Owen Silo Art: Wheat bags to Sand bags

Robert “Alf” Hannaford is a renowned Australian artist, best known for his portrait or landscape paintings, and his sculptures, this painting on a silo in Owen, South Australia was his first contribution to the silo art scene and certainly his biggest work.

Born in 1944 in rural South Australia, Hannaford is largely self-taught and has developed a distinctive realist style over his long career. His works  have included many official portraits of notable Australians, while his bronze sculptures have included Sir Donald Bradman and Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

His work at Owen, titled ‘Wheat bags to Sand bags’ depicts a snapshot in time of life in rural Australia at the outbreak of the First World War when, at great personal and community cost, farmers and farm labourers from this district exchanged their wheat fields for the battlefields of Europe. Hannaford’s artwork is an enduring tribute to them.

A departure from his usual medium of oil paintings on canvas, the Owen silo art project demonstrates his ability to translate his realist painting style to a monumental scale. The artwork showcases his attention to detail and skill when working on such a large canvas.

The Owen silo art has become a significant landmark in the region, attracting tourists and contributing to the broader Australian silo art trail.