2013
MARIKA OSMOTHERLY: LIGHTNESS OF BEING
30 January to 16 February 2013
Marika Osmotherly’s Master of Philosophy (Fine Art) exhibition focusses on the metaphysical question of whether or not ‘being’ or ‘existence’ can carry metaphorical weight. Through this research Osmotherly explores theories of phenomenology and the sublime in the hope of finding resolution to this question through their application within the field of contemporary sculpture.
The aim of her studio practice is to communicate human significance or lack thereof through combining fragile allusions to the human form juxtaposed with large, heavy structures of rocks and boulders. The sculptural works essentially provide a physical expression of the notions of lightness and weight by which we might measure our existential significance. Photography is used as a major supportive medium to the three dimensional interventions within the gallery space to enhance notions of the sublime.
IMAGE Marika Osmotherly Heft (detail) 2012, digital photograph, 2.8 x 3.7m
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VIEW image gallery of the exhibition
30 January to 16 February 2013
Marika Osmotherly’s Master of Philosophy (Fine Art) exhibition focusses on the metaphysical question of whether or not ‘being’ or ‘existence’ can carry metaphorical weight. Through this research Osmotherly explores theories of phenomenology and the sublime in the hope of finding resolution to this question through their application within the field of contemporary sculpture.
The aim of her studio practice is to communicate human significance or lack thereof through combining fragile allusions to the human form juxtaposed with large, heavy structures of rocks and boulders. The sculptural works essentially provide a physical expression of the notions of lightness and weight by which we might measure our existential significance. Photography is used as a major supportive medium to the three dimensional interventions within the gallery space to enhance notions of the sublime.
IMAGE Marika Osmotherly Heft (detail) 2012, digital photograph, 2.8 x 3.7m
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VIEW image gallery of the exhibition
NADIA WATERS: Waterlines - the Art of Science and Creativity, a Visual Interpretation of Bushland and Coastal Environments
30 January to 16 February 2013
The beauty of nature evokes a sense of wonder and enriches life. For Nadia Waters, nature is
teacher. The natural world will forever continue to surprise, intrigue and inspire creativity.
This exhibition presents Waters’ studio work for her Master of Philosophy (Natural History
Illustration). The collection of works show an exploratory process of interpreting the landscape
through image and word in the form of drawing, painting, photography and creative writing. Waters
has selected elements from both bushland and coastal environments using found object as subject
matter for her compositions. The natural objects depicted in her artworks were collected from many
nature walks and all have special value and a unique story. One humble object borrowed from the
landscape has the potential to inspire many artworks.
“The discipline of drawing is a vehicle to depict nature that surrounds me and gives me a greater
appreciation for the natural world. Through the visual image and written word I hope to share and
highlight environmental sensitivity.” Nadia Waters
IMAGE Nadia Waters Natural Selection No.5 2012, 290 x 210mm, watercolour on paper
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VIEW image gallery of the exhibition
30 January to 16 February 2013
The beauty of nature evokes a sense of wonder and enriches life. For Nadia Waters, nature is
teacher. The natural world will forever continue to surprise, intrigue and inspire creativity.
This exhibition presents Waters’ studio work for her Master of Philosophy (Natural History
Illustration). The collection of works show an exploratory process of interpreting the landscape
through image and word in the form of drawing, painting, photography and creative writing. Waters
has selected elements from both bushland and coastal environments using found object as subject
matter for her compositions. The natural objects depicted in her artworks were collected from many
nature walks and all have special value and a unique story. One humble object borrowed from the
landscape has the potential to inspire many artworks.
“The discipline of drawing is a vehicle to depict nature that surrounds me and gives me a greater
appreciation for the natural world. Through the visual image and written word I hope to share and
highlight environmental sensitivity.” Nadia Waters
IMAGE Nadia Waters Natural Selection No.5 2012, 290 x 210mm, watercolour on paper
DOWNLOAD a copy of the catalogue (1.4 MB)
VIEW image gallery of the exhibition
KURT SCHRANZER & TERRY BURROWS: Spirit & Flesh
20 February to 9 March 2013
The interconnectedness of, and the struggles and tensions between spirit & flesh have been canvassed by writers, artists, mythologists and philosophers both past and present. Kurt Schranzer & Terry Burrows: Spirit & Flesh brings together selected artworks under this overarching theme, moving beyond the Western-centric Christian narratives that are usually associated with the phrase (the battle-loaded oppositions of purity of spirit and worldly, carnal nature), to yield more varied, absorbing, profound forms and meanings. The theme is expressed through the separation and ‘oneness’ of spirit and flesh, the cosmic and the earthly, the psychic and physical, the metaphysical and scientific. Evident is the fragmentation, reconciliation, and integration of the body divine with the psycho-sexual and mechanical body; delusion and illusion alongside reality and materiality, formlessness against form, transition with permanence; aspects of creation, holism, embodiment, awakening, ascension, and suspension. Also framed are the singular, dualistic and pluralistic natures of humanity and self; connection and disconnection; isolation and interaction; physical, cultural, and spiritual communication and union with the ‘other’. Within this matrix, in “every symbol and combination of symbols,” one is “led not hither and yon… but into the center” where “everything is all-meaningful.”1 Spirit and flesh… two sides of an ever spinning coin; different sides of the same coin, but still the one coin. - Moses Langtree, 2013 1 Hermann Hesse, The Glass Bead Game
IMAGE Kurt Schranzer Metaphysisches Stilleben (A Horse, A Horse, My Kingdom for a Horse) 2010, ink and collage on paper, 76 x 56cm. Schranzer is represented courtesy Flinders Street Gallery, Sydney
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VIEW image gallery of the exhibition
20 February to 9 March 2013
The interconnectedness of, and the struggles and tensions between spirit & flesh have been canvassed by writers, artists, mythologists and philosophers both past and present. Kurt Schranzer & Terry Burrows: Spirit & Flesh brings together selected artworks under this overarching theme, moving beyond the Western-centric Christian narratives that are usually associated with the phrase (the battle-loaded oppositions of purity of spirit and worldly, carnal nature), to yield more varied, absorbing, profound forms and meanings. The theme is expressed through the separation and ‘oneness’ of spirit and flesh, the cosmic and the earthly, the psychic and physical, the metaphysical and scientific. Evident is the fragmentation, reconciliation, and integration of the body divine with the psycho-sexual and mechanical body; delusion and illusion alongside reality and materiality, formlessness against form, transition with permanence; aspects of creation, holism, embodiment, awakening, ascension, and suspension. Also framed are the singular, dualistic and pluralistic natures of humanity and self; connection and disconnection; isolation and interaction; physical, cultural, and spiritual communication and union with the ‘other’. Within this matrix, in “every symbol and combination of symbols,” one is “led not hither and yon… but into the center” where “everything is all-meaningful.”1 Spirit and flesh… two sides of an ever spinning coin; different sides of the same coin, but still the one coin. - Moses Langtree, 2013 1 Hermann Hesse, The Glass Bead Game
IMAGE Kurt Schranzer Metaphysisches Stilleben (A Horse, A Horse, My Kingdom for a Horse) 2010, ink and collage on paper, 76 x 56cm. Schranzer is represented courtesy Flinders Street Gallery, Sydney
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JONATHAN JAMES: Stock Image
20 February to 9 March 2013
This exhibition explores the shared textural, even tactile, nature of cinematic film stock and photographic silk screen prints. These superseded media are often aesthetically reprised in their digital antecedents, and this slippage between old and new media is an area ripe for research.
