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Thursday, June 21, 2012

Contemporary Australian Drawing #1


On Saturday afternoon (June 16) we called into Langford 120 gallery for the antipodean launch of Contemporary Australian Drawing #1 by Janet McKenzie. The book was an initiative of Irene Barberis of Metasenta® and is published by MacMillan Art Publishing, Australia. Seventy-seven Australian artists are featured, each one's images accompanied by a comprehensive and informative essay. Janet McKenzie’s earlier publication Drawing in Australia – Contemporary Images and Ideas (Macmillan Australia, 1986) was a post-art school bible for me and I still treasure it. This exceptional new book will be an invaluable companion piece.

Directly below is a snapshot of the launch, followed by the pages that focus on my own work. Initially I was intrigued that author Janet McKenzie specifically requested these images for the book, as they are all relief prints. But then for me the lino cutter has always been first and foremost a drawing implement.

The book also includes written contributions by Irene Barberis and Christopher Heathcote. For full details, including a complete list of featured artists, click HERE.




Pictured above, from top:

Contemporary Australian Drawing #1 cover

Artist William Kelly’s opening address. Kelly also wrote the introduction to Janet McKenzie’s Drawing in Australia (1986). On far left: Irene Barberis. Centre: Jenny Zimmer, editor and designer of Contemporary Australian Drawing #1. Background: paintings by Jennifer Goodman

Book pages (1) illustration, left page:
Anonyme, 1998, linocut on Japanese mending tissue overlaid onto brown oriental paper with hand stitching, 73 x 62 cm. Collection: State Library of Victoria
Right hand page:
Sister Act, 2000, colour linocut on Japanese mending tissue overlaid onto brown oriental paper with hand stitching, 64 x 74 cm. Collection: City of Maroondah, Victoria

Book pages (2) illustration, left page:
Lydia the Tattooed Lady, 1995, linocut 89 x 60 cm. Collections: The Arts Centre, Melbourne, University of Western Sydney, Macarthur, NSW
Right hand page:
Tattooed Faces Sampler, 1997, linocuts on interfacing, laid onto oriental paper and unbleached calico with hand stitching. Collection: University of Western Sydney, Macarthur