Radical Romanticism exhibition

RADICAL ROMANTICI SM

RADICAL ROMANTICI SM An exhibition of painting, prints and video where the experience of the everyday is considered anew.

Artists: Christopher BENNIE, Julie FRAGAR, Robert MERCER and Jenny WATSON Exhibition curated by Susan Ostling Thursday 12 March – Friday 3 April 2015 Opening night: Thursday 12 March 2015 CRANE International Project Space Crane Arts 1400 N. American St. Philadelphia, PA 19122 215.232.3202 www.cranearts.com Cover Image: Chris Bennie Showing The Western Fields 2012, at The Wandering Room, Brisbane

RADICAL ROMANTICI SM

RADICAL ROMANTICI SM This catalogue accompanies an exhibition of paintings, prints and video where the experience of the everyday is considered anew.

The idea that a romantic undercurrent might apply to works that have an orientation to the everyday caused me to reflect on what kind of romanticism this might be. Romanticism appears to be the antithesis of the plain-speak of the everyday, for it often emphasises the subjective, the emotional or the transcendent.

Generally the everyday in art takes as its subject matter the materiality or experience of the immediate world around us. Often the subject matter is seen to be trite, or at best

ordinary and of small consequence; often there is an interest in the discarded, or something of marginal interest; representation is usually direct or straightforward; and often there is a focus on the abject, or the expressionless.

Nikos Papastergiadis likens the concept of the everyday to “an amoeba, its nature and shape varying according to the content it absorbs and surrounds …”.1 While its content might appear to be obvious, Papastergiadis points out that the everyday “is in no way outside of theory or politics”.2 In other words there is always something else at work within the depiction of the everyday. Agnes Hiller defines the everyday as constituted by the self and society.

Interestingly, Hiller’s foregrounding of the self opens up the everyday to encompass “different attitudes, including reflective attitudes.”3 Jonathan Watkins reminds us that the moment we speak of day, we implicate the temporary, the transitional, and natural phenomena.4 Here we see the beginnings of small fault lines appearing in the day-in-day-outness of the everyday.

It is often overlooked that romanticism formed as a critique to the early pulses of modernity in mid-eighteenth century Europe. Max Weber identifies modernity as characterized by “the calculating spirit, the disenchantment of the world, instrumental rationality, and

bureaucratic domination”, which he says are inseparable from the drive and principles of capitalism5. In the face of this worldview the romantic critique identified a persistent sense of loss – loss experienced by individuals, and more broadly humanity, through the alienation of “certain essential human values”.6 A quest or struggle ensues to locate or restore this lost state of being. Michael Löwy and Robert Sayre note that such a quest can take place in the imagination or “the real”, and come into being in the present or future.7 An example of recovering the sense of loss on an “imaginary level” in the present, is through “the poeticization and aestheticization of the immediate reality”8. Here we see a direct interface with the concept of the everyday.

Novalis – poet, author, and philosopher of early German Romanticism – calls for the world to be romanticised by a “heightening” of everyday experiences; it’s a call for the re-enchantment the everyday9.

Henri Lefebvre’s Critique of Everyday Life, first published in 1947, takes up Novalis’ call. In fact Löwy and Sayre point out that while Lefebvre’s work is fundamentally a contribution to the renewal of Marxism, it also is founded in Romanticism10. However Lefebvre calls for “a revolutionary Romanticism oriented towards the future”.11 It is not an idealized and pure past Lefebvre seeks to renew, but what might be

possible in “the contemporary, the present, the real, the existing”.12 Writing in 1967, Lefebvre identifies the slippery line between old Romanticism and revolutionary Romanticism: Every Romanticism is based on dissention, doubling, and tearing apart. In this sense revolutionary Romanticism perpetuates or even deepens the old Romantic doublings.

But these doublings take on a new meaning.13 Lefebvre attributes the way the everyday has been trivalised to the Enlightenment’s valorization of the “‘higher’ functions of human reason” exhibited in art, philosophy and science.14 The Cartesian splitting of mind and body that Lefebvre sees, has led to “denigration of everyday life and of the lived experience of time, space and body”. 15 For, the everyday is the site where individual relationships are formed with “the external and natural worlds”. 16 In this way, Lefebvre places the idea and concept of the everyday in a central position as the site for social formation. The complexity and richness of the everyday where “repressive and emancipatory” elements mix is fully recognized. Lefebvre sees that disentanglement and analysis need to occur to be able to identify the “living, new, positive – the worthwhile needs and fulfillments – from the negative elements: the

alienations”. 17 So here we have a sense of the everyday imbued with profound possibility, fully integrated with the romantic critique of society.

Radical Romanticism, like Lefebvre’s revolutionary Romanticism sets the scene for questions, analyses and the possibilities of change.

How can this interpretive framework be applied to the works in this exhibition?