Is new media accepted because of its nostalgic iterations of old media? Do we need a transition period while we grapple with the potential of new media? Does the stock imagery of the digitally reprised aesthetic suggest a lack of agency in our culture? Where is the artist’s hand, and does it matter that this be visible? Is the viewer’s gaze directed inward or outward?
Projection, light and montage are explored in this exhibition, starting from their cinematic conception, before coming closer to the analyst’s use. Removal is another area of exploration. With removal comes space; space to project, to bathe ideas in light, and for creating new possibilities with given material.
All these questions and ideas can’t be answered simply by combining old and new media. If anything, this exhibition will raise other questions. It can return some agency to the artist and to the viewer. Making the hand visible in mechanical processes and reaching the viewer through familiar imagery offers both literacy in our culture and a language we can use to understand the media we live with.
IMAGE Jonathan James Screen 2013 silk screen, 32 x 25 cm
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VIEW image gallery of the exhibition
20 February to 9 March 2013
This exhibition explores the shared textural, even tactile, nature of cinematic film stock and photographic silk screen prints. These superseded media are often aesthetically reprised in their digital antecedents, and this slippage between old and new media is an area ripe for research.
Is new media accepted because of its nostalgic iterations of old media? Do we need a transition period while we grapple with the potential of new media? Does the stock imagery of the digitally reprised aesthetic suggest a lack of agency in our culture? Where is the artist’s hand, and does it matter that this be visible? Is the viewer’s gaze directed inward or outward?
Projection, light and montage are explored in this exhibition, starting from their cinematic conception, before coming closer to the analyst’s use. Removal is another area of exploration. With removal comes space; space to project, to bathe ideas in light, and for creating new possibilities with given material.
All these questions and ideas can’t be answered simply by combining old and new media. If anything, this exhibition will raise other questions. It can return some agency to the artist and to the viewer. Making the hand visible in mechanical processes and reaching the viewer through familiar imagery offers both literacy in our culture and a language we can use to understand the media we live with.
IMAGE Jonathan James Screen 2013 silk screen, 32 x 25 cm
DOWNLOAD a copy of the exhibition catalogue (2 MB)
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CHRIS TUCKER AND MICHAEL CHAPMAN: Mediocracy
13 to 23 March 2013
Mediocracy is an exhibition of architectural works by Michael Chapman and Chris Tucker which explores the complicity of architecture in systems of organization, systematization and bureaucracy. The exhibition aims to probe the spatial structure of productivity, exploring the agency of design within a landscape of mass industrialization and homogenization. When homogeneity becomes a model of government, architecture becomes implicated in aspects of power and control, as the battle-lines between product and consumer are redrawn. The exhibition examines the clandestine architectures of bureaucracy and the role that architects play in both articulating and undermining these structures, with drawings and models of architectural projects that may be, or could be.
IMAGE Chris Tucker Theatre Lane Model (detail)
VIEW image gallery of the exhibition
13 to 23 March 2013
Mediocracy is an exhibition of architectural works by Michael Chapman and Chris Tucker which explores the complicity of architecture in systems of organization, systematization and bureaucracy. The exhibition aims to probe the spatial structure of productivity, exploring the agency of design within a landscape of mass industrialization and homogenization. When homogeneity becomes a model of government, architecture becomes implicated in aspects of power and control, as the battle-lines between product and consumer are redrawn. The exhibition examines the clandestine architectures of bureaucracy and the role that architects play in both articulating and undermining these structures, with drawings and models of architectural projects that may be, or could be.
IMAGE Chris Tucker Theatre Lane Model (detail)
VIEW image gallery of the exhibition
ANDY COLLIS: The Human Touch?
27 March to 13 April 2013
The vast majority of portrait galleries and portrait prizes mandate as a condition of entry, that the artist must work directly from the sitter for at least one session in order to paint a legitimate portrait. Many of these conditions are still criteria in the digital 21st century. Yet, in 2012 the National Portrait Gallery, London, seemed to over-ride its own criteria by hanging a portrait of singer Amy Winehouse, painted by Marlene Dumas. The portrait was made after the death of Winehouse whom Dumas had never met yet painted from multiple images downloaded from the Internet.
Examples abound of many painters who have made portraits (Bacon, Richter, Tuymans), who preferred to work from photography and away from the ‘sitter’, whom they may or may not have known personally—or have met.
Is there a discernible difference between portraits made from second-hand imagery and those where the artist has a personal, sometimes intimate relationship with the sitter and has painted directly from them? What does ‘working from life’ achieve that any other method can not?
This exhibition of paintings and installation pieces about portraiture was produced by Andy Collis as practice-led PhD research, informing responses to questions raised in his thesis titled, “What is the value of the artist/sitter relationship to contemporary portrait painting?”
