Current events:
I am currently involved with the promotion tour of the new and updated edition of: Contemporary Aboriginal Art, the complete guide, written by Susan and Emily McCulloch. The official launch of this already famous book will be held in Alice Springs during the Desert Mob Aboriginal Art Exhibition on September 27 2008. The Melbourne launch will be held on October 7, Sydney October 24 and Perth November 15. Not only are we launching this new book, we are also celebrating the 40th anniversary of the McCulloch’s Encyclopedia of Australian Art and promote other new titles published by McCulloch&McCulloch. For further details or to order a copy: www.mccullochandmcculloch.com.au
Past events:
Voices of Vietnam: 26 August – 6 September 2008 Fortyfivedownstairs gallery, Melbourne.
Showcasing the work of 5 important contemporary Vietnamese artists:
Do Hoang Tuong
Tran Van Thao
Le Thanh Thu
La Nhu Lan
Mac Hoang Thuong
Voices of Vietnam is the first exhibition in the series ‘Voices of’ organized by art historians Drs. Hélène Hagemans and Drs. Anne Runhardt. Voices of Vietnam is a reflection of current developments within the Vietnamese Contemporary Art scene. It shows the works of three established artists (Do Hoang Tuong, Tran Van Thao and Le Thanh Thu) and two emerging artists (La Nhu Lan and Mac Hoang Thuong) who all have gained international recognition through the use of their own uniquely Vietnamese voice.
In January 2008 The Congress of the International Committee of the History of Art was held in Melbourne. Some of the key issues addressed during the conference were the need to avoid narrow definitions of art confined by Western definitions, as well as the idea of world art history and new approaches to the concept of ‘modern’ and ‘contemporary’ art with the aim of developing new definitions of global art. The series ‘Voices of’ can be seen as part of this aim. The exhibitions in this series will show works from countries of four different continents; Vietnam, The Netherlands, Australia and South Africa. It will offer the viewer an insight into the ‘contemporary’ art world of these countries and aims to help create a new, global art discourse.
View images in our artists pages or visit: www.helenehagemansfineart.com
Darwin August 2008: Launch Art Diary.
During the Darwin festival and NATSIAA (National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award) the 2009 Art Diary, based on McCulloch’s Encyclopedia of Australian Art, has been launched by Katrina Strickland. For further details or to order a copy: www.mccullochandmcculloch.com.au
August 26 – September 6 2008: exhibition Voices of Vietnam
The exhibition Voices of Vietnam will showcase the art of 5 well known and important Vietnamese contemporary artists: Do Huang Tuong, Tran Van Thao, La Nhu Lan, Le Thanh Thu and Mac Hoang Thuong.
May 2008: Ho Chi Minh City
In May I travelled to Vietnam to visit my friend and fellow art historian Helene Hagemans, who relocated to Saigon last year after having lived in Melbourne for a while. We have been sourcing art for our upcoming exhibition Voices of Vietnam. We have visited artist studios and galleries and have selected 5 artists to exhibit in Melbourne.
Contemporary Vietnamese art is, like other contemporary Asian art, very much in the public interest at the moment. The quick changes of society are reflected in the art of many Asian artists, and that certainly shows in the work of our 5 artists. Having grown up in a time of war, in the suppression of communism and now in a time of economic prosperity, it feels that our artists have no choice but to scream out their life experience, thoughts and ideas using the canvas as their voice.
April 15 - 26 2008: exhibition Andrew Trahair Loom of the Land
After living overseas and exploring the world for more than 12 years, well known Australian Landscape painter Andrew Trahair has returned home to Melbourne. With impressive exhibitions in Paris, Amsterdam and New York, Trahair has been a great ambassador of our country. Anne Runhardt Fine Art together with Gallery fortyfivedownstairs was proud to present Loom of the Land, Trahair’s first exhibition in Australia in over 12 years. The exhibition consisted of 52 works. To commemorate this special moment, both Robert Richter QC and Susan McCulloch have talked at the opening about their connection with Trahair. Furthermore, a documentary has been made featuring Susan McCulloch and Andrew Trahair in conversation. This film was shown during the exhibition. For a copy of this film, please contact us. For more information on the artist and images of the artworks, please visit his artist page.
December 2007: Pilot documentary Aboriginal Art
I am currently working on a very exciting project with Ineke and Rutger Hauer (actor and filmmaker). We are making a documentary about Aboriginal Art, as a part of a series in which the art of indigenous cultures, the beauty, the history and stories it represents, is the central theme. The idea is to unveil the heart of a culture through the voice of their art. In December we started this project in Melbourne and we have invited people who resonate with this idea to talk about this on camera. We have interviewed Susan McCulloch (writer and aboriginal art expert), Margo Neale (Senior curator aboriginal art at the National Museum of Australia - Canberra), Brett Evans (art centre manager at Mornington Island - Queensland) Russell Smith (artist and musician, didgeridoo expert) and Hank Ebes (aboriginal art collector and dealer) The result shows an interesting mix of viewpoints towards Australian Aboriginal art and the next step will be to travel to Central Australia to visit indigenous communities, meet the artists and learn about their art and culture and capture this on film.
September 2007: Alice Springs
In September I went to Alice Springs with a Dutch journalist Jessica Van Voorst Vader, who follows and writes about my life and work in Australia. I took her along to the Desert Mob exhibition, which showcases art from the Desert Communities and attracts a lot of interest from the aboriginal art dealers and collectors from all over Australia. We went to the opening of a new art centre at Titjikala, just South of Alice Springs and went north up the Tanami Track to Yuendumu to see Shorty Jangala Robertson paint. We visited many other aboriginal artists, and were lucky to be able to catch up with famous Utopia artist Barbara Weir.
August 2007: Darwin and Arnhem Land
In august I went up to Darwin to attend the Telstra art awards. Afterwards I travelled with Susan McCulloch and Emily McCulloch-Childs to explore the top end. We headed south to Bachelor, Daly River and Peppimenarti to visit their local art centres. At Peppimentarti we were welcomed by famous artist Regina Wilson. Our trip continued by plane to the remote island of Milingimbi, a secluded Aboriginal community off the coast of Arnhem Land. We stayed there for a couple of days and we spend time with the artists. The art from this region consist mainly of bark paintings, wooden sculptures and weavings. The colours used are mainly natural pigments that are made out of leaves, roots, chalk, charcoal and stone based ochres found in the ground. The ladies took us out for a day of hunting and gathering, an extraordinary experience, which included a walk through the enchanted forest of mangroves, prickle fields, knee deep mud and mountains of shells. We were hunting for sand crabs and clams and finished the day with a bbq eating our catch of the day.
June 2007: expedition to Central Australia
In June 2007 I travelled to Central Australia to visit remote Aboriginal Communities to meet the artists and visit the art centres. I travelled together with writers Susan McCulloch, Emily McCulloch-Childs and gallery owner Alison Kelly. We started in Alice Springs, drove down the Stuart Highway towards the Pitjantjara lands of northern South Australia. The places we visited were: Iwantja Arts, Indulkana, Mimili, Fregon (Kaltitji Arts), Umawa, Ernabella, Amata (Tjala Arts), Nyapari (Tjunga Palya), Kalka (Ninuku Arts), Wingellina (Irrunytju Arts) Blackstone (Papalangkutja Arts), Warburton, Patyarr, Warakurna, Tjurkula, Docker River, Mutitjulu (Maraku Arts) and Yulara. The art of this extended region is dominated by painting, mainly using acrylics on linen, although many of the art centres have special facilities, resulting in the famous pottery and ceramics from Ernabella and the glass from Warburton. Also weaving is very popular in this area.