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The Search To Discover Who Made My Mystery Artwork
24 Sep 2026, 08:35Chloe Mandryk from homepage
For more than 20 years I have lived with an artwork that was a mystery to me. All I knew is that it was purchased in Sydney in the 1990s. Recently I decided to ask around, surely someone would recognise it or a gallery would claim it as a past sale? Finally, I would be able to give the correct attribution to this mystery piece.
Trying to track down the artist manifested in something perhaps greater than the answer I was looking for. In this age of digital dependency, it turned out I could never have found out the artist without human memory, knowledge, relationships; and the kindness of strangers.
The journey cemented my feeling that art not only holds expression, but also brings us together, creates conversation and is a portal to the ineffable.
Some of those who had viewed this rather large artwork in person said they felt a sense of familiarity and appreciated its organic lines. It inspired wonder. It is an example of the idea that art is not the answer, but a beautiful provocation – a question.
My detective work began with artist John Pratt who I met years ago in my first job at an art gallery where he was exhibiting. I have since reconnected with him, in another corner of the art world. He was my first point of call to solve “the art mystery”. He felt the piece was familiar but couldn’t put a finger on it. He asked his friend, artist John Loane and the pair suggested it might be by artist Kim Westcott. Pratt told me later a print curator friend also suspected Westcott might be our maker.
While I write about the “IRL” (in real life) connection that spurred this investigation, it would be remiss not to cover the role of the internet and social media in my frolic.
A few clicks through my phone and I was able to message Westcott on Instagram, she quickly clarified no it is not her work but she’s now on the hook to hear how the story pans out. Back to the drawing board.
I “Reverse Image Search” a picture of the artwork. Emily Kame Kanyagyware pops up as a suggestion, she had a show in the 90s with bold black lines across her canvas. I feel a sense of excitement but, no, if I’m honest with myself I have not happened upon a piece from the famous and beloved Indigenous artist. Another image search suggests Ellsworth Kelly, oh that would be wonderful too I think. But no, the potential of the visual reverse image search is inadequate and simplifies the work to painted black lines across a vertical format. An artist’s eye can see it’s a print. So, while I would like to lean on my laptop it is apparent I need to access the memory, knowledge and real world social connections of art initiated.
Thinking the work was purchased in Sydney in the 90s, I ask art dealers Helen Maxwell and Annette Larkin who ponder maybe I should follow up with Utopia Gallery or Aida Tomescu.
Again, I jump into the DMs of an artist. Again, the artist says “No, not me”, but I have got Tomescu’s attention and she shares some other leads and asks me to keep her in the loop with my pursuit.
While I still don’t have an answer I am happy with the interactions I’m having. It’s said that when you encounter something unexpected, a surprise for example or simply a situation you weren’t expecting, it triggers a dopamine rush. It’s healthy and nice for the brain to be unexpectedly be taken on a flight of fancy, asked to problem solve or change course. I am the pilot (though I don’t know where I’m flying) and unexpecting artists are my passengers!
Next I contact King St Gallery who say the piece might be by Allan Mitelman, or Bruno Leti, Bernhard Sachs, Ruark Lewis, Jody Graham, Alan Daniel Jones, or Locust Jones. No dice on any of those.
Then a memory is triggered. I recall that in the early throes of the covid19 pandemic Bruno Leti sent me a stack of artist books. I didn’t know Leti, but I was then the Editor of an art magazine, so these special hand made artist books entered my life (unexpectedly!). He used lockdown time to create the books, and they were wonderful. I went over to my bookshelf. Hmm, maybe there’s some similarity in these pages to my mystery artwork? Because I had these special books, with an accompanying letter and phone number I cold-texted him. Ping! He writes back very intrigued like the others I’ve spoken to, but again, it’s not his work.
Later that day I receive another email from Aida Tomescu, she’s been pondering my little art mystery. This random occurrence in her day has got her thinking. She writes;
‘Isn’t this beautiful and …true?
“human connoisseurship will press on. It is, Tallman writes, “predicated on the act of looking as something of value in itself—an experience, a form of learning, a means of training the eye for both pleasure and purpose. Those things continue whether we win or lose at attribution.”
Aida’
I email back;
“Beautiful. I have had so many querying, jovial, informative chats with others in the pursuit of this. Art encourages community!”
Am I getting anywhere in this process? I still don’t know who made the artwork on my wall. I guess it depends how you define success. I am showing up and putting energy into something and what I am receiving in return is warm and thoughtful conversation with strangers.
At a complete loss of where to look next I did something I have never done before; I start a conversation with AI.
A few of the AI early guesses were similar to the suggestions the artists I had consulted shared, but they were nowhere near as nuanced or laced with memory of a time before everything was logged on the internet. The artists remember the exhibitions, the relationships, gossip, exes, who showed where. A lot of this information isn’t necessarily online.
Then, I remembered that on the back of the frame were the initials “S.P.M” and some numbers, sizing of the frame I thought or maybe an artist’s shorthand. Me, nor my artist friends, could think of an artist who had these initials. AI however was quick to clarify, “given you said the work was purchased in Sydney in the 90s it must be from the Sydney Print Makers.” You should email them AI said to me, let me help you write the email, it said. Thanks but no thanks, I thought.
I logged onto the website of the Sydney Print Makers, Australia’s oldest organisation of its kind. There is a cap on member numbers and they are vetted by their peers before joining. In other words, everyone knows everyone. I was excited and doubled down emailing and messaging them on socials.
Within a day they messaged me back. Yes, they knew who the work was by! What?! I had been thinking and talking about this picture for weeks with so many interesting turns and twists but yielding no truth.
“It’s Rafael Butron” they said and shared a comment from the artist himself;
“Circa mid to late 90s exhibited at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) SPM group show. Drypoint on Hannemulle paper. I can’t remember the title it was before IT made it available to easily create a record. I also previously exhibited the work in a staff group show at COFA Sylvia Ross highly commented on the work. It is about how breathing evolves while doing Tai Chi.”
I was shocked that the art mystery was solved. The work was exhibited at UTS Gallery in 1999 in a show called “Sydney Printmakers: Revelations”. It is befitting that this piece which has inspired so much real world connection was in essence about being present in your body.
Rafael told me, “I was then a teacher in the Martial arts and my passion was Tai Chi, still is, I made this piece to emulate the breathing and movement within a form and I was also working at the College of Fine Arts as a technical officer when I produced it I worked there for 27 years until 2018.”
Delighted with my new information I settle in to read more about Rafael. Born 1962, Rafael Butron trained as a painter/printmaker and was awarded a BFA from the City Art Institute and a Masters of Art from University of NSW COFA, including a Dip Ed at University of Sydney. He is currently co director for Gripeditions Fine Art Limited Editions. Rafael has exhibited in group and solo shows from the mid 1980’s, with work featured in various exhibitions in Sydney and New Zealand, including exchanges with Thailand, Norway and Chile. His work is held in private collections and institutions such as University of Western Sydney, University of NSW and National Gallery of Australia.
Giddy from my unexpected news, I shared the story with all the artist friends and gallerists who helped me along the way. One said, “Wonderful Chloe, that seems authentic in terms of the concept…Thank you so much although I’m a little disappointed that the search has now found an author. Any other unsigned artworks?”