IMAGE Andy Collis Daniel 2010, oil on canvas, 180 x 240 cm
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VIEW image gallery of the exhibition
27 March to 13 April 2013
The vast majority of portrait galleries and portrait prizes mandate as a condition of entry, that the artist must work directly from the sitter for at least one session in order to paint a legitimate portrait. Many of these conditions are still criteria in the digital 21st century. Yet, in 2012 the National Portrait Gallery, London, seemed to over-ride its own criteria by hanging a portrait of singer Amy Winehouse, painted by Marlene Dumas. The portrait was made after the death of Winehouse whom Dumas had never met yet painted from multiple images downloaded from the Internet.
Examples abound of many painters who have made portraits (Bacon, Richter, Tuymans), who preferred to work from photography and away from the ‘sitter’, whom they may or may not have known personally—or have met.
Is there a discernible difference between portraits made from second-hand imagery and those where the artist has a personal, sometimes intimate relationship with the sitter and has painted directly from them? What does ‘working from life’ achieve that any other method can not?
This exhibition of paintings and installation pieces about portraiture was produced by Andy Collis as practice-led PhD research, informing responses to questions raised in his thesis titled, “What is the value of the artist/sitter relationship to contemporary portrait painting?”
IMAGE Andy Collis Daniel 2010, oil on canvas, 180 x 240 cm
DOWNLOAD the exhibition catalogue (1.4 MB)
VIEW image gallery of the exhibition
STRONG WOMEN STRONG PAINTING STRONG CULTURE
Indigenous women’s art of the Central and Western Deserts from the Sims Dickson Collection,
curated by Deborah Sims and Matt Dickson
17 April to 4 May 2013
As traditional owners of their country and custodians of vast oral archives of knowledge and skill, these artists use their art practice to teach the Tjukurpa (the Dreaming) to younger generations and to pass on knowledge and skills in painting, printmaking, fibre and textiles. They have used art to help win native title to their land and, jointly with men artists, they own and control their community art centres. Three of these artists are ngangkari (traditional healers) and many were born in the bush, the last of the first-contact generation, living a traditional nomadic life until as recently as 1986.
This is dynamic contemporary art, yet the works are often layered with different levels of complex meaning understood only by the fully initiated. For the rest of us, this essential mystery resonates and intrigues. The art of these women is a vibrant affirmation of their connection to Country. It is a statement of the strength, resilience, truth, complexity and beauty of their culture, and a hugely generous gift to us all. They share their stories and, in so doing, invite our understanding and respect.
Strong Women Strong Painting Strong Culture was developed to mark the 100th anniversary of International Women’s Day in 2011. By popular demand, the exhibition tour is extending to one more showing in the Hunter region before continuing on its national tour.
“Our culture and art is not separate, it is all one. We are artists, dancers and singers of the Tjukurpa.” - Inawinytji Williamson, artist and co-founder of Ananguku Arts
IMAGE Tali Tali Pompey "Para – Desert Gum Trees" 2010, acrylic on linen, 183 x 200 cm
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VIEW image gallery of the exhibition
Indigenous women’s art of the Central and Western Deserts from the Sims Dickson Collection,
curated by Deborah Sims and Matt Dickson
17 April to 4 May 2013
As traditional owners of their country and custodians of vast oral archives of knowledge and skill, these artists use their art practice to teach the Tjukurpa (the Dreaming) to younger generations and to pass on knowledge and skills in painting, printmaking, fibre and textiles. They have used art to help win native title to their land and, jointly with men artists, they own and control their community art centres. Three of these artists are ngangkari (traditional healers) and many were born in the bush, the last of the first-contact generation, living a traditional nomadic life until as recently as 1986.
This is dynamic contemporary art, yet the works are often layered with different levels of complex meaning understood only by the fully initiated. For the rest of us, this essential mystery resonates and intrigues. The art of these women is a vibrant affirmation of their connection to Country. It is a statement of the strength, resilience, truth, complexity and beauty of their culture, and a hugely generous gift to us all. They share their stories and, in so doing, invite our understanding and respect.
Strong Women Strong Painting Strong Culture was developed to mark the 100th anniversary of International Women’s Day in 2011. By popular demand, the exhibition tour is extending to one more showing in the Hunter region before continuing on its national tour.
“Our culture and art is not separate, it is all one. We are artists, dancers and singers of the Tjukurpa.” - Inawinytji Williamson, artist and co-founder of Ananguku Arts
IMAGE Tali Tali Pompey "Para – Desert Gum Trees" 2010, acrylic on linen, 183 x 200 cm
DOWNLOAD the exhibition catalogue (4.9 MB)
VIEW image gallery of the exhibition
PRUE SAILER: Wild Visions - An Artistic Investigation Into Animal Vision
8 to 25 May 2013
If we imagine ourselves looking through the eyes of animals, which can function within vastly different visual parameters to our own, how might the world appear from their perspective?
Wild Visions: An Artistic Investigation into Animal Vision is an exhibition for Prue Sailer’s PhD research in Natural History Illustration, examining the optical diversity of the animal world.
Seven species are included in this study: the Peregrine Falcon, Tawny Frogmouth, Zebra Finch, Squirrel Monkey, Rainbow Trout, Australian Emperor Dragonfly and Veiled Chameleon. Each one was illustrated initially from Sailer’s perspective. Close-ups of their eyes represent the conceptual focus, and studies of their typical postures and habitats provide a familiar introduction to each species.
These birds and animals were selected by Sailer to represent a cross-section of the wide range of eye types and visual systems in the animal world. Scientific data on their specific visual capabilities provided the foundation for a series of curved habitat paintings that illustrate her interpretation of each animal’s unique view of their surroundings.
Through this fusion of science and art, the research published by vision scientists is presented in visual form so that gallery visitors can experience the animals’ world “through their eyes”.
IMAGE Prue Sailer Tawny Frogmouth Eyes 2010, oil on canvas, 25 x 40 cm
DOWNLOAD the exhibition catalogue pdf (2.1 MB)
VIEW image gallery of the exhibition
8 to 25 May 2013
If we imagine ourselves looking through the eyes of animals, which can function within vastly different visual parameters to our own, how might the world appear from their perspective?
