My brush with death
Artist tells Bali survivor’s incredible story in moving portrait
IN the 15 years since he survived the brutal terrorist attack at Bali’s Sari club Andrew Csabi has shared his story countless times – but never like this.
A shiny black business shoe empty on the floor, half a pair of flaming cargo shorts and expressive eyes looking, not to the air where he once had a leg, but forwards into the life ahead.
The life-size oil-painted portrait is the work of Southport painter Ursula Kelly, who is entering it into this year’s prestigious Archibald Prize.
Months of reworking the piece culminated in Mr Csabi seeing his completed image for the first time yesterday.
“It’s unbelievably good,” he said, quietly staring at the canvas. “You can’t escape from the fact that I was in a terrorism incident and I lost a leg and a foot. It brings out that vulnerability.”
Mr Csabi met Ms Kelly at the Arts Centre two years ago, giving her his book. After reading it she knew she had to paint him. It took days feeling “as if I were gazing into a void, where time stood still and the story of Andrew’s past would paralyse me” before she could start. But sitting and talking over the process of sketches, photos and painting, it was Mr Csabi’s positivity that struck the artist most.
“It’s unbelievable what has happened in his life,” she said.
Mr Csabi was metres away from the bomb that took his leg and half the other foot. He lay in the rubble for hours and came about as close to death as a person can and get to tell the tale.
On the day terror came to Bali, Mr Csabi was already a survivor – a year to the day before the attack he’d come off his motorbike at Advancetown, breaking his neck and back.
The trip to Bali was a celebration of that survival.
In the years since, Mr Csabi has built up a very successful security business.
The blast killed 202 people, including 88 Australians.
Mr Csabi and his friends plan to return in October.
The winner of the Archibald Prize will be announced on July 28.