Charles Darwin University Art Collection
Gifted: Recent donations of limited edition prints by 49 contemporary Australian artists
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Franck Gohier |
October 11 to November 2, 2007
Building 12, Casuarina campus, Charles Darwin University
This exhibition was presented by the Charles Darwin University Art Collection in association with the School of Creative Arts and Humanities.
Gifted is the first of a series of exhibitions drawn from the Charles Darwin University Art Collection that acknowledges the generosity of behind-the-scene donors who have contributed to the enrichment of the University’s permanent holdings of contemporary art.
One donor in particular has, since his art school student days at the former Northern Territory University, been notably supportive of the Art Collection and its aspirations: artist and printmaker Franck Gohier.
In 2006, Gohier donated the 33 – print exchange portfolio to the University Art Collection, and in 2007, the beasties – print exchange portfolio. Both print exchange collections were conceived and curated by Melbourne-based artist-printmaker Rona Green, herself an artist participant in the projects, and were first exhibited at Port Jackson Press, in Melbourne. Gifted is their first showing in the Northern Territory.
The 33 – print exchange portfolio comprises 33 limited edition prints (each an edition of 33, measuring 33 x 33 cm paper size), in various print media, by 33 contemporary Australian artists. Beasties – print exchange portfolio comprises 23 limited edition prints (each an edition of 23, paper size 28 x 38 cm), in various print media, by 23 contemporary Australian artists, seven of whom were also involved in the first project.
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. 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 ‘engine rooms’ of a number of local printmaking studios and workshops. These include the former Northern Territory University Print Workshop, Northern Editions Printmaking Studio, Red Hand Print Studio and Basil Hall Editions.
