Istoria: History, Story, Tale, A Goldfields Printmakers Survey Exhibition

I’m delighted to be part of Istoria: History, Story, Tale, A Goldfields Printmakers Survey Exhibition at Arc Yinnar, opening on Saturday, 24 June.

Memory 14 and Memory 40, my works in Istoria, explore the historic connection between the Victorian Goldfields and China during the gold rushes, a period of Australian history from which Chinese women were all but absent. 

… The word history refers to all time preceding this very moment and everything that 'really' happened up to now. The distinctions may be much messier than that of course and as printmakers - people who use visual imagery to imaginatively convey meaning - we make full use of the freedom afforded by mark-making, to play with the way a picture tells a thousand stories, histories or tales.

- Excerpt from Istoria, exhibition essay by Dr. Loris Button.

Istoria: History, Story, Tale

A Goldfields Printmakers Survey Exhibition

Opening address by Gippsland printmaker Jenny Peterson

2pm, Saturday, 24 June

Arc Yinnar  

19 - 23 Main Street 

Yinnar, Vic 3839

Telephone: 03 5163 1310

http://arcyinnar.org.au

The exhibition runs to Sunday, 23 July

Pictured from top, 1-3:

Memory 14,  Phemograph, (archival pigment print), 32.5 x 24.2 cm

Memory 40, Phemograph, (archival pigment print), 28 x 21.4 cm

Invitation to Istoria with list of participating artists

Istoria

Istoria: history, story, tale, a Goldfields Printmakers exhibition, opens at Burra Regional Art Gallery on Thursday January 26.

The official opening is on Saturday, January 28 at 5.30 pm. Full details are on the invitation below; click on it for an enlarged view. 

Memory 40, one of two prints I have in the show, reflects a long-held interest in hidden histories. My works pose a question that may be unanswerable. During the Australian gold rushes, what fates befell the thousands of women and girls who remained in China after their menfolk departed for the goldfields? 

In 1861, Chinese immigrants made up 3.3 per cent of the Australian population. The vast majority (38,337) were men, compared to only eleven women. But virtually nothing is known about the women who stayed behind.

Recalling the traditional Chinese art of cut paper silhouettes, profiles of Chinese women were hand-painted onto similarly ephemeral Eucalyptus leaves and transformed into archival pigment prints suggestive of fading Victorian photographs. All of the leaves in this series were sourced in the forest at Newstead, which, at the height of the Victorian gold rushes, was a base for over 3000 Chinese miners.

Istoria

The exhibition theme is broadly based on the concept of Istoria/ἱστορία

The term history has evolved from an ancient Greek verb istoria which means "to know". Originally meaning inquiry, the act of seeking knowledge, as well as the knowledge that results from inquiry or what we now call histories, stories or tales.

The Oxford Dictionary gives a definition of the tale as a fictitious or true narrative or story, especially one that is imaginatively recounted. 

The words story and history share much of their lineage, however today we mostly think of the dividing line as the one between fact and fiction. Stories may be fanciful tales woven at bedtime, melodramatic plots, or the relating of a simple tale. Histories, on the other hand, are records of events, although the veracity of those events usually depends on who has written the history/herstory.

The word history refers to all-time preceding this very moment and everything that 'really' happened up to now. The distinctions may be much messier than that of course and as printmakers — people who use visual imagery to imaginatively convey meaning - we make full use of the freedom afforded by mark-making, to play with the way a picture tells a thousand stories, histories or tales.

- From the catalogue essay by Dr. Loris Button

Istoria: history, story, tale

Bence Room,

Burra Regional Art Gallery,

6 Market Street,

Burra, SA.

Open daily 1-4

January 26-March 12

Pictured top: Memory 40, 2017, Archival pigment print, 28 x 21.4 cm, edition 20.

THINKING OF PLACE II - further travels

Today’s blog post brings news I’ve been remiss about sharing earlier: the group exhibition, THINKING OF PLACE II, originally conceived for the international print symposium IMPACT 10 in Santander, Spain in 2018, is currently on exhibit at Northsite Contemporary Arts in Cairns, Far North Queensland. The show opened in September and continues to November 7.

Prints being multiples, from today, October 21, and continuing to November 1, the exhibition will run concurrently at Arthaus Contemporary Gallery in Orakei, Auckland, New Zealand. For further information, visit the Facebook page of THINKING OF PLACE II HERE.

