always manages to pick just the right wave in that boat. I have seen a wave close over him, only to see him come out of a perfect barrel at the other end. When I hear the reassuring rumble of that big old 312 Y-block motor, I know he is ok. Yeah. He is part dolphin for sure...”

RIDING THE RANGE, 2018

Acrylic on Board 152.4 x 152.4 cm

In this painting (circa 1890) we see John Francis Peggotty and his Ostrich on their very first day of riding the range.
John had not long arrived in Australia from his native Ireland via London and South Africa. He spoke quickly and poetically in a lilting Irish brogue. He had always had a penchant for dressing up in flamboyant clothing, and this passion grew in line with his wealth and notoriety. His many and daring robberies netted him a fortune in gold and jewellery which he draped all over his body as he carried out his reign of terror along the dirt roads and bush tracks of outback Australia.
In time, John Peggotty - The Ostrich Bushranger - was to become the Most Wanted Bushranger in The Coorong in South Australia, but in these early days, he was just concerned about refining his Ostrich riding and gun twirling skills, and taking care of any injured or orphaned native animals that he came upon in his travels. He had little time for people, but had a soft spot for animals who seemed to like and trust him. After a day on the range, looking for potential robbery victims, he would return to his hideout to care for his ever increasing 'family' of orphaned koalas, kangaroos and other native animals until they were ready to be returned to the wild.

HENRY CARMICHAEL FIRES AT PEGGOTTY, 2018

Acrylic on Board 152.4 x 152.4 cm

In this painting we see John Francis Peggotty being shot by fisherman, Henry Carmichael. The first bullet passes through Peggotty's right shoulder. The next hits the ostrich. The ostrich continues to run, carrying the injured Peggotty to the safety of the sand hills. Henry Carmichael searches in the sand hills as night rapidly falls, but finds no sign of the ostrich or the Bushranger.
He reports to the authorities that he has killed the Ostrich Bushranger, and receives the five thousand pound bounty that was on his head. It is accepted that Peggotty is dead, and his reign of terror is over.
However, Peggotty DID survive the bullet wound, and managed to crawl back to his hideout. He remained there, tending to his wounds and mourning the death of his only true friend, his ostrich. Time passed, Peggotty's wounds healed, and he gradually came to terms with the death of his friend. He trained another ostrich, intending to return to his old life of robbing unsuspecting passersby, but in an unexpected twist of events, he met Grace. Grace had been a ballerina and had moved with her father to an outback sheep station. One day, as she practiced her ballet moves beneath a canopy of paperbark trees, Peggotty rode by and was transfixed by her grace and beauty. The pair ran away to live in a remote cabin where they cared for wildlife and raised a family.

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