A Reader from Australia Writes...

I'm guilty of neglecting the visual artists.

Brett Whiteley.  A very important Australian painter who lived at the Hotel in the early 70s.  He seems to be a bit neglected in Chelsea history.  A recent doco (documentary) shown here about his widow, Wendy, included Chelsea footage.  Here is a link to the transcript of the documentary.  Stanley Bard talks about the Whiteleys. The Whiteley's may have lived with Vali, (Vali Myers ) I'm not sure- I hear different stories.  The Hotel has what is, I imagine, a very valuable Whiteley at reception. It is unusual in his body of work and seems a pre-cursor to his most collectible works.  The child that he and Wendy raised there, Arkie, was a very close friend until her bitterly unfair death about five years ago.  When you come visit I'll take you to the Whiteley studios. http://www.brettwhiteley.org/

Here is a transcript of an interview with