Yesterday a review of the exhibition by Ina Arraoui arrived in my inbox - an unexpected and delightful surprise. My contribution to the show, the phemograph Detritus, 2018, pictured above, is referenced in the review. Back in 2018, I was unable to travel to Santander for IMPACT 10. With continued travel restrictions, it’s possible I won’t even get to see the exhibition in any of its subsequent venues, so my thanks and gratitude are extended to Ina for giving many others in the same boat a very real sense of what THINKING OF PLACE II is about.

Ina Arraoui is a New Zealand-based print artist and curator. Her website is HERE.

The introductory paragraphs of Ina Arraoui’s review are directly below. To read the review in its entirety, click HERE. 

Introduction

Although many of us envisage a physical geographical location when thinking of place, it’s more often than not a complex synthesis of feelings and memories that ultimately defines our relationship to a place. Printmaking artist and academic Monika Lukowska argues that notions of place are inseparable from the human experience, referencing geographer Yi-Fu Tuan’s theory of “topophilia” whereby place only comes into existence when meaning is attached to a certain location resulting from time spent between the person and the space (2018). The exhibition Thinking of Place II is an impressive cultural exchange project where over 60 artists from 9 printmaking collectives across 5 countries have been invited to make works exploring questions of place. Artists were encouraged to reflect on the relationship between place, memory and time, using a range of traditional and contemporary printmaking processes and techniques, resulting in a rich and engaging conversation, as diverse in perspectives as in the collection’s visual presentation. 

Background to the project

Thinking of Place was initially conceived as a cultural exchange project between five artist groups from New Zealand and Australia. Members of each group had met at the IMPACT 8 Conference in Dundee, Scotland, instantly striking a lasting friendship and giving birth to a trans Tasman collaborative print project.  After a successful first edition of the exchange, which was exhibited in each of the host cities, the organisers decided to continue the momentum with a second iteration of the project to be exhibited at IMPACT 10. In the spirit of the printmaking community, which is marked by a distinctly inclusive, collaborative approach, the project expanded to include four more groups from Canada, Ireland and the UK.  Whether a group is based on a shared geographical location or print studio, each one is committed to advancing printmaking and supporting artists working in print-based media. Collaborative projects such as Thinking of Place give printmakers the opportunity to not only exhibit their work on the international stage but to foster professional and personal connections across the printmaking community, globally. Participating artists have been selected by each group either by invitation or open call. 

Read on HERE.

National Eucalypt Day 2019

Fallen Woman 5, 2017, phemograph, 43 x 32 cm, edition: 20

In celebration of National Eucalypt Day, here is a random selection of works from the Fallen Women suite. The leaves in these works were sourced in the Victorian Goldfields town of Newstead.

Held annually on 23 March, National Eucalypt Day aims to raise awareness of eucalypts and celebrate the important place that they hold in the hearts and lives of Australians. 

The National Eucalypt Day program aims to meet the promotion, education and conservation objectives of Eucalypt Australia by addressing the themes of tree breeding and genomics, primary education and public awareness.

- From the Eucalypt Australia website.

To learn more, go here: http://www.eucalyptaustralia.org.au/special-programs/national-eucalypt-day/

The Last Leaf, 2017, phemograph, 35.5 cm x 29.5 cm, edition: 20

Fallen Woman 4, 2017, phemograph, 42.5 x 32 cm, edition: 20

Memory 40, 2017, phemograph, 29 x 21.5 cm, edition: 20

Fallen Woman 11, 2017, phemograph, 39.5 x 29.5 cm, edition: 20

Memory 4, 2017, phemograph, 29 x 21 cm, edition: 20

Acquisition by National Gallery of Australia

Leaves of Absence, 2017, unbound artist book

31 archival pigment prints in Solander box

32.5 (H) x 25.5 (W) x 4 cm (D) edition: 10 plus one artist proof

In the midst of an exceptionally hectic period, I've received some marvellous news. My artist book LEAVES OF ABSENCE has been acquired for the permanent collection of the National Gallery of Australia.

For additional information and page views, visit Moth Woman Press HERE.

