This portrait
of cook, restaurateur, food writer and philanthropist Stephanie Alexander AO was
created by Tsering Hannaford. The artist’s painterly realism combines a
contemporary sensibility and deep engagement with classical portrait
traditions. In the first of several sittings in Hannaford’s Tarntanya/Adelaide studio,
artist and sitter decided on a pose that portrayed Alexander as confident,
accomplished and convivial. Jenny Joseph’s 1961 poem ‘Warning’ – which begins
with the line ‘When I am an old woman I shall wear purple’ – inspired the rich wine
hues of Alexander’s ensemble and gradating background. The poem is about aging,
defiantly and unashamedly. In addition to being Alexander’s favourite colour,
purple evokes the forthrightness of the suffragettes, underlining her sustained
commitment to wellbeing through an appreciation of fresh, homegrown food. In a
career that has spanned five decades, Alexander has inspired generations of
home cooks and fundamentally transformed the way we think about food in this
country.
Commissioned with funds provided by Marilyn Darling AC 2023
© National Portrait Gallery of Australia
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