Chris BENNIE in his video The Western Fields 2012 drives his car around a suburban underground car park. There is a droning haunting sound. Bennie follows countless birds that have come to nest in this desolate place.

Why are the birds drawn there? Is it because the radiating warmth doubles as a cave? Is it because the trees in which they once might have nested are no longer there? Is there some mystical attraction to the birds in this solitary habitat? Bennie’s focus on the overlooked creates a sense of curiosity but also highlights our dislocation from nature. We feel the loss.

In The Kissing Swans 2013, loss is palpable through an abandoned flood-affected caravan, named by its once owners, Kissing Swans.

Black swans as it turns out mate for life. We don’t see the caravan in the video, however we see the compilation of several videos used in installation to fill the caravan with

sound and light, replacing its previous interior life. Transforming a situation with play and imagination, using as instruments kitchen saucepans with tea towels for effect, heightens our sense of renewal and possibilities.

Julie FRAGAR in her paintings and prints wrestles with the complexities of the everyday, alluded to by Lefebvre. These appear to be both “repressive and emancipatory”, as Fragar puts herself under scrutiny to identify what the absolute real is in her life. We see her “tearing apart” ideas and “doubling” memories and fears. However Fragar does this through skill and sleight of hand of illusionistic painting, where nothing is really real. Despite the irony, Fragar seems determined to pursue the search for a clearer view of herself, and in turn, to search for the possibilities of renewal.

Robert MERCER in his videos Early (New Years Eve) 2014 Fort Kochi Kerala India and Later (New Years Eve) 2014 Fort Kochi Kerala India captures a neighbouring family life seen from his balcony while staying in Fort Kochi Kerala. Mercer was intrigued by the creative and cooperative play of a family performance to mark the new year. There seemed to be three generations of an extended family participating in rituals of song, dance and speech. Mercer becomes privy to a whole family narrative that for Western viewers – despite the use

of a microphone and fluorescent light tubes – speaks of a time and place well before modernity. Equally, this cooperative life could suggest future social possibilities.

The paintings of Jenny WATSON are sketchily rendered as if being painted before us and so, not quite finished. While the romantic impulse of these works is clear, what makes them so memorable is the flip they cause us to take from the imaginary into real life. This occurs through the material presence of the surfaces on which Watson paints: damask, cotton, satin, or organza overlay. There is no attempt to work with painterly allusion, which brings us back to interpreting what is before us. Our viewing moment is heightened as we put the briefest of information together to create a narrative. Loss and renewal abound.

These works are all situated in some way within the everyday, but it is the romantic impulse that infiltrates the everyday that drew me to them.

It is the romantic impulse that brings hope of renewal and pushes us to ask questions, seek to analyse and imagine possibilities of change.

Lefebvre, as Michael Gardiner says, had “boundless faith in the regenerative capacity of everyday life…”18 and in front of these art works so do we.

Susan Ostling March, 2015

Endnotes Nikos Papastergiadis “‘Everything that Surrounds’ Art, Politics and Theories of the Everyday” in Every day— 11th Biennale of Sydney (Sydney: Biennale of Sydney Ltd.),1998, p. 24.

1

Ibid.

2

Agnes Hiller Everyday Life, cited in Nikos Papastergiadis “‘Everything that Surrounds’ Art, Politics and Theories of the Everyday”, p. 24.

3

Jonathan Watkins “Every Day” in Every day—11th Biennale of Sydney (Sydney: Biennale of Sydney Ltd.),1998, p. 15.

4

Max Weber cited in Michael Löwy and Robert Sayre Romanticism Against the Tide of Modernism (Durham/ London: Duke University Press), 2001, p. 15.

5

Michael Löwy and Robert Sayre Romanticism Against the Tide of Modernism (Durham/London: Duke University Press), 2001, p. 21.

6

Michael Löwy and Robert Sayre ibid. p.23.

7

ibid.

8

ibid.

9

ibid. p. 223.

10

ibid.

11

Henri Lefebvre cited ibid. p.224

12

Henri Lefebvre cited ibid.

13

Michael Gardiner Critiques of Everyday Life (Florence KY, USA: Routledge), 2000, p. 75.

14

ibid.

15

ibid. p. 76.

16

ibid. p. 86

17

Michael Gardiner Critiques of Everyday Life (Florence KY, USA: Routledge), 2000, p. 99.

