'Bondi Beach' - Acrylic on Canvas - by Dwayne Wannamarra Wyndier Andrew Kennedy

A joyful and unapologetic celebration of Australian beach culture, 'Bondi Beach' is an iconic work with a pivotal story. The painting depicts a classic Aussie surfer figure, rendered with a playful, cartoon-like energy and a powerful, abstract-expressionist edge. It is a confident and vibrant piece about freedom, fun in the sun, and charting one's own course.

Collection: Continuity Collection
Medium: Acrylic on Canvas
Size: 45 x 55 x 1.5 cm (approx. 18 x 22 in.)
Year: 2025

Story & Narrative Significance

This work was born from a creative dialogue within the studio, inspired by a study in realism and a collaborative challenge to play with abstract and expressionist treatments. The result is a dynamic figure that is part realist portrait, part action hero, with legs that dissolve off the canvas in a burst of powerful energy.

The subject—a confident male figure in classic Speedos—is a quintessential symbol of Australian fun in the sun. This painting's honest and joyful depiction of that icon became a pivotal moment for the artists, solidifying their commitment to their own vision and to finding platforms that celebrate authentic, storied art rather than shy away from it.

It is a significant work for a collector who values art with a rebellious spirit, a great story, and a deep connection to Australian cultural identity.

Editor's Note:

Part of the backstory of this piece is an interesting and disconcerting experience. We had just created a business page on Facebook and loaded this image. The day after we got a notice the page was suspended. The platform flagged the painting as unacceptable to standards. We researched the question, got feedback from the public, and because of the lack of transparency and institutional approach of the platform, we concluded to take down the images and we deleted the Facebook page for Oz FineArt. We are still debating whether to engage Facebook beyond our Professional/personal profiles which we have had for many years.

From a provenance perspective, this history increases the value of this artwork. Not only does the work represent artistic growth and execution, the piece has played an historic role in defining our brand and voice - even influencing our choice of public platforms that have a huge impact on our community engagement. The work explores not only the nature of beauty and Australian cultural identity but also the sociopolitical layers of identity and sexuality, minority expression in relation to bodily representation, and how narrowly and constrained online platforms appear to define and limit freedom of expression in relationship to perceptions of the body, sexuality, and/or eroticism. We find this terribly ironic given the very tamed and clothed nature of this painting when compared to so much online content including highly suggestive content we regularly see on Facebook.