MA
To pay attention, this is our endless and proper work
From Yes! No! by the poet Mary Oliver
Front cover: Coprosma Madonna, Kalorama (detail) 2021-22 oil on linen 320 x 610 cm Photography: Matthew Stanton
Coprosma Madonna, Kalorama 2021-22
oil on linen 320 x 610 cm
(This work has an etched frame, not pictured in this photograph)
A secular altarpiece and an existential cry, a paean to ageing and another to flight-Mary Tonkin
Coprosma Madonna, Kalorama
A secular altarpiece is perhaps a nonsense; I hope its form lends an inclination toward reverence, not in a vaulted or other-worldly sense but in wonder and celebration of what is, of what it is to be present to the glory of this pocket of bush. This one draws loosely on Piero della Francesca’s Madonna of the Misericordia in Borgo Sansepolcro - a Madonna whose mantle (cape) enfolds the donors, here she is a scrubby Coprosma quadrifida - Prickly Currant Bush whose space enfolds Bracken. I’ve always found that mantle space in the Piero particularly moving, like that under the frond-arms of a Tree-fern - the loving embrace or safe space of a parent.
The image is comprised of three disparate points of view, from both sides of a long fallen tree. That great Joni Mitchell song ‘Both Sides Now’ kept occurring to me as I made this painting and in many ways it seems an appropriate title for this body of work.
The frame is etched with the Woiwurrung, scientific and common name (where known) of all of the living organisms I have so far been able to identify in the bit of bush in which I am blessed to work. This project to log the biodiversity is an ongoing one - it strikes me as a vital exercise, to know what is, to note and witness the changes, but it is also one of deep love and connection - for me, with knowledge comes appreciation for the intricacy and miracle that is the interconnectedness of all life. It delights me to know that Eucalyptus viminalis - Manna Gums lend their name Wurun in Woiwurrung to the Wurundjeri, First Nation peoples of this land.
That a kind of wingless wasp, the gloriously iridescent blue Diamma bicolor - Bluebottle feeds on nectar, pollinating native plants and paralyses spiders which it injects with its larvae. I love that Petaurus the name for the Glider genus is from the Latin for ‘rope-dancer’ - acrobats that have inhabited our land for at least 4.45 million years.
Blackfish hole dam (study II), Kalorama 2023 watercolour and pencil on paper 23 x 24 cm
Blackfish hole dam (study), Kalorama 2023 watercolour and pencil on paper 24 x 26 cm
Blackfish hole dam (study III), Kalorama 2023 graphite, watercolour and collage on polypropylene paper 30 x 21 cm
A scream, Kalorama 2023 oil on linen 214 x 366 cm
A scream, Kalorama 2023 pencil on paper 58 x 100 cm
A scream (study), Kalorama 2023 oil on linen 58 x 100 cm
A scream, Kalorama
In the winter of 2021, amid Covid lockdowns our region was hit by storm with winds in the range of a category 3 cyclone. It was devastating for forests which are home to Eucalyptus regnans - Mountain Ash, the tallest flowering trees in the world, not adapted to fierce winds, many were uprooted or simply snapped off halfway up their trunks (where they are one metre in diameter). That experience made me feel we are living the tipping point. I ought perhaps to have felt it sooner; melting ice sheets, hottest worldwide temperatures in recorded history, once in one hundred year weather events every week. Stupidly perhaps, it was the visceral reality of a catastrophic event in our neighbourhood that made it real.
A scream, Kalorama 2023, is made at the foot of one of the many root balls left in the storm’s wake. It is an existential cry, a scream of anguish at what damage we have wrought, of terror at what is to come.
The bush repairs itself so eagerly, two years on this beautiful mass is already being subsumed by fungi, grasses and herbs, even trees have sprouted in the remaining upended soil. The hollow beneath fills with water in wet weather, pulses with Mosquito larvae and one little Froglet calling for a mate. I want future generations to experience that same pulse and will to life, unimpeded by our anthropocentric idiocy and apathy.
Murmuration, Kalorama 2022 pencil on paper 92 x 129 cm
Murmuration, Kalorama 2023 oil on linen 214 x 259 cm
Murmuration, Kalorama
This spot, perched on the side of a gully reminded me of a painting my teacher and dear friend Geoff Dupree had made when I was in the second year of my undergraduate degree: a beautifully realised little study of the space between strongly vertical trees, looking down into a gully. He’d made it some way back from the waterfall we’d been taken there to tackle.
There was so much attention, so much respect for the particularity of that experience, such disregard for the typical heroic approach to a landscape as scene or spectacle. I often thought of it as I stood and felt myself able to soar out over the gully below me.
