The widow of one of Australia’s most renowned artists, Brett Whiteley, has spoken out about their terrible open marriage, including affairs, violence, and drug usage.
In a new book, Wendy Whiteley, now 81 years old, describes the insanity of her marriage to painter and artist Brett Whiteley, who died alone of a heroin overdose in a motel room in Thirroul in 1992.
Since his passing, Brett Whiteley’s renown has increased, making him one of Australia’s most renowned artists. His sculptures have sold for as much as $6 million.
During their 27-year marriage, both spouses were addicted to heroin, but they still managed to raise their daughter, Arkie.
She became a popular actress before tragically passing away from adrenal cancer at the age of 37 in 2001.
The Australian said that Ms. Whiteley claimed that Brett was ‘possessive,’ ‘jealous,’ and ‘abusive’ during their marriage, despite loving, stable moments.
They separated three years before to his passing at age 53.
He had numerous affairs and informed her that one-night stand sex was meaningless, but she was concerned about the effect on other women.
Brett’s violent rages were caused by Ms. Whiteley’s long-term affair with poet and musician Michael Driscoll in the 1970s.
She writes in her book A Year With Wendy Whiteley that Brett desired a threesome with Mr. Driscoll, who allegedly introduced them to heroin.
Ms. Whiteley declined the offer of a trio and the recommendation that they all live together.
While the pair maintained an open marriage, Wendy stated that Brett’s anger about her romance with Mr. Driscoll made him frighteningly violent at times.
During an episode in which the couple battled about him, she escaped their Lavender Bay residence in her vehicle, and Brett chased after her in his, nearly causing an accident.
“We had a heated argument, and he became violent. I fled from the house. I got into my vehicle and began driving away, and he followed me in his vehicle. Attempting to force me off the road.
She said that Whiteley did not want her to have a car because it allowed her to flee from him, and that he was ‘in a manner’ attempting to destroy it by creating a collision.
Ms. Whiteley stated that despite the turbulence, their marriage was stable and filled with happiness.
Regarding her objectives, though, Whiteley was a “total f***ing sexist.”
Ms. Whiteley asserts that he was “furious” when she opened a fashion boutique with a business partner in New York, and that their relationship would not have survived if she had pursued a career as an artist.
Instead, she became his muse and frequently appeared naked in many of his works.
Five years after their marriage, in 1967, the Whiteleys moved in New York and interacted with some of the most prominent musicians of the 21st century, including Janis Joplin, Bob Dylan, and Jimi Hendrix.
Two years later, when they returned to Sydney, he was regarded as a superstar.
The pair fought heroin addiction together, but Ms. Whiteley gave up drugs in 1987 after 13 years of use. Their connection declined significantly.
Being around him made her ‘furious,’ and the disparity between his drug use and her sobriety led ‘the actual collapse’ of their relationship.
He said that all of his artistic “heroes” were drug addicts and that he had taken drugs as part of his creative process since he was 17 years old.
The couple divorced in 1990, and he died of an overdose two years later.
Since her husband’s passing, Ms. Whiteley has managed his inheritance and risen to prominence on the Australian art scene.
Nearly 2,000 of her late husband’s artworks and artefacts will be donated to the Art Gallery of New South Wales and the Brett Whiteley Foundation in exchange for a recent $100 million donation.
The release date for A Year With Wendy Whiteley by Ashleigh Wilson is November 1.