Greg Johns - Exhibition Catalogue

Greg Johns

To the Centre

March 23 - April 14 2024

Greg Johns

My exhibition at & Gallery Australia includes current work, and selected past pivotal works that reflect core concerns that have shaped my body of work clode 50 years of full time practice.

The sacred and the Australian landscape remain core areas of interest to me. In the early nineties I began to make sculpture which was influenced by both the forms and a symbolic/felt reading of our landscape. My previous work was international in style. There has been very little sculpture made in Australia which can be called Australian sculpture; John Davis did produce a body of work made from found organic material collected at specific sites in our landscape. There are also the wonderful Pukamani poles carved in the Tiwi Islands, traditionally as burial poles, which have a sculptural quality. Contemporary versions and are now exhibited in the Western art world as sculpture which broadly expresses Tiwi culture.

I am interested in both the forms of our continent, and a deep subterranean/symbolic response to our extraordinary and timeless landscape. As such I hope that a contribution has been made to the unfolding/evolving story of a sculptural sensibility, which can be referred to as Australian sculpture, and at the same time reaches out/connects to universal/timeless sensibilities.

Greg Johns, March 2024.

. 1. The Observers #1

Mild steel

194 x 19 x 5cm

$15,000

$9500

2. The Observers #2

Mild steel

1190 x 61 x 40cm

45 x 47 x20

$8,500

3. Dry Country Mandala

mild steel

Mild steel

202 x 50 x 17cm

Edition 1/5

$19,000 Pair (individually $11,000)

4. Tippy Toe Ones

$9,500

5. Dual Columnn (Vortex)

50 x 20 x 13.5 cm

Mild steel edition of 2/9

Edition 1/5

$17,500

6. Land Walker - Large

Mild steel

221 x 36 x 25 cm

$7,500

7. Land Walker -Small

Mild steel

72 x 26 x 7 cm

Edition 1/9

228 x 40 x 40 cm

Edition 1/5

$37,500

8. The Story Tellas

Corten steel

$35,000

9. Old Fella Cyborg

Corten Steel

243 x 20 x 245 cm

Edition 1/5

240 x 115 x 11cm

Edition 1/3

$67,000

10. Mentor (The Old Mob)

Corten steel

11. Lightning Figure

Corten steel

240 x 36 x 34 cm

Edition 1/3

$38, 500.

$27,500

12. Floating Figure

Mild steel

218 x 120 x 19cm, Edition 3/5

Edition 2/9

$12,500

13. Near the Centre (There is Music)

Mild steel

61 x 61 x 30 cm

$15,000

14. Through The Centre

Mild steel

72 x 90 x 50cm

Edition 1/9

Mild steel

67 x 67 x 40cm

Edition 3/9

$16,500

Maquette for McClellland Sculpture Prize 2012

15. At The Centre (There Is Nothing)

$12,500

16. The Llaida Mandala

Mild steel

61 x 61 x 30cm

Edition 2/9

130 x 130 x 60cm

Edition 1/5

$37,500

17. The Shamans Mandala

Corten steel

18.Vortex Mandala

Corten steel

160 x 140 x 79cm edition 1/5

$65,000

Education:

Greg Johns C.V.

1975-78: Diploma of Fine Arts, South Australian School of Art.

Selected Biography:

Practising Sculptor – Full Time since 1978.

Member of New York Sculptors’ Guild, 89 - 2000

Committee member of Collaborations (Linking Art and Architecture 1990-1994)

Exhibiting with the New Art Centre, Salisbury, England, 88- 2023, New York Sculptors’ Guild, NY, 89 -2001 and the Robert Steele Gallery, New York, 98 - 2001.

Helpman Academy Mentor for young artists.

Established major sculpture landscape (400 acres) at Palmer South Australia. International Opening, November, 2008 - engaging the Australian landscape.

University of South Australian Mentor for young artists, 2008-2009.

Invited sculptor for Master Class, Tom Bass School of Sculpture, Sydney, 2009.

Mentor for young artist, Sculpture By The Sea 2019.

Established Palmer Sculpture Biennial, 2004 – 2024

Art Prizes / Competitions

2023 Helen Lempriere Scholarship, Senior Sculptor, Sculpture By The Sea.

2022 Sculpture By The Sea Decade Club, Cottesloe, W.A.

2021 Directors Choice Award, Sculpture By The Sea, Cottesloe.

2020 Second Prize – Palmer sculpture Biennial 2021.

2019 Sculpture By The Sea Decade Club, Bondi.

2017 ICON AWARD, Design Industry of Australia. Invited Sculptor, Swell Exhibition, Queensland.

2016 Brighton Jetty Sculpture Prize.

Arid Lands Sculpture Prize.