18

CHRIS BENNIE

Video stills from The Kissing Swans 2013

Video stills from The Kissing Swans 2013

Video stills from The Western Fields 2012

Video stills from The Western Fields 2012

JULIE FRAGAR

Left Ghost Skin 2012 Oil on board 60 x 40cms Right Ghost God 2012 Oil on board 60 x 40cms

Left Draw Breath 2012 Oil on board 60 x 40cms Right Poking the Ghost Skin 2012 Oil on board 60 x 40cms

Left The Dark 2012 Oil on board 60 x 40cms Right Single Minded Gesture 2012 Oil on board 60 x 40cms

Left Hallway Dreaming 2012 Oil on board 60 x 40cms Right The Guillotine 2012 Oil on board 60 x 40cms

ROBERT MERCER

Video still from Early (New Years Eve) Fort Kochi Kerala, India 2014 50 x 35cms

Fort Kochi Kerala, India 2014 50 x 35cms

Neighbour Fort Kochi Kerala, India (2) 2014 50 x 35cms

Neighbour Fort Kochi Kerala, India 2014 50 x 35cms

JENNY WATSON Jenny Watson is represented by Anna Schwartz Gallery—Melbourne & Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery—Sydney.

Left Haunting 1993 Acrylic on cotton lawn (rabbit skin glue primed) 130 x 63cms Right Self portrait from the back 1993 Acrylic on polished cotton (rabbit skin glue primed) 128 x 95cms

Left Tied up (with ribbon) 1993 Acrylic on cotton (rabbit skin primed) 135 x 60cms Middle Body sensation 1993 Oil on satin (rabbit skin glue primed) 176 x 90cms Right Tip toe love 1993 Oil on cotton (rabbit skin glue primed) with buttons 150 x 70cms

This page Annointing 1 1995 Acrylic on polished cotton (rabbit skin primed) 103 x 91cms Opposite page left Miss Hartigan (a school teacher) 2003 Oil on Sri Lankan cotton with organza overlay (unprimed) 140 x 80cms Opposite page right Annointing 2 1995 Acrylic on damask (rabbit skin primed) 103 x 91cms

CHRIS BENNIE

Absence/Presence, SpiroGrace Gallery, Brisbane

1975 Born Invercargill, New Zealand.

Lives Brisbane, Australia.

When You Drink The Water, Remember The Spring, Ryan Renshaw Gallery, Brisbane

2011 Certificate Three in Electronic Music production.

SAE Institute, Brisbane.

Immediacy, APT 7 Satellite Exhibition Curated by Jay Younger and Beth Jackson, Brisbane

2010 Permaculture Design Certificate. Permaculture Research Institute, Melbourne.

2011 New Psychedelia, University of Queensland Art Museum, Brisbane.

2009 Doctorate of Visual Art. Queensland College of Art, Brisbane.

2010 Flying Colours, Gold Coast Art Gallery, Gold Coast

2002 Bachelor of Fine Art (Honours) First Class, Queensland College of Art, Gold Coast..

Video still from The Kissing Swans 2013

2001 Bachelor of Fine Art. Queensland College of Art, Gold Coast.

2012 SafARI @ Alaska ARI, Sydney

2008 Contemporary Australia: Optimism, Gallery of Modern Art, Brisbane Sydney Biennale, Revolutions: forms that turn, online venue website, Sydney 2007 New Work 3 PICA, Perth

1997 Otago Polytechnic School of Fine Art, Dunedin, New Zealand.

Figuratively Speaking: The figure in contemporary video art, QUT Art Museum, Brisbane

Solo Exhibitions:

2006 Greatest Hits, Previously Unreleased Tracks, Institute of Modern Art, Brisbane

2015 The Waves + Control Rooms, PhotoAccess Canberra Quantity Not Known, Alaska Projects, Sydney

Transit-Lounge, Transit Lounge project space, Berlin

2014 Control Rooms, Youkobo Artspace, Tokyo

+Plus Factors, Australian Centre of Contemporary Art, Melbourne

The Kissing Swans, Bundaberg Recreation Centre, Bundaberg

2004 Savvy: New Australian Art, Queensland University of Technology Art Museum, Brisbane

2010 A Wee Sunset, Linden Contemporary Art Centre, Melbourne

All that Glitters: Contemporary Visions of the Gold Coast, Gold Coast Art Gallery, Gold Coast

2009 Jordie, Contemporary Art Centre of South Australia Project Space, Adelaide

Awards:

2006 Our Communication Recorded, Blindside Artist Run Space, Melbourne 2003 Slower, Institute of Modern Art, Brisbane

Group Exhibitions: 2015 Innerspace, Canberra Contemporary Artspace

2014 The Clayton Utz Art Prize, Brisbane 2013 Swell Sculpture Festival, Currumbin Beach John Fries Memorial Art Prize, Gaffa Gallery, Sydney (highly commended) 2012 Gold Coast Art Prize, Gold Coast Art Gallery

Hung Out To Dry, University of Queensland Art Museum

Grants, Residencies and Commissions:

Cutback: surfing through art, Gold Coast City Gallery

2014 Asialink Residency Youkobo Artspace, Japan

2014 Compulsion Loop, Boxcopy, Brisbane.

Curated by Sarah Baron

2013 Bundanon Trust Residency, New South Wales

Fibro Coast, La Costa Hotel, Bilinga, Gold Coast

2013 Australia Council for the Arts New Work (mid-career)

2010 Australia Council for the Arts New Work Grant 2009 Australia Council Kunstlerhaus Bethanian Residency shortlist 2008 Arts Queensland Development and Presentation Grant

Bibliography: 2014 Virginia Rigney “Mediating Legacies”, RealTime.

