Last week I had the absolute privilege and pleasure of being a guest at the opening of the Australian National Veteran's Art Museum (ANVAM) exhibition of Veteran's Art, FROM WAR at Parliament House in Canberra.
The opening was held in the Queen's Terrace Gallery and many of the exhibiting artists were there to meet and greet the guests.
Artists, co-patrons, supporters, friends and family gathered to open the first ANVAM in the Australian Parliament House.
I was particularly delighted to be there because I have been following the progress of ANVAM for a while now and have been keen to meet the organisers. Additionally, two of our recipients have works on display in the exhibition.
One of them is Warrick Eady, a recipient of ours from Tarin Kot and now a photographer.
Another of our recipients with work on display is the very talented Barham Ferguson, a recipient of ours from South Sudan and also Israel. Barham has also written a poem honouring our quilts. It was read out at one of our past dinners.
Catching up with Lucy Sattler was a treat. For those that do not know, Lucy created an exhibition called Women in Defence in 2015 and I was lucky enough to be one of her subjects. The result quilt now hangs in pride of place in my home. Two of Lucy's quilt are included in the exhibition.
It was great to finally meet Tanya, one of the driving forces behind ANVAM - nice to finally put a face to the name.
After the speeches we were invited to wander the exhibition and enjoy the pieces on display.
The following are just a few of the pieces on display but you really need to check out the exhibit as there were so many other pieces as well.
By Ben
Pullin ‘Watch Over Me’ 2018 (detail, welded metals incl. cold formed steel)
by Gordon Traill ‘My War in Iraq’ 2017
(detail, digital photograph)
Phil Johns & Anila Reddy
‘Coriolis Effect’ 2016 (detail, acrylic on canvas)
Lucy Sattler 'Officer Cadet’ 2015
(detail, textiles)
Clare Randall “Welcome Swallow’ 2017
1/4 (detail, ink on paper)
Kate Hallen, 'Stunned Mullet’ II
2013 (detail, oil on canvas)
Exhibition Details.
When: 9 November 2018 – 3 February 2019
Venue: Public Gallery, Level 1, Australian Parliament House
Patrons: Senator James Paterson & Mr Luke Gosling OAM MP (Co-Chairs Parliamentary Friends Museums, Libraries and Galleries)
Curator: Kelly Squires
From War is a unique and collaborative exhibition that brings together selected works from the permanent art collections of the Australian National Veterans Arts Museum (ANVAM) and Parliament House, Canberra.
From War conveys compelling stories from the lives of more than twenty veteran artists. The exhibition considers the way military service and war have impacted the lives of the exhibiting artists and their families, demonstrating the way art can positively transform lives.
For many veteran artists making art is both an expression of personal creativity and a way of ‘making meaning’. Veteran artistic practices can draw upon – and extend beyond – the individual’s experience of military service. For some, art is a lifeline and a life force; a way to tell stories and ask important questions about themselves and their place today in Australian society.
Using a diverse range of disciplines including photography, painting, sculpture, drawing, textiles, and poetry, the artists featured in the exhibition reflect on their personal questions and process sharing unique stories of their lived experiences of military service that continue to unfold today.
Artists from Parliament House Art Collection (PHAC)
Ian Fairweather
Guy Grey-Smith AM
Robert Kippel AO
Peter Rushforth AM
Albert Tucker AO
Guy Warren AM
Artists from ANVAM Arts Collection
Sean Burton
Bill Charlton
Chad Dobbs
Warrick Eady
Dan Elborne
Barham Ferguson
Kate Hallen
Phil Johns and Anila Reddy
Geoffrey Jones
George Mansford AM
Ben Pullin
Clare Randall
Lucy Sattler
Saif Shamkhi
Anna Taylor
Gordon Traill
If you are in Canberra whilst the exhibition is on I strongly suggest that you get along and check it out.
Till next time.... keep spreading the word and happy stitching!
Jan-Maree xx
No comments:
Post a Comment