Wild Visions: An Artistic Investigation into Animal Vision is an exhibition for Prue Sailer’s PhD research in Natural History Illustration, examining the optical diversity of the animal world.
Seven species are included in this study: the Peregrine Falcon, Tawny Frogmouth, Zebra Finch, Squirrel Monkey, Rainbow Trout, Australian Emperor Dragonfly and Veiled Chameleon. Each one was illustrated initially from Sailer’s perspective. Close-ups of their eyes represent the conceptual focus, and studies of their typical postures and habitats provide a familiar introduction to each species.
These birds and animals were selected by Sailer to represent a cross-section of the wide range of eye types and visual systems in the animal world. Scientific data on their specific visual capabilities provided the foundation for a series of curved habitat paintings that illustrate her interpretation of each animal’s unique view of their surroundings.
Through this fusion of science and art, the research published by vision scientists is presented in visual form so that gallery visitors can experience the animals’ world “through their eyes”.
IMAGE Prue Sailer Tawny Frogmouth Eyes 2010, oil on canvas, 25 x 40 cm
DOWNLOAD the exhibition catalogue pdf (2.1 MB)
VIEW image gallery of the exhibition
JENNIE THOMAS 2013 TRAVELLING ART SCHOLARSHIP and 10 Year Review
29 May to 1 June 2013
The Jennie Thomas Travelling Art Scholarship is awarded to students who have a clear vision of their practice and a passion for what they do. It provides an opportunity for students to gain primary research and inspiration during their Honours year of study by funding Scholars to travel overseas. This award was launched in 2003 and in celebration of 10 years of generosity, the University Gallery will also be exhibiting previous winners from the decade, many of whom have gone on to become well known artists and winners of other awards, such as the 2013 PICA National Tertiary Art Prize won by our 2012 Jennie Thomas Scholar, Shan Turner-Carroll. Works by this years finalists will also be on exhibition.
The 2013 winner of the Philip Emlyn Thomas Keyboard Scholarship will present their musical performance during the event. The Philip Emlyn Thomas Keyboard Scholarship recognises a University student studying music who shows well developed keyboard performance and a broad interest in other aspects of music.
The Jennie Thomas Environment Scholarship identifies a student enrolled in Environment Studies who has a good academic record and who shows a passion towards learning about and improving the environment.
The Jennie Thomas ‘Dreams Can Come True’ Scholarships are awarded to students who have excelled in Open Foundation or New Step Studies and who demonstrate a need for some extra assistance in pursuing both their university studies and their ultimate career dreams.
In order to profile the ongoing attainments of Jennie Thomas Scholars nationally and internationally, the new Jennie Thomas Scholarship website will also be launched on the night.
IMAGE Jennie Thomas at the 2013 Launch
VIEW image gallery of the exhibition
VISIT the Jennie Thomas Scholarship website
29 May to 1 June 2013
The Jennie Thomas Travelling Art Scholarship is awarded to students who have a clear vision of their practice and a passion for what they do. It provides an opportunity for students to gain primary research and inspiration during their Honours year of study by funding Scholars to travel overseas. This award was launched in 2003 and in celebration of 10 years of generosity, the University Gallery will also be exhibiting previous winners from the decade, many of whom have gone on to become well known artists and winners of other awards, such as the 2013 PICA National Tertiary Art Prize won by our 2012 Jennie Thomas Scholar, Shan Turner-Carroll. Works by this years finalists will also be on exhibition.
The 2013 winner of the Philip Emlyn Thomas Keyboard Scholarship will present their musical performance during the event. The Philip Emlyn Thomas Keyboard Scholarship recognises a University student studying music who shows well developed keyboard performance and a broad interest in other aspects of music.
The Jennie Thomas Environment Scholarship identifies a student enrolled in Environment Studies who has a good academic record and who shows a passion towards learning about and improving the environment.
The Jennie Thomas ‘Dreams Can Come True’ Scholarships are awarded to students who have excelled in Open Foundation or New Step Studies and who demonstrate a need for some extra assistance in pursuing both their university studies and their ultimate career dreams.
In order to profile the ongoing attainments of Jennie Thomas Scholars nationally and internationally, the new Jennie Thomas Scholarship website will also be launched on the night.
IMAGE Jennie Thomas at the 2013 Launch
VIEW image gallery of the exhibition
VISIT the Jennie Thomas Scholarship website
MARY ROBERT | CATHRYN SHINE | BARBARA STOUT | JANE WINSLOW: Pleasure Zones
5 to 22 June 2013
The artists who exhibit together in Pleasure Zones are based, have received their artistic training and have built their careers, in different countries and have each responded in their own way to the cultural milieu in which they have found themselves. Yet, despite the great distances between Britain, New Zealand and the USA, very different local cultures and different targets for their art, these four artists find harmonious wavelengths that vibrate between them and which afford an opportunity for sympathetic discourse. What they have in common, in terms of outlook, core values and artistic sensibility is greater than the miles and time zones that separate them.
These artists all have the base of their practice in photomedia, yet each of them uses the discipline in different ways and for different purposes.
Mary Robert, Dean of Learning, Teaching and Curriculum Development, and Professor of Lens Media at Richmond, the American International University in London, is exhibiting a selection of photographs from a long term project working with a community of oppressed trans people in Istanbul.
Cathryn Shine has been exploring and researching Italian gardens of the Medieval and Renaissance periods in contemporary Italy since 2005. Shine is Associate Professor in Fine Arts at the University of Canterbury, New Zealand.
Jane Winslow uses photography to investigate aspects of identity by capturing the moments and space between visual acuity. Winslow is Assistant Professor of Broadcast production/post-production and screenwriting in the College of Communication, Media and the Arts at the State University of New York Oswego. In addition, Winslow has collaborated with Barbara Stout to create a video installation. Stout’s work focuses on identity through ink wash portraiture. She also teaches at SUNY Oswego.