Dr Jess Berry A Zip on the Horizon exhibition catalogue.

2009 Dr Laini Burton “Em File: Chris Bennie” Art Monthly Australia.

2008 Peter Robinson “Artist Run Initiatives: the ins and outs”, Artworker magazine, Issue 2 Nicola Chatham “A Storehouse of Experience”, exhibition catalogue.

Clare Murphy “Daring to disturb the universe: the contemplative video art of Christopher Bennie”, exhibition catalogue.

2006 Carmen Ansaldo “The General Will presents general will” Machine Magazine, Issue 5, Vol. 1.

David Broker Name That Tune, Plus Factors exhibition catalogue.

2005 Danni Zuvela “Where There’s Video There’s Love” Machine Magazine, Issue 1, Vol. 1.

2004 “Conrad Jupiters Art Prize”, Channel Nine News.

Alasdair Foster Departure Lounge, exhibition catalogue.

Alison Kubler Savvy: New Australian Art, exhibition catalogue essay.

2003 Robert Cook “Hatching the Future, The West Australian Weekend Extra.

1994 Phil Brown “Look At Me”, Brisbane News.

JULIE FRAGAR

2011 Australia Felix, Crane Arts Centre, Philadelphia.

1977 Born, Gosford, Australia.

Lives and works Brisbane, QLD.

2013 Doctor of Philosophy, Queensland College of Art, Griffith University, Brisbane.

O, Sarah Cottier Gallery, Sydney.

I n Great Trouble: The Traumatic Australian Landscape, Bondi Pavillion Gallery, Sydney.

2002 Master of Visual Arts, Sydney College of the Arts, University of Sydney.

1998 Sydney College of the Arts, University of Sydney Bachelor of Visual Arts, Honours (1st Class)

WILDERNESS: Balnaves Contemporary Painting, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney.

Solo Exhibitions:

Twenty/20, UTS Gallery, Sydney.

2014

Julie Fragar New Work, Sarah Cottier Gallery, Sydney.

Femmes and Hommes, John Buckley Gallery, Melbourne.

2010 PV10, Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney.

Gaze: People, Relationships and Places, Redland Art Gallery, Cleveland.

2013 God and the Universe or Whatever, Bruce Heiser Gallery, Brisbane.

The Brisbane Line, The Narrows, Melbourne.

Marathon Boxing and Dog Fights, Sarah Cottier Gallery, Sydney.

B&W, Sarah Cottier Galley, Sydney.

2009

Temperature 2: New Brisbane Art, Museum of Brisbane.

2012

Poking the Ghost Skin, Block Projects, Melbourne.

2011 The Albatross and a Mountain Man, Sarah Cottier Gallery, Sydney.

2010 Meet Me At An Arms Length, Bruce Heiser Gallery, Brisbane.

2009 The Oracles, Sarah Cottier Gallery, Sydney.

2009 Your Place and/or Mine, MSSR Projects Sydney.

2008 LIAR, Sarah Cottier Gallery, Sydney.

2007 MAN, Peloton, Sydney.

2007 DADISLIKEITTOO, Griffith University College Gallery, Brisbane.

2005 NOWNONOTNOWNOW, Mori Gallery, Sydney.

2004 Is Anyone Here A, Mori Gallery, Sydney.

Marathon Boxing 2012 Oil on board 60 x 40cms

2012 Animal Human, University of Queensland Art Museum, Brisbane.

New Order: Emergent Queensland Artists, Redcliffe Regional Gallery, Brisbane.

2008 New Moon, Sarah Cottier Gallery, Sydney.

Rimbaud/Rambo, Neon Parc, Melbourne

OPTIMISM: Contemporary Australia, Gallery of Modern Art, Brisbane 2007 The Heavier We Get, curated by Wes Hill, Raw Space, Brisbane.

2006 Girl Band, curated by Barbara Flynn, Deloitte, Sydney.

Charge To Slow (Fiona Lowry and Julie Fragar), MOP Projects, Sydney.

2005 ABN Amro Emerging Artists Award, (Winner) ABN Amro, Sydney.

2003 Julie Fragar In Thin Ice, Mori Gallery, Sydney.

Idiosyncrasy, The Queensland Centre for Photography, Brisbane.

2001 Julie Fragar, Boutwell Draper Gallery, Sydney.

2004 Adrift, Queensland Centre for Photography, Brisbane.

2001 Rubyayre Gallery, Sydney.

Blur, (in collaboration with Paul Wrigley), curated by Steven Alderton, Redland Art Gallery.