- MT
Copperhead, Kalorama 2021-24 porcelain paper clay 49 x 53 x 8 cm
Senescence, Kalorama 2021-24 porcelain paper clay 18 x 22 x 7 cm
This side, Kalorama 2022 oil on linen 70 x 70 cm
Senescence, Kalorama 2022-23 oil on linen 183 x 247 cm
Senescence, Kalorama 2022 pencil on paper 76 x 91 cm
Senescence, Kalorama
Made in a Tree-fern gully, Senescence, Kalorama 2021-22 began in the first glorious trumpet blast of Spring, when the Polystichum proliferum - Mother Shield Ferns in this gully were a sea of bright, pert upright spears and unfurling fronds. Then it rained and rained and rained, the creek filled and overflowed, met new streams, and subsided. Wallabies, Yabbies and Echidna wandered, the ferns flourished, as Spring waned they grew and flopped, as Summer marched in they shrivelled and dulled. Tree-fern fronds became dry and flaccid. It felt as though I was painting an allegory of ageing itself, the beautiful shimmering process of it.
- MTTowards the light, Kalorama 2023 pencil on paper 57 x 124 cm
Feathers, Kalorama 2023 oil on linen 70 x 52 cm
Ozone, Kalorama 2022 oil on linen 36 x 44 cm
Wattle island, Kalorama 2023-24 graphite, watercolour pencil, watercolour, gouache and collage on birch ply 60 x 120 cm
Wattle island, Kalorama 2023 watercolour, graphite and collage on polypropylene paper 30 x 63 cm
MARY TONKIN
Born 1973, Melbourne, Australia
1992-94 Bachelor of Arts (Fine Arts), Faculty of Art & Design, Monash University, Melbourne
1995 Bachelor of Arts – Honours (Fine Arts), Faculty of Art & Design, Monash University, Melbourne
1996 Sessional Lecturer (Drawing), Ceramic Department, Monash University, Melbourne
Sessional Lecturer (Drawing), Monash University, Frankston, VIC
1998 Summer School and Fall Semester, New York Studio School, New York
1999-2004 Sessional Lecturer (Drawing), Faculty of Art and Design, Monash University, Melbourne
2000-02 Master of Arts by Research (Fine Arts), Faculty of Art & Design, Monash University, Melbourne
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2024 ‘Both Sides Now’, Australian Galleries, Melbourne
2022 Sydney Contemporary, Carriageworks, Sydney
2020 ‘Ramble’, Whitehorse Art Space, Melbourne
2019 ‘Ramble’, Australian Galleries, Melbourne
2017 ‘Between the dams’, Australian Galleries, Sydney
2015 ‘Two spots’, Australian Galleries, Derby Street, Melbourne
2013 ‘A short walk’, Australian Galleries, Roylston Street, Sydney
2012 ‘Black paintings’, Latrobe Regional Art Gallery, Morwell, VIC
2011 ‘Home 2000-2010’, Australian Galleries in conjunction with Burrinja Gallery, Upwey, VIC ‘Black paintings’, Australian Galleries, Smith Street, Melbourne
2009 ‘Shall we?’, Australian Galleries, Roylston Street, Sydney
2007 ‘Near the Top Dam’, Australian Galleries Works on Paper, Melbourne
2005 ‘Recent Painting’, Australian Galleries, Sydney
‘Recent Painting’, Australian Galleries Works on Paper, Melbourne
2003 Australian Galleries Works on Paper, Melbourne
1999 ‘Recent Drawings’, Victoria University Gallery, Melbourne
2024 Rick Amour Drawing Prize, McClelland Gallery, VIC
2023 ‘Salon des Refusés’, S.H. Ervin Gallery, Sydney
2022 ‘Salon des Refusés’, S.H. Ervin Gallery, Sydney
Hadley’s Art Prize, Hadley’s Orient Hotel, Hobart
2021–22 ‘For the Love of Trees’, Burrinja Cultural Centre, Upwey, VIC
2021 ‘Hawkesbury Art Prize’, Hawkesbury, NSW
‘The Ranges / 3 Perspectives: Mary Tonkin, Fred Williams and Miles Evergood’, Burrinja Cultural Centre, Upwey, VIC
‘Tree of Life: a testament to endurance’, S.H. Ervin, Sydney
‘The Big Tree and Other Landscapes from the Whitehorse Art Collection’, Deakin University Art Gallery, Melbourne
‘The AWC Mount Zero Exhibition’, Defiance Gallery, Sydney
‘ Hadley’s Art Prize’, Hadley’s Orient Hotel, Hobart
2020 ‘Calleen Art Award’, Cowra Regional Art Gallery, Cowra, NSW
‘Paddington Art Prize’, Menzies Art Brands, Sydney
