LA art scene mourns Perth artist
Perth expatriate art star Matt Doust has died at age 29.
Doust, best known for his large close-up portrait of actress-model Gemma Ward, died suddenly on Wednesday in Los Angeles, where he was due to open an exhibition with fellow WA artist Stormie Mills next month.
An autopsy is being conducted into the cause of death.
Doust had become a favourite of celebrity collectors. Hollywood stars Jim Carrey and Mickey Rourke are among those who have bought his large, hyper-realistic youthful close-ups and semi-nude paintings. He was an epileptic and the Los Angeles art gallery where his exhibition was due to open on September 7 attributed his death to a seizure.
"Sadly Matt battled epilepsy his whole life and a bad seizure took him from us," Thinkspace Gallery posted on Facebook.
"He had just completed work on his new series of paintings for his debut US solo show with us and we are all still in a bit of shock at this sudden loss."
The gallery said it hoped to open the show as planned as a celebration of Doust's life and work.
Perth's Venn Gallery, which held Doust's last solo show in November, spoke on behalf of his family.
"All of us here are of course devastated to hear of this tragedy and our thoughts are with his family and friends," Venn director Bayoush Demissie said.
Doust was born in Los Angeles but grew up in the Perth Hills. He returned to California to live in 2011, the same year he was an Archibald Prize finalist with his Ward painting White Cocoon.
He is survived by his parents and three sisters.