Selected Group Exhibitions:

2014 1883 Spring Art Fair, Sarah Cottier Gallery, Melbourne.

ABN AMRO Emerging Artist Award, Finalist, ABN AMRO, Sydney.

2013 Group Show #26, Sarah Cottier Gallery, Sydney.

Two For One, MOP Projects, Sydney.

2003 Group show, curated by Rochelle Allan, Mori Gallery, Sydney.

Collaborative painting project curated by Jess Macneil, MOP, Sydney.

Archibald Prize 03, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney.

Michael Zavros, Susan Norrie and Julie Fragar, Mori Gallery, Sydney.

Working From Home, Grunt Gallery, Vancouver, Canada.

W YWH, curated by Emil Goh, First Draft Gallery, Sydney.

2002 Briefcase 50, Boutwell Draper Gallery, Sydney.

Deskjob, curated by Julie Fragar, Fiona Lowry and Piers Greville, Mori Gallery, Sydney.

Blue Lotus Project #4, curated by Kyle Jenkins, Firstdraft Gallery, Sydney.

2001 1m x 1m, Boutwell Draper Gallery, Sydney.

Parallel Structures, curated by David Pestorius, Brisbane, 200 Gertrude St, Melbourne.

Box, Gallery Wren, Sydney.

2006-09 Griffith University Graduate Research Scholarship 2005

Winner 2005 ABN Amro Emerging Artist Award

Winner 2005 ABN Amro Employees Choice Award

2002

NSW Artists Marketing Scheme Grant.

University Post-Graduate Award, University of Sydney.

2001 Freedman Foundation Traveling Scholarship for Emerging Artists.

Roche Contemporary Art Prize, (2nd Prize).

University Post-Graduate Award, University of Sydney.

Bibliography: 2015 Kubler A “A New Direction: Julie Fragar” Australian Art Collector.

McBurnie, J “Julie Fragar: New Paintings”, Eyeline.

2012 Block Projects, “Poking the Ghost Skin”, Vault: New Art and Culture, Issue 2. November

Portia Geach Memorial Award, S.H. Ervin Gallery, Sydney.

2011 Gibson, P “Curators Radar: Julie Fragar”, Australian Art Collector, Issue 55.

2000 Sharper- 9 x Paintings, 3 x Artists, Michael Zavros, Julie Fragar and Matthew Ryan, Gosford Regional Art Gallery, Gosford.

2010 Dyer, K, Primavera 2010: Exhibition by Young Australian Artists, catalogue Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney.

Cia Guo- Quiang Project, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Biennale of Sydney.

Sebastian: Contemporary Realist Painting, touring QLD, NSW and VIC. 2000 Archibald Prize, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney.

1999 Al Eisen Inventor, Herringbone Gallery, Sydney.

Shiny, Curated by Julie Fragar, Gallery 132, Sydney.

2010 Wolff, S “Meet me at an Arms Length”, www.theartlife.com.au, 2008 Hetherington, S Julie Fragar Feature in ARTWORLD Magazine,Issue 4.

2007 Barkley, G “ITISAMISTAKETOGIVEUPTHEDOMESTICLIFE…” Artist Profile.

2007 Kubler, “A Queensland Painters: The New Breed”, Art and Australia, vol.45.

1998 Matthys Gerber, CBD Gallery, Sydney

2007 Hill, W “DADISLIKEITTOO”, Eyeline.

1998 Portia Geach Memorial Award, S.H Ervin Gallery, Observatory Hill, Sydney.

2005 Smee, S “Double Take on a Silent Response”, The Australian.

2003 James, B “Snapshots of a Voyage on Very Thin Ice”, Sydney Morning Herald.

Boring, Julie Fragar and Alison Ritch, Gallery 19, Sydney.

Prizes and Awards:

2002 Low, L.A. “Travels with my ant”, Sydney Morning Herald.

2014 Australia Council New Work Grant

2001 Gennochio, B “Intimate Snapshots from a Studio- Julie Fragar”, The Australian.

2013 Winner Pine Rivers Art Award 2009 Australia Council for the Arts Studio Residency (Barcelona).

2000 Kubler, A “(you make me feel) mighty real,” Art Monthly Australia.

ROBERT MERCER 1949 Born Portadown Northern Ireland.

Lives Brisbane, Australia.

2007 Masters of Visual Arts, Queensland College of Art, Griffith University 1972 Diploma in Art and Design, Prahran Institute of Technology Melbourne

Arabian Sea Fort Kochi Kerala, India 2014

2009 From the Collection, 150 years Photography, Queensland Art Gallery.

2009 Celeste ZEL Edizioni, Italy nd Alte AEG Fabrik Berlin Germany.

2007 QCA Griffith University Postgraduate RHD Exhibition, Galleria, Brisbane.

2007 Artists X, HMAS Diamantina, Brisbane.

2007 Artist Makes Video Art Rage Survey 1994-1998 Dell Gallery, Griffith University, Brisbane

Solo Exhibitions:

2006 Making the Familiar Strange, Zoo Melbourne.

2012 Irish Australian not looking for trouble, Red Barn Gallery Belfast, Nth Ireland.

2005 SHOOSH! The History Of The Campfire Group, Institute Of Modern Art, Brisbane.

2012 Cam Phone Diaries, Queensland Centre For Photography, Brisbane.

2008 Un-Real George Petelin Gallery, Gold Coast, Queensland.

Lingua Franca, ARC Art Design and Craft Biennial, Brisbane City Museum Art Gallery, Brisbane.

