The Charles Darwin University (CDU) Art Collection, in association with the School of Creative Arts and Humanities, is set to present Gifted: Recent donations of limited edition prints by 49 contemporary Australian artists.
The exhibition will be opened by Vice-Chancellor Professor Helen Garnett, Patron of the CDU Art Collection, on Thursday 11 October at 6pm, at The Gallery in Building 12, Casuarina Campus.
Curator of the Charles Darwin University Art Collection, Anita Angel, explained that the exhibition is the first of a series drawn from the CDU Art Collection which acknowledges the generosity of behind-the-scene donors who have contributed to the enrichment of the University’s permanent holdings of contemporary art.
“Gifted represents the spirit of entrepreneurial exchange and creative collaboration that continues to reinvigorate printmaking as an ancient and elemental art form, into the 21st century,” she said.
“The exhibition comprises 56 works by 49 artists from across the country, including the Northern Territory. Four of these artists – Franck Gohier, Dian Darmansjah, Basil Hall and Monique Auricchio – have spent a considerable period based in Darwin, offering guidance, knowledge and leadership in the education and practice of printmaking in remote areas and in the ‘engine rooms’ of a number of local printmaking studios and workshops, including: the former Northern Territory University Print Workshop, Northern Editions Printmaking Studio, Red Hand Print Studio & Basil Hall Editions.”
Artist, printmaker and donor, Franck Gohier, has been a long-time supporter of the Art Collection since his art school student days at the former Northern Territory University.
In 2006, Gohier donated the 33 – print exchange portfolio (2005) to the University Art Collection, and this year, the beasties – print exchange portfolio (2005-06). Both print exchange collections were conceived and curated by Melbourne-based artist-printmaker Rona Green (www.ronagreen.com), herself an artist participant in the projects, and were first exhibited at Port Jackson Press, in Melbourne. This will be their first showing in the Northern Territory.
Gifted will be showing from Thursday 11 October to Friday 2 November 2007. The Gallery is open from Monday to Friday 10am to 5pm, or by appointment.
For more information contact Anita Angel on 89466 621 or Melissa Newbigging on 8946 6013.