2019 ‘Australian Galleries: The Purves Family Business. The First Four Decades’, Book Launch and Group Exhibition, Australian Galleries, Melbourne
‘Hadley’s Art Prize’, Hadley’s Orient Hotel, Hobart
‘papermade’, Australian Galleries, Melbourne
2018 ‘A Painted Landscape’, Special Group Studios, Sydney
‘Native Flora’, Silver Leaf Art Box, Merricks, VIC
2017 ‘Plein – air’, Mr Kitly Gallery, Melbourne
2015 ‘Paddington Art Prize’, Marlene Antico Fine Art, Sydney
2014 ‘one of each’, Australian Galleries, Derby Street, Melbourne
‘Australia Day 2014 Celebratory Exhibition’, Australian Galleries, Derby Street, Melbourne
‘Drawing Out, Dobell Australian Drawing Biennial’, Art Gallery of NSW, Sydney
2013 Contemporary Australian Drawing: 20 years of the Dobell Prize for Drawing and the Dobell legacy’, National Art School Gallery, Sydney
‘Australia Day 2013 Celebratory Exhibition’, Australian Galleries, Derby Street, Melbourne
‘Australian Galleries at Gallows Gallery’, Gallows Gallery, Perth
2012 ‘Australia Day 2012: The great Australian Landscape’, Tim Olsen Gallery, Sydney
2012-13 ‘Summer Stock Show’, Australian Galleries, Derby Street, Melbourne
2011 ‘large exhibition of small works’, Australian Galleries, Roylston Street, Sydney
‘large exhibition of small works’, Australian Galleries, Derby Street, Melbourne
‘Australia Day 2011: Celebration’, Niagara Galleries, Melbourne
2010 ‘Blake Prize’, National Art School Gallery, Sydney
‘Kedumba Prize for Drawing’, Kedumba Gallery, Wentworth Falls, NSW
2009-10 ‘Summer Stock Show’, Australian Galleries, Derby Street, Melbourne
2009 Ruby Gap, Stephen McLaughlan Gallery, Melbourne
‘Prospect and Refuge: Small Landscapes by Five Painters’, La Trobe University Visual Arts Centre, Bendigo, VIC
2008 ‘John Leslie Landscape Art Prize’, Gippsland Art Gallery, Sale, VIC
‘Prospect and Refuge: Small Landscapes by Five Painters’, Horsham Regional Art Gallery, Horsham, VIC
2007 ‘Small Pleasures’, Australian Galleries Painting & Sculpture, Melbourne
2006 ‘Stock Show’, Australian Galleries Painting & Sculpture, Melbourne
‘Redlands Westpac Art Prize’, Mosman Art Gallery, Sydney
‘Fleurieu Peninsula Art Prize’, McLaren Vale, SA
‘50th Anniversary Exhibition’, 5th June, Australian Galleries, Melbourne
2005 ‘Notes from the Natural World’, Australian Galleries Works on Paper, Melbourne
2004 ‘Panorama’, Australian Galleries Works on Paper, Melbourne
2002 ‘Dobell Drawing Prize Exhibition’, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney
‘Landscapes’, Australian Galleries Works on Paper, Sydney
2001 ‘Drawing’, Faculty Gallery, Monash University, Melbourne
1998 ‘Absolute Secret New York’, McKee Gallery, New York, USA
‘Fall Student Exhibition’, New York Studio School, New York, USA
1996 ‘1996 Doug Moran National Portrait Prize’, National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
‘Drawing from the Visible – New Artists’, Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery, Mornington, VIC
‘Radical Choice – Twelve Figurative Painters’, Charles Hewitt Gallery, Sydney
‘Spring Festival of Drawing Survey Exhibition 1973-1995’, Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery, Mornington, VIC
1995 ‘Monash Painting Graduates “Opening Exhibition”’, Charles Nodrum Gallery, Melbourne
‘Mornington Peninsula Spring Festival of Drawing’, Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery, Mornington, VIC
1994 ‘The Victorian Campus Art Prize Exhibition’, George Paton Gallery, University of Melbourne, Melbourne
AWARDS
2022 Holding Redlich People’s Choice Award, Salon des Refusés, S.H. Ervin Gallery, Sydney
2010 Kedumba Prize for Drawing, Wentworth Falls, NSW
2002 Dobell Drawing Prize, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney
2000-02 Australian Post-Graduate Award, Monash University, Melbourne
1995 National Gallery of Victoria, Trustees Award, Melbourne
1994 National Gallery of Victoria, Trustees Award, Melbourne
Victoria Campus Art Prize, VIC
GRANTS