2007

Recollections Queensland Centre For Photography, Brisbane.

2006

Leaving Ireland Galleria, Griffith University, Brisbane.

2004 Elvis Woolloongabba Art Gallery Brisbane.

1998

Travels In Country, Fireworks Gallery, Brisbane.

1998 A Bloke’s Space, Inala Community Centre Gallery, Brisbane,

Object As Subject, Brisbane City Museum Art Gallery Brisbane.

2004 What Ever You Do Don’t Talk About The War’ Woolloongabba Art Gallery Brisbane.

2002 Free Alba Pine Rivers Art Gallery Brisbane.

2000 A Day At The Beach, Queensland Art Gallery Regional touring exhibition.

1996 Maningrida Memory 1988, Fireworks Gallery, Brisbane.

2000 Terra-Cognita; Land and Culture, Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane.

1994 Black and White Room Fireworks Gallery Brisbane.

2000 Local Cut, Brisbane City Museum Art Gallery Brisbane

1991 Northern Journeys - Photographs, University of Tasmania, Launceston, Tasmania.

1999 APT 3 Art Rage 88/99 Queensland Art Gallery Lecture Theatre Screen Series, Brisbane.

1989 Black and White Australia, Londonderry Northern Ireland.

1999 Big Smoke, COOEE Gallery, Sydney.

Group Exhibitions: 2013 The Reel Deal, Crane Arts Philadelphia.

2013 Shared Vision. Pop Gallery Queensland College Of Art, Griffith University

1998 Interference, Campfire Group, Fotofeis Edinburgh, Scotland.

1998 Art Rage, Recovery, Australian Broadcast Commission.

1998 Art Of Inclusion-Regional Touring Exhibition, Queensland Art Gallery.

1998 A.C.A.F.6., Melbourne.

2012 While in the meantime, Tent Gallery, ECA, West Port / Lady Lawson St. Edinburgh University.

1997 Good Grief - Campfire Group, Institute of Modern Art Brisbane

2012 Shared Vision. Wspolna Wizja. Poland.

Engine’ - Campfire Group, Fireworks Gallery, Brisbane, Queensland.

2012 Off the Wall, Lux Gallery James Cook University Cairns and Townsville. Queensland.

2009 Temperature 2, Brisbane City Museum Art Gallery Brisbane

Black Humour Campfire Group, Canberra Contemporary Art Space, Institute of Modern Art, Boomalli Gallery Sydney, Trust Melbourne, Tandanya Adelaide.

1996 South Pacific: The Construction of Paradise, Queensland Art Gallery travelling to Cairns Toowoomba, Gladstone, Logan.

1996 This is an Image’-Writer’s week, Queensland College of Art Gallery, Brisbane 1996 The Power to Move, Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane.

catalogue, The Red Barn Gallery Belfast.

“An Irish Australian Not looking for trouble”, Irish Times.

From the Collection, 150 years Photography exhibition catalogue, Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane.

2011

1996 Solitary Confinement, Boggo Road Jail. Brisbane

Shared Vision, travelling exhibition Wspolna Wizja Poland, exhibition catalogue Griffith University

1996 Freshwater, Saltwater, Bore-water, Bundaberg Regional Galley. Queensland

2009 Temperature 2, New Queensland exhibition catalogue, Brisbane City Museum Art Gallery Brisbane.

1996 All Stock Must Go – Campfire Group, Asia Pacific Triennial, Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane.

2009 Celeste exhibition catalogue, Berlin.

1995 Pathways, Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane.

1994 Political Boats’, Campfire Group Fireworks Gallery, Brisbane.

1994 Hanoi Art/ Brisbane Art, Hanoi University of Fine Art, Vietnam.

1994 Borders of the Mind, Magazine Space, Brisbane.

1993 Borders of the Mind, Noosa Regional Gallery, Queensland.

1992 Journeys North, Regional Galleries Queensland, Toowoomba, Charleville, Longreach ,Springsure, Mirani, Innisfail, Cooktown, Cairns, Cloncurry ,Gladstone, Warwick, Stanthorpe, Noosa, Childers, Bundaberg, Moranbah, Tweed River.