The viewers of this exhibition will observe four trajectories of work that have sprung out of shared sensibilities. These artists have directed themselves towards concerns that reflect female perceptions and sensitivities in differing arenas. This is their subliminal common bond and this exhibition reveals insights into four diverse aspects of ‘pleasure’ as their shared theme.
IMAGE Mary Robert Irem from a series 1990 to present, silver gelatin print, 200 x 140 cm
VIEW image gallery of the exhibition
5 to 22 June 2013
The artists who exhibit together in Pleasure Zones are based, have received their artistic training and have built their careers, in different countries and have each responded in their own way to the cultural milieu in which they have found themselves. Yet, despite the great distances between Britain, New Zealand and the USA, very different local cultures and different targets for their art, these four artists find harmonious wavelengths that vibrate between them and which afford an opportunity for sympathetic discourse. What they have in common, in terms of outlook, core values and artistic sensibility is greater than the miles and time zones that separate them.
These artists all have the base of their practice in photomedia, yet each of them uses the discipline in different ways and for different purposes.
Mary Robert, Dean of Learning, Teaching and Curriculum Development, and Professor of Lens Media at Richmond, the American International University in London, is exhibiting a selection of photographs from a long term project working with a community of oppressed trans people in Istanbul.
Cathryn Shine has been exploring and researching Italian gardens of the Medieval and Renaissance periods in contemporary Italy since 2005. Shine is Associate Professor in Fine Arts at the University of Canterbury, New Zealand.
Jane Winslow uses photography to investigate aspects of identity by capturing the moments and space between visual acuity. Winslow is Assistant Professor of Broadcast production/post-production and screenwriting in the College of Communication, Media and the Arts at the State University of New York Oswego. In addition, Winslow has collaborated with Barbara Stout to create a video installation. Stout’s work focuses on identity through ink wash portraiture. She also teaches at SUNY Oswego.
The viewers of this exhibition will observe four trajectories of work that have sprung out of shared sensibilities. These artists have directed themselves towards concerns that reflect female perceptions and sensitivities in differing arenas. This is their subliminal common bond and this exhibition reveals insights into four diverse aspects of ‘pleasure’ as their shared theme.
IMAGE Mary Robert Irem from a series 1990 to present, silver gelatin print, 200 x 140 cm
VIEW image gallery of the exhibition
HOPE: Book Launch and Exhibition
26 to 29 June 2013
HOPE is a children’s book produced by the AIM High program; a team that operates from the University’s Equity and Diversity Unit. The book, written by a member of AIM High, will become a graduation gift for primary school students participating in the Careers Through Reading program. Book illustrations, by Kiara Mucci, will be on exhibition.
Careers Through Reading is a multi-visit outreach program that involves primary school students in Year 2 and Year 5 being introduced to a variety of career and study options by university students reading them children’s books related to their study/career. Families connected to the schools in which the program runs do not always have the funds or other forms of capital to support students with their own literacy resources. Each student participant of Careers Through Reading receives a book labelled with the University logo and their name as a memento of their participation.
HOPE is based on the principles of positive psychology (the cognitive skill set of Hope Theory in particular) and explores how individuals aspire by identifying and then navigating pathways, through often difficult situations, towards goals that have meaning and purpose.
The book is enhanced by a soundtrack that has been written by University of Newcastle third year Bachelor of Music student Jayden Lawrence and by a unit of work being developed by Dr Heather Sharp and Debbie Bradbery from the Faculty of Education. The soundtrack, ‘read-along’ sound scape and classroom resources will all be available to schools free of charge via a project website.
VIEW image gallery of the exhibition and launch
26 to 29 June 2013
HOPE is a children’s book produced by the AIM High program; a team that operates from the University’s Equity and Diversity Unit. The book, written by a member of AIM High, will become a graduation gift for primary school students participating in the Careers Through Reading program. Book illustrations, by Kiara Mucci, will be on exhibition.
Careers Through Reading is a multi-visit outreach program that involves primary school students in Year 2 and Year 5 being introduced to a variety of career and study options by university students reading them children’s books related to their study/career. Families connected to the schools in which the program runs do not always have the funds or other forms of capital to support students with their own literacy resources. Each student participant of Careers Through Reading receives a book labelled with the University logo and their name as a memento of their participation.
HOPE is based on the principles of positive psychology (the cognitive skill set of Hope Theory in particular) and explores how individuals aspire by identifying and then navigating pathways, through often difficult situations, towards goals that have meaning and purpose.
The book is enhanced by a soundtrack that has been written by University of Newcastle third year Bachelor of Music student Jayden Lawrence and by a unit of work being developed by Dr Heather Sharp and Debbie Bradbery from the Faculty of Education. The soundtrack, ‘read-along’ sound scape and classroom resources will all be available to schools free of charge via a project website.
VIEW image gallery of the exhibition and launch
WORKING : NEWCASTLE featuring JAMES DRINKWATER, PETER GARDINER and BRETT McMAHON, with a photo essay by SIMONE DARCY
3 to 20 July 2013
WORKING : NEWCASTLE presents work by three contemporary artists who are WORKING in Newcastle. This exhibition explores the creative output of visual artists and their WORK - not something ephemeral or essentially ‘part time’ but the real importance of their studios as a workplace.
To accompany this work is a photo essay by photographic artist Simone Darcy who has documented the three studios and responded to the artists’ relationship with their space.
These studios become an area for exploration, debate, process and reflection where the artist continues to develop skill and refine concepts.
The artwork in the exhibition is rich and varied, the space it was created in is just as rich and worth describing, articulating, acknowledging.
IMAGE Brett McMahon Pod 1 2013, oil and enamel on linen, 58 cm diameter
DOWNLOAD the exhibition catalogue (1.2 MB)
VIEW image gallery of the exhibition
3 to 20 July 2013
WORKING : NEWCASTLE presents work by three contemporary artists who are WORKING in Newcastle. This exhibition explores the creative output of visual artists and their WORK - not something ephemeral or essentially ‘part time’ but the real importance of their studios as a workplace.
To accompany this work is a photo essay by photographic artist Simone Darcy who has documented the three studios and responded to the artists’ relationship with their space.
These studios become an area for exploration, debate, process and reflection where the artist continues to develop skill and refine concepts.