Page view from Leaves of Absence

Biblio Art Prize Part 2: Opening night

At the launch of Biblio Art 2018 with my shortlisted entry, Bell Jar
Photo credit: Shane Jones

The 10th Annual Biblio Art Prize, co-ordinated by Blarney Books & Art, opened last Saturday evening, November 3, to a packed house. Two of my works were finalists: Bell Jar, an archival pigment print inspired by Sylvia Plath's novel The Bell Jar and the Frankenstein-inspired Progeny, a unique artist book (pictured in situ third from top). I was delighted when the latter received a Highly Commended Award from judges Justine Hyde (Director, Library Services, State Library of Victoria) and Vanessa Gerrans (Director, Warrnambool Art Gallery). 

The Biblio Art Prize was awarded to Mandy Gunn for her superb work, Pillars of Wisdom.

For detailed views of Progeny, scroll down to my previous post. For selected views of the exhibition launch, visit Moth Woman Press HERE.

Bell Jar, 2018, archival pigment print, 42.5 x 32 cm,
edition no. 1/10

Installation view of my artist book Progeny in the Biblio Art Prize 2018 at Blarney Books & Art

9th INTERNATIONAL PRINTMAKING EXHIBITION OF DOURO 2018

Memory 12, 2016, phemograph, edition 20

Memory 14, 2016, phemograph, edition 20

In the current flurry of activity, I completely forgot that Memory 12 and Memory 14, currently on exhibit at Gallery 125 in Perth, WA, are also part of the upcoming 9th INTERNATIONAL PRINTMAKING EXHIBITION OF DOURO 2018 in Portugal. My momentary memory loss stems from sending them over so long ago, back in April 2017, to be more precise. They were printed at Arten, as are all the works in this ongoing series.

The printmaking biennial comprises workshops, conferences, 14 exhibitions, and features a colossal 1,400 works from 700 artists from 70 countries. It runs from 10 August - 31 October.

Endings and Beginnings

The Last Leaf was the last work completed for my solo show, FALLEN WOMEN, and appropriately so. This is a time of endings, of a show, of a gallery, of a body of work, of another year and much else besides. 

The exhibition finishes its run at Tacit Contemporary Art today, 17 December, at 5 pm. In its wake will come new beginnings and a great many changes. Bring it on, I say. 

Pictured top: An unframed copy of The Last Leaf (2017, phemograph, 36.7 x 30 cm, edition: 20) freshly numbered, titled, signed and shortly to be dispatched to its new owner. 

EPHEMERA

Ephemeral - adjective: lasting only a short time. Synonyms: brief, deciduous, momentary, evanescent, flash, fleeting, fugacious, fugitive, impermanent, passing, short-lived, temporary, transient, transitory.

Similarly, FALLEN WOMEN, my solo show at Tacit Contemporary Art is destined to last but a short while longer. Catch it if you can before it closes on Sunday, 17 December.

Pictured top L - R: Ephemera (13) and Ephemera (2) 
Below L - R: Ephemera (1) Ephemera (10)  Ephemera (3) and Ephemera (14)
Bottom L - R: Ephemera (11) Ephemera (9) and Ephemera (17)

(Each work: 2017, Phemograph, edition 20).

Tacit Contemporary Art

312 Johnston St, Abbotsford, Vic 3067

T: 0423 323 188

E: keith@tacitart.com.au

Wednesday – Friday 11am–6pm

Saturday – Sunday 11am–5pm

MEET THE ARTIST

If you're free, come along to my solo show FALLEN WOMEN at Tacit Contemporary Art this coming Saturday, 9 December from 2- 4 pm for an informal Meet the Artist event.

If you have any questions about the work (for example, what on earth is a Phemograph?) this is your chance to ask them.

If you can't make it - although I do hope you can - the exhibition is current until Sunday, 17 December.

Pictured top: Fallen Woman 14, 2017, phemograph, 39.5 x 30 cm, edition: 20.

Tacit Contemporary Art
312 Johnston St, Abbotsford, Vic 3067
T: 0423 323 188
E: keith@tacitart.com.au

Wednesday – Friday 11am–6pm
Saturday – Sunday 11am–5pm

IMAGININGS

I'm privileged to be one of the 65 artists exhibiting in Imaginings, curated by printmaking legend, Rona Green.

The opening celebration is this very afternoon, Saturday, 2 December between 2 - 4 pm at Neospace, 7 Campbell Street, Collingwood.

To view the exhibition catalogue, go HERE.

Imaginings runs until Tuesday, 19 December.