Adelaide Fringe Award, Palmer Sculpture Biennial.

2013 Invited Artists (“Legend Sculptor’), Sculpture On The Greens, N.S.W.

Invited Artist, Swell Exhibition, Queensland.

2012 Advertiser Contemporary Art Prize, honourable mention.

Invited Artist, Canberra C.B.D. Sculpture Competition.

Invited Artist, Chatswood Commission, Sydney, Australia.

McClelland Sculpture Award.

2010 Brighton Jetty Sculpture Prize.

Invited Artist, Artscape. Byron Bay, New South Wales.

Second Prize, Arid Sculpture Exhibition.

Invited Artist, Sculpture By The Sea, Western Australia.

Invited Artist, Australian Masters, Solander Gallery, Canberra.

Lorne Trail Sculpture Prize.

2009 Invited Artist, Mt Gambier Limestone Sculpture Symposium.

Invited Artist, Sculpture By The Sea, Aarhus, Denmark.

Invited Artist, Sculpture By The Sea, Western Australia.

2008 Invited Artist, Contempora, Victoria.

Invited Artist, Sculpture By The Sea, Western Australia.

Distinguished Invited Artist, Sculpture By the Sea, Sydney.

2005 Invited Australian Artist, Pocheon Sculpture Symposium, Korea.

Finalist, McClelland Museum Australian Sculpture Survey/Prize.

Finalist, Kajima Sculpture Prize, Tokyo, Japan.

2004 Selected Artist, Shanghai Art Fair Entrance.

Waterhouse Sculpture Prize.

Finalist, Lempriere Sculpture Prize.

Finalist, SA Great Awards, Palmer Sculpture Landscape (Arts and Environmental)

2003 Finalist, McClelland Museum Australian Sculpture Survey/Prize.

2001 Finalist, Woollahra Small Sculpture Prize.

Stonnington Landscaping Award, Melbourne, Collaborative Award for sculpture

“Origin” and to Landscape Architects for surrounding landscaping.

2000 Merit Award – Collaboration with TECTVS Architects – Dawson Home.

1999 Finalist, Kowloon Station Commission, Hong Kong.

1997 Heart Awards, National & State Awards for design of playground space.

1995

Royal Australian Institute of Architects, Merit Award – Collaboration Award, Artists/Architecture Team, Swallowcliffe Primary School - New Building.

1994 Hakone Sculpture Prize, Japan.

Royal Australian Institute of Architects, Merit Award – National Short List.

Royal Australian Institute of Architects, Commendation.

Royal Australian Institute of Architects, Merit Award - B.H.P Steel Award.

1993 REDAS International Sculpture Prize, Singapore

1992 Hakone Sculpture Prize, Japan.

1991 Happy Valley Community Art’s Grant, Design - Children’s Sculptural Playground.

1980 Whyalla Sculpture Prize. V.A.B. Grant

Solo Exhibitions since 2010

2023 Greg Johns, Australian Galleries, Sydney.

2020 Nancy Sever Gallery, Canberra – Covid Virtual Exhibition.

2019 /2023 The Sculptors Garden, A Retrospective, D’Arenberg Winery.

2018 Greg Johns, Palmer Sculpture Landscape, Palmer, South Australia.

Greg Johns: Land & Light, West Gallery Thebarton, South Australia.

2017 Greg Johns, Australian Galleries, Melbourne, Victoria.

2016 Greg Johns, REDOT Gallery, Singapore.

2014 Greg Johns, QDOS Gallery, Lorne, Victoria.

2012 Greg Johns, B.M.G. Gallery, Adelaide.

2010 Greg Johns, Australian Art Resources, Melbourne.

Greg Johns, B.M.G. Gallery, Adelaide.

* - I have had over 45 solo exhibitions in Australia and internationally throughout my career, including 2 major solo exhibitions in both New York and Singapore. Major retrospective exhibitions at McClelland Museum and Sculpture Park and The Australian National University.

Major Sculpture Installs

Over 100 sculptures installed - Australia, Singapore, England, New Zealand, Spain, Korea.