1988 Journeys North Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane.

1987 The Wedding Show, Images Gallery, Sydney.

1984 The Queensland Show’ Images Gallery, Sydney.

1983 L.J. Harvey Drawing Exhibition, Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane.

1983 Behind the Banana Curtain, University of Tasmania, Hobart.

1982 Lady Fairfax Exhibition’ Art Gallery of New South Wales.

1982

L.J. Harvey Drawing Exhibition’ Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane.

1982

Independent Artist, AMP Building, Melbourne.

2007 QCA Griffith University Postgraduate RHD Exhibition exhibition catalogue, Griffith University.

Brought to Light,Contemporary Australia Art 1966-2006 exhibition catalogue, Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane.

Recollections exhibition catalogue, Queensland Centre for Photography, Brisbane.

Artist Makes Video, Art Rage Survey 1994-1998 exhibition catalogue, Queensland College of Art, Brisbane.

2006 Colonial to Contemporary part 111 exhibition catalogue, Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane.

2005 Griffith Review 7

SHOOSH! The History of the Campfire Group exhibition catalogue, Institute Of Modern Art, Brisbane.

Lingua Franca, ARC Art Design and Craft Biennial exhibition catalogue, Brisbane City Museum Art Gallery, Brisbane.

2004 “Elvis”, The Courier Mail, Brisbane.

2000 Terra Cognita, The land in Australian art exhibition catalogue, Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane.

1999 The Art of Inclusion, Recent Australian Photography exhibition catalogue Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane “The Art of Inclusion”, The Courier Mail, Brisbane.

1996 The Power To Move, Aspects of Australian Photography exhibition catalogue, Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane.

South Pacific: The Construction of Paradise, exhibition catalogue Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane.

Solitary Confinement exhibition catalogue, Boggo Road Jail, Brisbane.

Freshwater Saltwater Borewater exhibition catalogue, Campfire Group, Brisbane.

1995 Pathways, Changes and Exchanges exhibition catalogue, Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane.

1994 “Political Boats”, Courier Mail, Brisbane.

Survey exhibition catalogue, ISNT, Brisbane.

1993 “Borders of the Mind”, Sunshine Coast Daily, Queensland.

“Borders of the Mind” Photo, volume 4-8 1992 Spine Geoffrey Schmidt performance art exhibition catalogue, Institute of Modern Art, Brisbane.

1991 Northern Journeys exhibition catalogue, University Of Tasmania, Launceston, Tasmania.

“Northern Journeys”, The Examiner, Tasmania.

1988 Journeys North exhibition catalogue, Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane.

“Journeys North” The Catholic Leader, Australia.

“Journeys North” Photo-file, vol 6, no1,

1985 “McGregor prize for photography” Chronicle, Toowoomba, Queensland.

1984 The Queensland Show exhibition catalogue, Images Gallery, Sydney.

1983 Beyond the Banana Curtain exhibition catalogue, University of Tasmania.

“The Art of Inclusion”, The Cairns Post, Queensland.

1982 “Fairfax Photography Awards”, The Sydney Morning Herald, Sydney.

“The Art of Inclusion” Art Nexus, Visual Arts 5.

1982

Imprint 4, Print Council of Australia.

1981 Independent Artist, AMP Building, Melbourne.

“Michael Nelson Jagamarra” exhibition catalogue, Asia Pacific Triennial 3, Queensland Art Gallery.

1972

Circus, Melbourne University Press, Melbourne

Publications:

Black Humour exhibition catalogue, National Touring Exhibition.

1982 A Photographer’s Choice, Ray Hughes Art Gallery, Brisbane.

2012

hone Cam Diaries exhibition catalogue, Queensland P Centre For Photography, Brisbane.

2012 An Irish Australian not looking for trouble exhibition

1997 The Campfire Group exhibition catalogue, Institute of Modern Art, Brisbane.

JENNY WATSON 1951 Born in Melbourne.

Lives Brisbane Australia.

Adjunct Professor, Queensland College of Art, Griffith University 2009-11 Board Member, Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney Partner in Art Projects, Melbourne, (Artist run space) 1973 Diploma of Education, State College of Victoria, Melbourne 1972 Diploma of Painting, National Gallery of Victoria Art School

1993 -

Anna Schwartz Gallery, Melbourne, Australia 1993, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2006, 2009, 2012, 2014

1994

Mannheimer Kunstverein, Mannheim, Germany

1994 -

Galerie Transit, Leuven, Belgium 1994, 1998, 2001, 2009, 2014

1994 -

Galerie Gaby Kraushaar, Düsseldorf, Germany 1994, 1995, 2000

1995 Ludwig Forum für internationale Kunst, Aachen, Germany

Galerie Fabian Walter, Basel, Switzerland

Solo Exhibitions:

1996

Kunstverein Rosenheim, Germany

1973 -

Ulmer Museum, Ulm, Germany

manus presse, Stuttgart, Germany

1980 Six Paintings, 1970-1980 Institute of Modern Art, Brisbane, Australia

1997

Universitätsmuseum, Marburg, Germany

1981 -

Studio d’arte Raffaelli, Trento,Italy

1998

Dina Carolla, Naples, Italy

Hanoi College of Fine Arts, Hanoi, Vietnam

Galerie Achim Kubinski, Berlin, Germany

1998 -

gimpel fils ltd, London, UK 1998, 2002, 2011

2000 -

Greenaway Art Gallery, Adelaide

2000, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2011, 2014

1983 -

Powell Street Gallery, Melbourne, Australia 1973, 1974, 1975, 1977, 1978

Art Projects, Melbourne, Australia 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984 Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery, Sydney, Australia 1983, 1985, 1987, 1989, 1992, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2010, 2014

1985 University Gallery, University of Melbourne, Australia (13 Year Retrospective) 1987 -

City Gallery, Melbourne, Australia 1987, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1993

1990,93 Galerie Hilger, Frankfurt, Germany 1991

Meppener Kunstkreis, Meppen, Germany

Australian Centre for Contemporary Art, Melbourne Self portrait from the back 1993 Acrylic on polished cotton (rabbit skin glue primed) 128 x 95cms

1993,95 Galerie Janine Mautsch, Köln, Germany

1991 -

Galerie Hilger, Wien, Austria 1991, 1993, 1995

1991 -

Annina Nosei Gallery, New York, USA 1991, 1992, 1994, 1998, 2001, 2004

1992 -

Yoshida Gallery, Nagoya, Japan 1992, 1993, 1994

1993

Galerie Roberta Lietti, Como, Italy

Australian Pavilion 45th Biennale of Venice, Italy

Galerie von Witzleben, Karlsruhe, Germany

2003 Child’s Play, Yokohama Museum of Art, Japan 2005 Material Evidence, Survey exhibition, DELL Gallery, QCA, Brisbane 2007 Galerie Daniel Varenne, Geneva, Switzerland

Material Evidence, RMIT Gallery, Melbourne

2010

Material Evidence, CIAP, Hasselt, Belgium

2012

Tomio Koyama Gallery Hikarie 8, Shibuya, Tokyo

Awards: 2014 New Work – Established, Australia Council, Visual Arts Section 2014 Residency CAMAC, France 2005

Fellowship, Australia Council, Visual Arts Section

2005

Project Grant, Arts Queensland

1999 Semifinalist, “Parque de la Memoria”, Sculpture Prize, Argentina 1997

Residency, Chemnitz, Germany July 1998

1997 Deacons Graham & James award residency in Tokyo January, February 1999 1997 Residency, College of Fine Arts, Hanoi, Vietnam December 1997 - March 1998 1990

Portia Geach Art Prize

1987

Newcastle Art Prize (joint winner with Mike Parr)

1986

Gold Medal, Indian Triennale, Delhi

1984

Half Standard Grant, Visual Arts Board

1980

Grant to Individuals, Visual Arts Board

1979

Alliance Francaise Fellowship

1975 Georges’ Prize (shared) Travel Grant, Visual Arts Board

Publications: 2012

ere, there and everywhere, Ian Potter Musem of Art, H Melbourne

2005

Material Evidence, DELL Gallery, Brisbane

2002

Girls, Gimpel fils ltd, London

2001 Jenny, Anna Schwartz Gallery

Kelowna Art Museum, B.C. Canada

1997

Jenny Watson Mothership Studio d’Arte Raffaelli, Trento,Italy

1996,97 Andere Orte

Helga Meister Sigrin Brunsieck

Kultursekritaeriat Kollections NRW Guetersloh

1996 Jenny Watson for Made in Europe, Gramercy Park Paintings + Rosenheim Farm

Briggite Reinhardt + Klaus Gerrit Friese Presse Druck + Verlags Augsburg Gmbh

1994

Jenny Watson Mannheimer Kunstverein, Mannheim

1993 Jenny Watson. Paintings with Veils and False Tails Australian Pavilion, Venice Biennale

AETA, Melbourne

1991,92 Jenny Watson

Annina Nosei Gallery, New York 1990

Pleasures and Memories Galerie Hilger, Frankfurt

1986 Jenny Watson ALTER EGOS (Sketches for Paintings) 1982-85 Experimental Art Foundation, Adelaide Marion Borgelt, Jenny Watson 6th Triennale India Australia Council, Sydney 1985 Jenny Watson: Paintings and Drawings 1972-85 University Gallery, Melbourne

Jenny Watson is represented by Anna Schwartz Gallery—Melbourne & Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery—Sydney.

ISBN: 9781922216656 Author: Susan Ostling Editor: Paul Wright Artists: Christopher Bennie Julie Fragar Robert Mercer Jenny Watson This exhibition is supported by the Griffith University Centre for Creative Arts Research.

Catalogue designed at Liveworm Studio, South Bank.