Pictured above is my contribution, Fallen, 2017, phemograph, 20 x 14.2 xm. Printed at Arten.

FALLEN WOMEN: Opening Night

Sending warm thanks on this cold, wet Ballarat evening to the many valiant souls who endured last Wednesday's scorcher to attend the opening night of FALLEN WOMEN at Tacit Contemporary Art in Melbourne. We only remembered to take some snaps towards the end, after the crowd had abated somewhat (although unfortunately the heat hadn't).

Photographer Tim Gresham will shortly be taking some detailed installation views of the show. Meanwhile, here are a few to be going on with.

DK with Shane Jones. Photo credit: Priscilla Ambrosini

Gaye Britt and Tim Gresham

Among those in this group, L - R: Miranda Costa, Priscilla Ambrosini, Shane Jones, Tim Gresham, Gaye Britt,
Angie Black and Paul Compton.

With Paul Compton. Photo credit: Priscilla Ambrosini

Installation view: four more works from the Ephemera suite 

L - R: Priscilla Ambrosini, Paul Compton, myself and Shane Jones. Photo credit: Julie Keating

LEAVES OF ABSENCE LAUNCH

Pictured above and below: selected highlights of yesterday evening’s memorable launch of my artist book, LEAVES OF ABSENCE, at one of this city’s treasures, the Melbourne Athenaeum Library. Warmest thanks to everyone who came. I couldn’t have wished for more convivial company or a finer setting. Special thanks to Marguerite Brown, Manager, Print Council of Australia, for her terrific opening address, also to the library’s Business Manager, Sue Westwood and librarian Tom Coleman for the time, effort and thought they put into every facet of the event, including the elegant display of my work. 

Hand painted silhouettes on eucalyptus leaves, the basis for the images in
LEAVES OF ABSENCE (see directly below) 

With Marguerite Brown, Manager, Print Council of Australia, whose opening address was one of the evening's high points

L-R: Shane Jones, Sue Westwood, Business Manager, Athenaeum Library, and
Marguerite Brown  

For more about the event, visit Moth Woman Press HERE.

LEAVES OF ABSENCE book launch and FALLEN WOMEN solo show

Page view from IMPRINT Spring 2017 Volume 52 Number 3

Paging through the current issue of the Print Council of Australia's quarterly publication, IMPRINT, I'm reminded with a jolt that the opening of Fallen Women, my forthcoming show at Tacit Contemporary Art is seriously nigh.

The exhibition, to which you're all invited, will span two gallery spaces. It marks the the solo debut of the experimental archival pigment prints (AKA phemographs) that have dominated my practice for the last two years.

The opening event will take place on Wednesday evening, 29 November between 6.30 - 8 pm. For those who can't make it, there will be an informal Meet the Artist event on Saturday 9 December from 2 - 4 pm. This is a crazy time of year (it's not called the Silly Season for nothing) but if you can't make it on either of these dates, I hope you'll have a chance to drop by before the show finishes its run on 17 December.

In the meantime, the precursor to the above project, my artist book, LEAVES OF ABSENCE, will be launched at the Melbourne Athenaeum Library this coming Friday, 24 November, with an opening address by Marguerite Brown, Manager of the Print Council of Australia.

Since its completion earlier this year, the book has been included in two major touring exhibitions and was also shortlisted for the Geelong Print Prize and Fremantle Arts Centre Print Awards. Thanks to the generosity and support of the Melbourne Athenaeum Library, it will finally have the stage entirely to itself.

In additional exciting news, the library recently acquired a copy of the book for its permanent collection and has invited me to be their artist-in-residence for Melbourne Rare Book Week in June/July 2018.

To preview LEAVES OF ABSENCE and learn more about the project, visit Moth Woman Press HERE. 

Printing at arten

My fourth and final catch up post comprises a miscellany of photos taken over the past few weeks during three marathon printing sessions at arten - the most recent of them a week ago today. 

A handful more images remain to be printed, but the end is clearly in sight. I already have more than enough work for Fallen Women, my solo show at Tacit Contemporary Art, scheduled to open on 29 November. Currently I'm numbering, titling and signing the phemographs completed thus far. After the remaining works are proofed next week, I'll make a final selection for framing.  

Below top: the constant hive of activity that is arten. In the background are Daisy Watkins-Harvey and Luke Ingram.