The National Gallery of Australia acquires LEAVES OF ABSENCE

With the gradual winding down of 2018 comes some happy news. Our artist book LEAVES OF ABSENCE has been acquired by the National Gallery of Australia.

LEAVES OF ABSENCE poses a question that may be unanswerable: what became of the women who remained in China when their menfolk came to seek their fortunes during the Australian gold rushes? 

Pictured above and below: cover and selected pages from LEAVES OF ABSENCE, 2017, unbound artist book, 32.5 (H) x 25.5 (W) x 4 cm (D). Edition: 10 plus 1 artist proof. Printed by Luke Ingram at Arten.

LEAVES OF ABSENCE leaf by leaf

For the benefit of those in faraway places who can't make it to the launch of LEAVES OF ABSENCE on Friday 24 November at the Melbourne Athenaeum Library (see previous post) here is a preview.

Pictured above and below: LEAVES OF ABSENCE, 2017, artist book, 32 pages in cloth case, 32.5 H x 25.5 W x 4 D. Edition: 10 plus one artist proof. 

Click on individual images for a clearer view.

A book launch and an exhibition opening

After a hectic year, during which it was part of some significant exhibitions*, the Moth Woman Press artist book LEAVES OF ABSENCE is finally in one place long enough to be officially launched. The launch, which is less than a week away, will take place in the Melbourne Athenaeum Library on Friday, 24 November, from 6 - 8 pm.
 
The event is a double celebration; the library recently acquired a copy of the book and has invited me to be their artist-in-residence during Melbourne Rare Book Week in June/July 2018. 

Five days later, on Wednesday 29 November, my solo show, FALLEN WOMEN, opens at Tacit Contemporary Art. It will comprise a goodly selection of the work I've made since completing LEAVES OF ABSENCE. 

The exhibition runs until 17 December. I hope you'll have a chance to call in. 

*During 2017 LEAVES OF ABSENCE was included in Between the Sheets, the biennial international artist book exhibition at Gallery East, Perth, WA, which subsequently travelled to Australian Galleries, Melbourne. The book was also part of the touring exhibition, From the Bower, Patterns of Collecting, which had long and successful runs at Warrnambool Art Gallery and the Art Gallery of Ballarat. From the Bower will continue its run in 2018 - details TBA. LEAVES OF ABSENCE was also shortlisted for the Geelong Print Prize and the Fremantle Arts Centre Print Award. (See previous post).  

PRINT COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA PRINT COMMISSION 2017 AND A FUTURE BOOK LAUNCH

Earlier this week, on Tuesday, August 8, the ten Print Council of Australia PCA Print Commission prints were launched at Collins Place Gallery, Melbourne. My archival pigment print, Pressed for Time, an edition of 30 (pictured above) was one of them.

Among the many visitors on the night was author Lucy Sussex (next to me, above right). Over the years, my work has graced the front cover of three of her books. Lucy has just been awarded a State Library of Victoria Fellowship, so there was much to celebrate.

Also present (above, right) was Sue Westwood, Business Manager of the Melbourne Athenaeum Library, which later this year will host an entirely different, if somewhat belated launch, that of my artist book Leaves of Absence. (Further details, including why I deliberately chose to delay the launch, will be the subject of a future post). Sue's sister, Diane Masters, is another of this year's print commission artists. 

To view all of this year's PCA Print Commission works, go HERE. 

For more snapshots of Tuesday evening's launch, visit my art blog HERE.