1998 Robert Greenberg Fees Grant, New York Studio School, New York, USA
1996 Elizabeth Greenshield’s Foundation Grant, New York Studio School, New York, USA
COLLECTIONS
ANZ Bank, Australia
Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney
Australia Catholic University, Melbourne
City of Whitehorse, Melbourne
Deakin University, Melbourne
Kedumba Collection of Contemporary Australian Drawing, Wentworth Falls, NSW
Lowenstein Sharp
Melbourne Club, Melbourne
Monash University, Melbourne
Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery, Mornington, VIC
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne (Margaret Stewart Foundation)
Shepparton Art Museum, Shepparton, VIC
UNSW Art Collection, The University of New South Wales, Sydney
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Backhouse, Megan; ‘In galleries, it’s show time’, The Age, A2, January 20, 2007, pp. 15-16
Backhouse, Megan; ‘Portraits and paper at Australian Galleries’, The Age, April 2003, pp. 18-19
Bell, Amber Creswell; A Painted Landscape: Across Australia from Bush to Coast, Thames & Hudson, 2018
Dober, Mark; ‘Mary Tonkin’, Art World, Issue 8, April-May 2009, pp. 118-121
Dober, Mark; ‘Home truths in the lie of the land’, The Age, A2, May 12, 2007, p. 19
Dober, Mark; ‘The branded landscape’, Overland, Issue 183, 2006, pp. 18-22
Doug Moran National Portrait Prize, exhibition catalogue, 1996, pp. 60-61
Gray, Paul; ‘Drawn to Success’, Herald Sun, 17 June, 2002
Grishin, Sasha; ‘Impressive debut for Dobell Australian Drawing Biennial 2014’ Sydney Morning Herald, December 26, 2014
Kolenberg, Hendrik; Campbell, Helen; Ryan, Anne; ‘Contemporary Australian Drawing. 20 years of the Dobell Prize for Drawing’,
Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney
Kolenberg, Hendrik; ‘Drawing a Winner – A decade of Dobell Prizes shows us how and why’, Look, AGNSW, August 2003, pp. 24-27
Kolenberg, Hendrik and Ryan, Anne; The Dobell Prize for Drawing: The First Ten Years 1993-2002; exhibition catalogue, AGNSW, 2003, pp. 34-35
McDonald, John; ‘C.J.Pyle & J.D.’Ohai Ojeikere; Mary Tonkin; Six Artists, Seven Days’, Sydney Morning Herald, August 24, 2013
McDonald, John; ‘Drawing Out, the inaugural Dobell Australian Drawing Biennial is now on at the Art Gallery of New South Wales’, Sydney Morning Herald, December 5, 2014
McDonald, John; ‘Mary Tonkin’, The Good Weekend, August 3, 2019
McDonald, John; ‘Least they could do’, The Sydney Morning Herald, pp. 28, 29, 21 – 22 May 2005
Nelson, Robert; ‘Mary Tonkin’s painted forests evoke a rhapsodic nature’, The Age, August 2015, p. 47
Nelson, Robert; ‘A dab hand at technique’, The Age, April 6, 2011, p. 17
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Nelson, Robert; ‘Corporal process of painting reveals transcendent forest beyond the trees’, The Age, Review, Wednesday June 6, 2007, p. 23
Nelson, Robert; ‘Mary Tonkin and the Onus of Perception’, Mary Tonkin, Australian Galleries, 2003
Nelson, Robert; ‘Lost in space’, The Age, April 30, 2003, p. 12
Nelson, Robert; ‘Undiscovered Artists, Mary Tonkin’, Australian Art Collector, April-June, 2002, p. 100
Nelson, Robert; ‘Visual acumen displayed by artists with confidence’, The Age, June 1996, p. 12
Pesa, Melissa; ‘Ramble’, Art Almanac, July 2019, pp. 32-34
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Seedy, Kimberly; ‘Braving the elements’, Free Press Leader, November 30, 2011, p. 9
Vaz, Nikita; ‘Taking it in’, Morwell and Churchill Advertiser, May 28, 2012
Vogue Living, Visual Arts Section, May-June 2005, p. 64
Walton, Inga; ‘Mary Tonkin at Sydney Contemporary’, Artist Profile, Issue 60, 2022
Walton, Inga; ‘Judgement Calls: Mary Tonkin at the NGV’, Artist Profile, pp. 106-109, July 10, 2013
Walton, Inga; ‘Days Like This: Mary Tonkin, Trouble, 2015
Wise, Kit, ‘Australian drawing Now: labouring lightly’, Artlink, Vol. 25 No. 1, 2005, pp. 35-39
oil
Right: Murmuration, Kalorama (detail) 2023 on linen 214 x 259 cm