The artwork in the exhibition is rich and varied, the space it was created in is just as rich and worth describing, articulating, acknowledging.
IMAGE Brett McMahon Pod 1 2013, oil and enamel on linen, 58 cm diameter
DOWNLOAD the exhibition catalogue (1.2 MB)
VIEW image gallery of the exhibition
PEOPLE AND PLACE | COAL AND COMMUNITY
24 July to 14 August 2013
Many of the towns and cities within the greater Hunter region owe their foundations and their economies to the coal industry. From the first discovery of coal in Newcastle in 1797, it has shaped the growth of our landscape as it has shaped our communities.
This exhibition assembles items from several important collections of archives and private material on the coal community, its people and their place. With thousands of early photographs and records, images from this living archive present photographs, maps and artefacts that describe in captivating detail the way in which we have lived and worked in the Hunter since its very beginnings.
Tracing its origins back to 1843 and J&A Brown’s Four Mile Creek mine near East Maitland, Coal & Allied has been making a significant contribution to the Hunter Valley community for many generations.
The People and Place | Coal and Community project has been made possible thanks to a grant from the Coal & Allied Community Development
Fund and has resulted in a touring exhibition, an illustrated book and a comprehensive website to which information can be added and which also has
educational resources for teachers and students.
IMAGE Interior of Hall’s house, Belmont, NSW, 21 October 1903. From the Ralph Snowball/Norm Barney Collection, Cultural Collections, University of Newcastle.
VISIT the University of Newcastle's People and Place|Coal and Community archive website
24 July to 14 August 2013
Many of the towns and cities within the greater Hunter region owe their foundations and their economies to the coal industry. From the first discovery of coal in Newcastle in 1797, it has shaped the growth of our landscape as it has shaped our communities.
This exhibition assembles items from several important collections of archives and private material on the coal community, its people and their place. With thousands of early photographs and records, images from this living archive present photographs, maps and artefacts that describe in captivating detail the way in which we have lived and worked in the Hunter since its very beginnings.
Tracing its origins back to 1843 and J&A Brown’s Four Mile Creek mine near East Maitland, Coal & Allied has been making a significant contribution to the Hunter Valley community for many generations.
The People and Place | Coal and Community project has been made possible thanks to a grant from the Coal & Allied Community Development
Fund and has resulted in a touring exhibition, an illustrated book and a comprehensive website to which information can be added and which also has
educational resources for teachers and students.
IMAGE Interior of Hall’s house, Belmont, NSW, 21 October 1903. From the Ralph Snowball/Norm Barney Collection, Cultural Collections, University of Newcastle.
VISIT the University of Newcastle's People and Place|Coal and Community archive website
SANDRA BURGESS: Plexus
28 August to 14 September 2013
Plexus means interweaving or plaiting, and the research for this PhD exhibition explores ways in which history, nature and society mesh to distinguish specific locations. The history of place and memories, the journeys to and from it, the connections to the environment, and to its people all shape our experience of place.
The site for this research is Hanging Rock, near Nundle NSW. Sandra Burgess considered the discarded waste from the mining past, the fragments of domestic life, the weeds that invaded the country - along with the colonists and the small life forms which are important to the environment but often disregarded.
Microscopic organisms, such as diatoms, are of particular interest as the forms are varied and delicate, inviting imaginative interpretation. Single celled
microalgae found in abundance in healthy aquatic environments, diatoms make up a large part of the bio-mass of the planet and are an important part
of the web of life that we all share.
Using media such as ceramics, paper and found objects a new environment is created as a Wunderkammer of the extraordinary and ancient environment
of Hanging Rock.
IMAGE Sandra Burgess Diatom, 2011, porcelain, 3 x 9 x 15 cm
DOWNLOAD the exhibition catalogue pdf (1.5 MB)
VIEW image gallery of the exhibition
28 August to 14 September 2013
Plexus means interweaving or plaiting, and the research for this PhD exhibition explores ways in which history, nature and society mesh to distinguish specific locations. The history of place and memories, the journeys to and from it, the connections to the environment, and to its people all shape our experience of place.
The site for this research is Hanging Rock, near Nundle NSW. Sandra Burgess considered the discarded waste from the mining past, the fragments of domestic life, the weeds that invaded the country - along with the colonists and the small life forms which are important to the environment but often disregarded.
Microscopic organisms, such as diatoms, are of particular interest as the forms are varied and delicate, inviting imaginative interpretation. Single celled
microalgae found in abundance in healthy aquatic environments, diatoms make up a large part of the bio-mass of the planet and are an important part
of the web of life that we all share.
Using media such as ceramics, paper and found objects a new environment is created as a Wunderkammer of the extraordinary and ancient environment
of Hanging Rock.
IMAGE Sandra Burgess Diatom, 2011, porcelain, 3 x 9 x 15 cm
DOWNLOAD the exhibition catalogue pdf (1.5 MB)
VIEW image gallery of the exhibition
DELILAH VAN WYK: Trek - art and the experience of migration
18 to 28 September 2013
Leaving home - and returning - is something we do regularly throughout our lives. Home is the pivotal point of these journeys - the beginning and the end.1
Home, and its loss and renewal become particularly significant in this age of migration. At the present time one out of every 33 persons is a migrant, so that all migrants as a group would constitute the fifth most populous country in the world. While there is no universally agreed definition for ‘migrant’, it was usually used for those persons who were not compelled to leave but decided freely to move to
another country.
As an artist, the process of transition through which migrants establish a ‘new’ home has intrigued me, for I am also a migrant. I freely chose to leave South Africa to establish a new life for my family in Australia. Consequently I have called this project Trek, which is the word for a long difficult journey and is a familiar term in South Africa.
Immigration to Australia from South Africa has had a ‘born again’ effect on my life and that of my family. This feeling or conviction is so strong, I regard it as a
duty to investigate the process of my migration from both a personal and social history perspective.
