Meditation on Bone

Heide 11: Albert & Mary Tucker Gallery

Heide Museum of Modern Art

1 September 2018 - 24 February 2019

Curated by Glenn Barkley

Barkley had the envious opportunity to sticky-nose around the Albert Tucker personal archive and library. Much of what he puts on public show highlights how deeply patronising many 1940-50s publications about indigenous cultures were.  Tucker's magazines, articles and book are set a amongst his collection of 'primitive' or 'naive' masks and sculptures. A group of Tucker self portraits, all with lascivious lips (no images of these!) and journal cover with Picasso as clown sets a creepily ambiguous tone. 

Added to these discoveries are hand-crafted beauties from contemporary Australian artists. The hang is dense, utilising Barkley's off-used 'history of ceramics prints' as gallery wall paper. This show hints at the what was in shadows of the sun-shiny Heide compound.

Louise Meuwissen, 

Scott Duncan Blank Expression, 2018, stoneware

the eyes have it - brrrr! From 1958 

Lynda Draper, Tony, 2014

Tom Polo

Ramesh Nitheyendran, Orange Mask,  2018 earthenware, shell

Tony Albert, No Place 3, 2009 type c photograph

Glenn Barkley (apologies missed this caption)

Artists are:

Laurence Aberhart
Tony Albert
Glenn Barkley
Dorothy Berry
Karla Dickens
Lynda Draper
Scott Duncan
Ruki Famé
Caroline Garcia
Simon Gende
Tarryn Gill
Raven Halfmoon
Glenda Havilah
John Havilah
Adrian Lazzaro
Louise Meuwissen
Ramesh Nitheyendran
Jason Phu
Tom Polo

Glenn Barkley

doitdoit26 September - 21 October 2017
Niagara
www.niagaragalleries.com.au

Quotes from the artist floor talk

Every potter need their own version of 'garlic bread' to sell
Work quickly

Garden garniture, 2017 earthenware

Glenn gives a generous and witty talk to RMIT Ceramics students.

It's Ok Plate, 2017 earthenware 24 x 8.5 x 7.5cm $550

2017 Sidney Myer Fund Australian Ceramic Award at SAM

Featuring shortlisted artist:

Glenn Barkley, Karen Black, Laith McGregor, Jenny Orchard and Yasmin Smith.

Congratulations to Jenny Orchard for winning the major $50,000 acquisitive prize for her work, The Imagined Possibility of Unity (2017). She populated her gallery with such wonderfully eccentric beings. See the expose of images following.

The 2017 Award was judged by Jacqueline Doughty, Curatorial Manager, The Ian Potter Museum of Art, The University of Melbourne; Jason Smith, Director, Geelong Art Gallery; and Dr Rebecca Coates, Director, Shepparton Art Museum.

Saturday 17 June to Sunday 13 August 2017

Fun road trip to SAM for the artist talks and the announcement. This prize is going from strength to strength. Selection of four Australian artists whose proposals best explored how the ceramic process can be used to flesh-out a conceptual concern. With a stipend of $2000 (I believe) and a gallery space, all four artists really invested in the opportunity and each presented a substantial solo exhibition. 

SMFACA is really a winner takes all situation and I don't disagree with the judges decision. The tension was palpable before the announcement, weighted down by the sum of the prize winnings. Made me do some mathmatical pondering. Might a increased stipend, say $5000 each by nipping off some of the 50,000, therefore giving 25,000 for the winner. 

JENNY ORCHARD

 

 

 

KAREN BLACK

 

LAITH MCGREGOR

  

 

 

GLENN BARKLEY

YASMIN SMITH