IT’S NOT FUNNY

IN APRIL THIS YEAR THE GARVAN

Institute of Medical Research in Sydney hosted an unusual exhibition called Bernie doesn’t just shake! It was a four-day event, launched by an evening function that included speakers from many different walks of life – the majority were sufferers from Parkinson’s disease.

The star of the show was Bernie McGrath, a former commercial real estate agent who was given deep brain stimulation (DBS) to alleviate severe movement problems associated with Parkinson’s. What nobody suspected was that Bernie would enter the operating theatre as a real estate agent and emerge as an artist.

Shortly after the procedure Bernie began experimenting with art materials, and discovered a passion for painting. Now he is a professional artist, working compulsively in a range of Abstract Expressionist styles. He may use brushes and palette knives, or simply pour paint onto the canvas. Making a massive leap from amateur to avant-garde he has even used a garden hose and a blowtorch. The foyer of the Garvan was turned into a showcase for Bernie’s brilliantly, which aims to encourage a more positive approach to Parkinson’s.