– Delilah van Wyk 1 Marcus, Clare Cooper House as Mirror of Self. Exploring the Deeper Meaning of Home. Conari Press, Berkley, California 1997, 279
IMAGE Delilah van Wyk Putting down roots, 2012, clay and oxides
DOWNLOAD the exhibition catalogue pdf (1.4 MB)
VIEW image gallery of the exhibition
18 to 28 September 2013
Leaving home - and returning - is something we do regularly throughout our lives. Home is the pivotal point of these journeys - the beginning and the end.1
Home, and its loss and renewal become particularly significant in this age of migration. At the present time one out of every 33 persons is a migrant, so that all migrants as a group would constitute the fifth most populous country in the world. While there is no universally agreed definition for ‘migrant’, it was usually used for those persons who were not compelled to leave but decided freely to move to
another country.
As an artist, the process of transition through which migrants establish a ‘new’ home has intrigued me, for I am also a migrant. I freely chose to leave South Africa to establish a new life for my family in Australia. Consequently I have called this project Trek, which is the word for a long difficult journey and is a familiar term in South Africa.
Immigration to Australia from South Africa has had a ‘born again’ effect on my life and that of my family. This feeling or conviction is so strong, I regard it as a
duty to investigate the process of my migration from both a personal and social history perspective.
– Delilah van Wyk 1 Marcus, Clare Cooper House as Mirror of Self. Exploring the Deeper Meaning of Home. Conari Press, Berkley, California 1997, 279
IMAGE Delilah van Wyk Putting down roots, 2012, clay and oxides
DOWNLOAD the exhibition catalogue pdf (1.4 MB)
VIEW image gallery of the exhibition
ACCESSIBLE ARCTIC: 80 years of photography from Canadian Geographic
2 to 19 October 2013
The wealth of images of the Arctic that Canadian Geographic accumulated since 1930 and the extensive work of The Royal Canadian Geographical Society and The Canadian Museum of Nature in this region are clear reflections of how the North has always been at the very heart of Canadian identity.
The Accessible Arctic brings the beauty of the North close to us as it speaks of its past, present and future. These quintessential images of nature and life in the arctic also remind us of the vast treasure that we hold in trust for future generations.
Proudly presented by the High Commission of Canada, Canberra in association with the University Gallery, University of Newcastle.
IMAGE © Kennan Ward/First Light Arctic Icon 2005, Churchill, Manitoba
VIEW selected images from the exhibition
2 to 19 October 2013
The wealth of images of the Arctic that Canadian Geographic accumulated since 1930 and the extensive work of The Royal Canadian Geographical Society and The Canadian Museum of Nature in this region are clear reflections of how the North has always been at the very heart of Canadian identity.
The Accessible Arctic brings the beauty of the North close to us as it speaks of its past, present and future. These quintessential images of nature and life in the arctic also remind us of the vast treasure that we hold in trust for future generations.
Proudly presented by the High Commission of Canada, Canberra in association with the University Gallery, University of Newcastle.
IMAGE © Kennan Ward/First Light Arctic Icon 2005, Churchill, Manitoba
VIEW selected images from the exhibition
GEOGRAPHY: Responses to Landscape
NICOLE CHAFFEY | DAVID MIDDLEBROOK | ANNEMARIE MURLAND | UNA REY
2 to 19 October 2013
The Australian landscape is an elemental experience. We exist between ancient stone and atmosphere that hums and sparks with history beyond the recollection of mankind. The ancient cultures of the first people tell stories of creation and upending change while newer interpretations explore what it means to make a home of such wild and capricious environs.
Landscape is dynamic, ever changing, and we are thrust along with it, compelled at every juncture to confirm our place within it. Visual exploration starts with ancient storytelling, while Arcadian post-colonial interpretations evolved as artists began to know their surroundings. This knowing opens the discourse and allows other investigations to begin.
It is these investigations that unite the four painters of Geography. All are faculty members of the University’s School of Creative Arts, and the individual practices of each expound the ideas of surface and space. The Australian environment does not reveal its secrets readily, and in responding to it, these painters do not necessarily seek to expose it.
Light, that which is particularly unique to our part of the world, provides a passage to experiential immersion. David Middlebrook and Nicole Chaffey seek sky and atmosphere that shifts and shimmers.
Annemarie Murland and Una Rey traverse the tactility of surface. Light here too, plays its role; interplays of reflection are lithe and percussive, shadows deeply
and restfully quiescent.
IMAGE David Middlebrook Golden Field 2013, oil on linen
VIEW image gallery of the exhibition
NICOLE CHAFFEY | DAVID MIDDLEBROOK | ANNEMARIE MURLAND | UNA REY
2 to 19 October 2013
The Australian landscape is an elemental experience. We exist between ancient stone and atmosphere that hums and sparks with history beyond the recollection of mankind. The ancient cultures of the first people tell stories of creation and upending change while newer interpretations explore what it means to make a home of such wild and capricious environs.
Landscape is dynamic, ever changing, and we are thrust along with it, compelled at every juncture to confirm our place within it. Visual exploration starts with ancient storytelling, while Arcadian post-colonial interpretations evolved as artists began to know their surroundings. This knowing opens the discourse and allows other investigations to begin.
It is these investigations that unite the four painters of Geography. All are faculty members of the University’s School of Creative Arts, and the individual practices of each expound the ideas of surface and space. The Australian environment does not reveal its secrets readily, and in responding to it, these painters do not necessarily seek to expose it.
Light, that which is particularly unique to our part of the world, provides a passage to experiential immersion. David Middlebrook and Nicole Chaffey seek sky and atmosphere that shifts and shimmers.
Annemarie Murland and Una Rey traverse the tactility of surface. Light here too, plays its role; interplays of reflection are lithe and percussive, shadows deeply
and restfully quiescent.
IMAGE David Middlebrook Golden Field 2013, oil on linen
VIEW image gallery of the exhibition
OCCUPATION ARTICULATION: A world of possibilities
21 to 27 October 2013
The graduating Occupational Therapy Students present their exhibition. Occupation is what humans do, what humans want to do and how humans do. This doing with occupation relates closely to health and wellbeing. This exhibition explores and presents an international perspective of this relationship.
