Title

Contemplating Australia: Collectable prints of the 20th century.

Venues

PG Printmaker Gallery (6 June 2023 – 17 June 2023)

Date

(2023)

Summary

Multi-artist exhibition. Located: Australia (VIC). Prints

Country of context

Australia

Abstract

Contemplating Australia celebrates printmaking by significant Australian artists of the 20 th century. This exhibition focuses on mid-century figurative artists associated with The Antipodeans movement and artists who were deeply engaged with the Australian landscape. The Antipodeans movement emerged in the late 1940s and early 1950s as a response to the dominance of abstract expressionism in the art world. The group, which included artists such as Arthur Boyd, Charles Blackman, and Robert Dickerson, sought to revive figurative art and explore the human form as a subject. Printmaking was an essential medium for many of these artists, allowing them to create multiple copies of their works and reach a broader audience. The exhibition showcases their prints, offering visitors a glimpse into their artistic vision and technical mastery. In addition to the Antipodeans, the exhibition also highlights artists who were deeply engaged with the Australian landscape. These artists, such as John Olsen, Clem Millward and Indigenous painter Jarinyanu David Downs, drew inspiration from the unique and diverse Australian environment. Through their prints, they captured the vastness, beauty, and cultural significance of the Australian landscape, showcasing its rugged terrains, distinctive flora and fauna, and the deep connection between the land and its people. Contemplating Australia celebrates the artistic achievements of these significant artists and offers viewers an opportunity to reflect on Australia’s cultural heritage and the profound influence of the country’s natural surroundings on its artistic expression. [Gallery media, 2023].