Who is the most famous or infamous person you have ever met?
I’ve met a number of famous people over the years — famous not for their celebrity, but for what they’ve contributed. Artists, musicians, politicians, clergy, business leaders. The ones who stay with me aren’t those who draw attention, but those whose conviction shows in how they live.
Ben Quilty is one of them. When we met, what stood out wasn’t the Archibald Prize or the recognition, but the clarity and courage in his work. He painted Margaret Olley with warmth, but he also painted what many would rather avoid — the marks of war, the weight of history, the story of a man facing death.
We met him through his advocacy for Myuran Sukumaran, one of the Bali Nine. Under Quilty’s guidance, Myuran began to paint in Kerobokan Prison. Art became a way to face his guilt honestly and rebuild his life. Over time, he began teaching other prisoners to paint — men who had lost hope found purpose again. His cell became a small studio of encouragement and reform.
By the time of his execution, Myuran’s life had already changed, and so had the lives of many around him. His story showed that remorse is not the end of a life, but the beginning of a different one.
Fame is an easy story to tell. Redemption is harder. Quilty’s work, and Myuran’s legacy, show that people can change — and so can others around them. To meet Quilty was to see this truth up close and to hear the question his art keeps asking: Will you keep looking when truth is uncomfortable?
That question has stayed with me. Perhaps real fame isn’t being known by many, but being remembered for the hope you give to others.
The Afterword 
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