IMAGE Emily Devine and Catherine Trudgett Senbazuru 2013, paper, string and tree branch
DOWNLOAD the graduate's catalogue pdf (1.8MB)
VIEW image gallery of the exhibition
21 to 27 October 2013
The graduating Occupational Therapy Students present their exhibition. Occupation is what humans do, what humans want to do and how humans do. This doing with occupation relates closely to health and wellbeing. This exhibition explores and presents an international perspective of this relationship.
IMAGE Emily Devine and Catherine Trudgett Senbazuru 2013, paper, string and tree branch
DOWNLOAD the graduate's catalogue pdf (1.8MB)
VIEW image gallery of the exhibition
VISUAL COMMUNICATION DESIGN: Third Year Graduate Exhibition 2013
29 October to 2 November 2013
Showcasing the best works from the University of Newcastle Design graduates, this exhibition demonstrates diverse skills with works from a wide variety of media such as Publication and Print Design, Typography, Web Design, Photography, Illustration, Information Design and more.
VISIT the student website for full details and images
VIEW image gallery of selected work
29 October to 2 November 2013
Showcasing the best works from the University of Newcastle Design graduates, this exhibition demonstrates diverse skills with works from a wide variety of media such as Publication and Print Design, Typography, Web Design, Photography, Illustration, Information Design and more.
VISIT the student website for full details and images
VIEW image gallery of selected work
ELEMENTAL: a survey of work from the University Art Collection and private collectors which explores water as a primary elemental source
6 to 30 November 2013
The crucial properties of water affect every part of our existence. From the enormous bodies of water supporting industry and trade, to the most arid parts of Australia where generations of Aboriginal people have nurtured close relationships with the life supporting networks of waterholes and subterranean water.
The University of Newcastle collection has benefited from the generosity of artists, collectors, community groups and Friends of the University. This has resulted in a collection that highlights several historical and significant figures within the context of Australian art, including; John Olsen, Margaret Olley, John Coburn and Lloyd Rees.
Contemporary Australian artists such as Patricia Piccinini, Chris Capper, Neil Frazer, Neridah Stockley, Peter Taylor, Dallas Bray and Freddie Timms complement this survey exhibition and speak to theme, the elemental nature of water.
As water is essential to life, collecting is essential to the arts. Diverse collections provide a snapshot of our cultural heritage and when made available to the public, these collections enrich the cultural fabric of a community. The University of Newcastle has a reason to feel proud of its collection, particularly in recent years, where appropriate and strategic acquisitions have ensured the collection’s relevance for future generations.
- Benjamin Bourke, Master of Fine Art candidate, University of Newcastle
IMAGE Chris Capper View from inside the tent 2010-2012, oil on canvas, 50 x 60cm. The University of Newcastle Art Collection. Chris Capper is represented by Damien Minton Gallery, Sydney.
DOWNLOAD the exhibition catalogue (1.6MB)
VIEW image gallery of selected works
6 to 30 November 2013
The crucial properties of water affect every part of our existence. From the enormous bodies of water supporting industry and trade, to the most arid parts of Australia where generations of Aboriginal people have nurtured close relationships with the life supporting networks of waterholes and subterranean water.
The University of Newcastle collection has benefited from the generosity of artists, collectors, community groups and Friends of the University. This has resulted in a collection that highlights several historical and significant figures within the context of Australian art, including; John Olsen, Margaret Olley, John Coburn and Lloyd Rees.
Contemporary Australian artists such as Patricia Piccinini, Chris Capper, Neil Frazer, Neridah Stockley, Peter Taylor, Dallas Bray and Freddie Timms complement this survey exhibition and speak to theme, the elemental nature of water.
As water is essential to life, collecting is essential to the arts. Diverse collections provide a snapshot of our cultural heritage and when made available to the public, these collections enrich the cultural fabric of a community. The University of Newcastle has a reason to feel proud of its collection, particularly in recent years, where appropriate and strategic acquisitions have ensured the collection’s relevance for future generations.
- Benjamin Bourke, Master of Fine Art candidate, University of Newcastle
IMAGE Chris Capper View from inside the tent 2010-2012, oil on canvas, 50 x 60cm. The University of Newcastle Art Collection. Chris Capper is represented by Damien Minton Gallery, Sydney.
DOWNLOAD the exhibition catalogue (1.6MB)
VIEW image gallery of selected works
ROGER HANLEY: Margin Walker
4 to 19 December 2013
Roger Hanley’s PhD research explores the materialisation of the ‘between’ - that which both is and is not. His practice led research has produced photographic images that are an acknowledgment of the immediate - the visual language that is at once the photographic surface, and the enigmatic nature of theme and emotion that falls beneath that surface.
A desultory wanderer is seen to move through a landscape that is formed not only by nature and the relentless passage of time, but also by dreams: dreams of dark and dreams of light. Space is opened to reveal things beyond an easily articulated knowledge.
These photographs are not just paracosms, counterfeits of life created for the purposes of fantasy. They are material manifestations of the ascendancy that feeling holds over logic. In them, there is dissonance, engagement, despair, wonder, hope and loneliness.
‘Margin Walker’ is the uncertain journey into myself.
- Roger Hanley 2013
IMAGE installation view of Margin Walker
DOWNLOAD the exhibition catalogue (1.7MB)
VIEW image gallery of the exhibition
4 to 19 December 2013
Roger Hanley’s PhD research explores the materialisation of the ‘between’ - that which both is and is not. His practice led research has produced photographic images that are an acknowledgment of the immediate - the visual language that is at once the photographic surface, and the enigmatic nature of theme and emotion that falls beneath that surface.
A desultory wanderer is seen to move through a landscape that is formed not only by nature and the relentless passage of time, but also by dreams: dreams of dark and dreams of light. Space is opened to reveal things beyond an easily articulated knowledge.
These photographs are not just paracosms, counterfeits of life created for the purposes of fantasy. They are material manifestations of the ascendancy that feeling holds over logic. In them, there is dissonance, engagement, despair, wonder, hope and loneliness.
‘Margin Walker’ is the uncertain journey into myself.
- Roger Hanley 2013
IMAGE installation view of Margin Walker
DOWNLOAD the exhibition catalogue (1.7MB)
VIEW image gallery of the exhibition