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Julia Zemiro’s Home Delivery: March 30

Archibald-prize winning artist Ben Quilty is this week's guest on Home Delivery.

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Artist Ben Quilty is this week’s guest on Julia Zemiro’s Home Delivery, as he takes her back to his childhood home in Kenthurst, north-west of Sydney.

Archibald-prize winning artist Ben Quilty grew up on the very edge of Sydney, in and around the bushland surrounding the Hawkesbury River. With his two brothers and their mates, he explored the canyons and caves around his parents’ house, stashing tinned goods and other essentials in preparation for nuclear war.

In this Home Delivery, Ben collects Julia in his menacing muscle-car and takes her back to his childhood home in Kenthurst on the edge of suburbia. He shows her the bedroom he turned into his first art studio, adorning the ceiling and walls with vivid imagery.

They visit Kenthurst Public School and Ben remembers a time of great happiness, a sharp contrast to the shock of the authoritarian high school that followed it. Young Ben rebelled against what he saw as unnecessary brutality and spent his early manhood in a daze of alcohol and risk-taking with a group of mates who called themselves the Maggots.

Beside the Hawkesbury River, Ben introduces Julia to one of the Maggots, known as Lloydy, and they reflect on the wild times of their youth, agreeing that they were lucky to make it out alive.

After saying goodbye to Lloydy, Ben and Julia discuss Ben’s work; his time as Australia’s official war artist in Afghanistan; and his friendship with Bali 9 ringleader Myuran Sukumaran. Ben tells Julia of the parallels he saw between Myuran and his own troubled times as a young man and his belief that young men need much more help to make the transition in adulthood.

8.00pm Wednesday 30 March ABC.

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