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Artbank is pleased to present

Artist Talk: The Work of Art 

Curated by Sabrina Baker and Anja Loughhead as part of the Artbank Emerging Curator program - The Work of Art brings together a selection of works from the Artbank collection that interrogate our relationship to art and traditional notions of labour. The exhibition holds a mirror to the perceived value of arts practice in contemporary Australian society and fiercely champions its sustained and celebrated place within it.

Join curators Sabrina Baker and Anja Loughhead, and artist Darcey Bella Arnold as they discuss the physical, conceptual, material and emotional exertion tied to creative production and the importance of placing value on the - work of art.  

Event Details

What: Exhibition Public Program / Artist Talk: The Work of Art 
When: Saturday 22 May 2021
Time: 12pm – 3pm

Program

12-1pm Exhibition viewing
1-2pm Curatorial walk through and discussion featuring, exhibition curators Sabrina Baker, Anja Loughhead along with artist Dacey Bella Arnold
2-3pm Exhibition open

Where: Artbank Melbourne, 18-24 Down Street, Collingwood, VIC

Image credit: Flys Alone Painting at Artbank Melbourne.

More information

Contact Artbank
Phone: 1800 251 651

20/20: Shared Visions
40 years of Contemporary Australian Art

Artbank Sydney - 20 November 2020 to 31 March 2021

Digital Catalogue available to download 

Artbank Artist Profile: Jodie Whalen

Artbank is excited to announce a new acquisition by Sydney based multidisciplinary artist Jodie Whalen. Artbank recently invited Jodie in for a socially distanced chat about the acquisition of her work Sky Chamber I and what it means as to be part of the Artbank Collection. It felt more important than ever to connect with artists inside the Artbank Collection and hear about the artists they admire, that excite them, that make them smile and that drive them to make work. 

"Artbank acquired my work a few months back, in 2020, which I have to say came at an excellent time. Like a lot of people 2020 has thrown a lot of set backs, postponements and cancelations and I found myself really not knowing what was coming next or what was coming up. So to have Artbank purchase this work was a nice grounding experience and it gave me some confidence to keep working" - Jodie Whalen

Working across experimental performance, installation video and photomedia, Whalen's work excavates the everyday, appropriating her own personal history and popular Western culture into symbolically dense immersive environments that encourage inward reflection for viewers. She draws on the concept of ritual as a signifier of the art making process and creates spaces that engage viewers in an all encompassing, multisensory cocoon. 

Sky Chamber I was part of a larger installation in the Create NSW Visual Arts Emerging Fellowship at Artspace, Sydney, which incorporated collage, video and aromatic scents to create a space for the contemplation of Love. The work was also selected as a finalist for the Hazelhurst Art on Paper Award 2019. This work will be available through Artbank's leasing program soon!

Thanks Jodie for coming in and sharing your story with us! 

Name: Sonya Smith

Job Title: Administration Assistant

What year did you join the Artbank team: 2019

Describe your role and what you enjoy about working for Artbank: 

I joined Artbank in 2019 after relocating from Brisbane to Sydney with my young family. I was ready for a career that aligned more closely with my passion for art and architecture. I've always been fascinated by the way thoughtful design shapes how we experience places and creates a sense of identity and belonging.

My role centres on supporting both our clients and the wider Artbank team through administration and client services. I enjoy creating a positive experience for everyone who engages with Artbank while working behind the scenes to ensure our day-to-day operations run smoothly. One of the most rewarding aspects of my role is supporting every area of the organisation, from our Curatorial, Registration and Client Services to Finance. I love being part of a collaborative team where everyone works towards a shared goal of championing Australian contemporary art.

More recently, I have moved back to Brisbane, helping Artbank strengthen its northern presence, with our first QLD Art Consultant. It's exciting to contribute to expanding our audience and introducing more people to the incredible collection and the important role Artbank plays in supporting Australian artists.

Favourite artwork from the Artbank Collection: #15402, Kathleen Nanima Rambler, My Fathers Country at Sunrise, 2020

Short explanation of your artwork selection:

Kathleen Nanima Rambler's My Fathers Country at Sunrise immediately drew me in through its warmth, colour and sense of place. The sweeping sunrise across the sky and the vibrant landscape below evoke a feeling of optimism, renewal and connection to Country. I love the way the artwork balances expansive, expressive skies with intricate details of native flora, celebrating both the grandeur and richness of the Australian landscape.

Ever wondered what inspires the team at Sydney Festival?

Artbank is one of the largest collections of contemporary Australian art in the world, with over 10,000 artworks available for the public to lease. Our unique artwork rental program has proudly supported thousands of Australian artists over the last 40 years.

Working with the talented team at Sydney Festival for the last five years, Artbank has helped to keep the Sydney Festival office walls energised with fresh artworks from the extensive Artbank collection!

Take a look at the Artbank collection artworks selected by the team at Sydney Festival to inspire!

The first three selections take us to the very heart of the Australian desert with vibrant and spirited artworks by five important women from Amata Community located in the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Lands in South Australia.

Puli Murpu by Ruby Tjangawa Williamson depicts the Musgrave Ranges, situated behind Amata. Williamson (1940-2014) was a Pitjantjatjara elder and one of the founding artists of Tjala Arts in Amata, South Australia. Williamson was dedicated to fostering traditional law and culture through story-telling, hunting, punu (wood) carving, dancing and painting. Known for using dotting and flat blocks of colour, Williamson also combined traditional designs with contemporary symbols to depict creation stories.

The three circles in the top of the composition of this work are kapi tjukula (rockholes), where the water collects after the rains, while the large flat plain yellow represents the mountains viewed from the sides and above. These, along with the branch of the honey grevillea are symbols that appear consistently in Williamson’s work. We can almost feel the heat off the desert sand radiating from the piece with the sweet smell of the honey Grevillia filling the canvas

Wawiriya Burton’s painting Ngayuku Ngura (My Country) tells the story of her father’s Country near Pitjantjatjara, west of Amata. It depicts marsupial desert mice (mingkiri), giving birth to their many young, and traveling to the surrounding rockholes in search of food and water to feed them. Burton is a Senior artist, Ngangakari (a traditional healer) and a revered caretaker of Anangu law and culture.

Artbank is one of the first collecting institutions to support emerging artists, who at the time of acquisition are in the early stages of their career and will go on to achieve wonderful artistic triumphs. This was certainly the case for this wonderful collaboration by sisters Tjungkara Ken, Sandra Ken and Yaritji Young acquired by Artbank in 2010. Here, they have come together to paint the Seven Sisters tale, a Tjukurpa (Dreaming) about the constellations also known as Pleiades and Orion. The story traverses the grand expanse of sky, earth and time, telling of the creative endeavours of the seven women in their plight to escape the constant and unwanted attention of the 'lusty' Nyiru. The story follows the sisters as they are endlessly chased across sky and earth, transforming themselves; constantly trying to stay one step ahead of Nyriu's impure behaviour, magical trickery and traps.

The final work, Maranoa River Lines, is from Queensland artist Joanne Currie Nalingu. Spending her early years at the Yumba mission on the banks of the Maranoa River, Currie has strong memories of the hardships along the river, which plays an important part in the subject matter of her work. Currie has also spent time studying shield designs that belong to her Mandandanyi people and marries these with her lyrical depictions of the flowing river.

The ancient stories these paintings depict are rooted in song, dance, ceremony, bush food and traditional culture all bursting with relevance to our contemporary world, inspiring new stories and programs for the Sydney Festival team!

Get in touch with an Artbank Art Consultant today and support Australian contemporary artists.

Message a consultant today!