Almanac : The Gift of Ann Lewis AO

Almanac : The Gift of Ann Lewis AO

Almanac is an exhibition that provides an extraordinary road map of Australian art practice over the last 50 years, shaped by the vision of one of Australia’s best regarded collectors and arts supporters, Ann Lewis AO . The Exhibitions is currently on display at the Tweed River Art Gallery from 11 May till 24 June 2012.

Ann Lewis was a passionate philanthropist, a well known patron of the arts and generous supporter of COFA.Ann Lewis worked tirelessly throughout her lifetime to raise the profile of Australian artists abroad, and to bring international artists to local audiences.

Ann was the Director of Sydney’s leading and sometime controversial Gallery A in Paddington from 1964 until 1983, where she was one of the first advocates of Australia’s Indigenous art.

In 1991, she received an Order of Australia award in recognition of her role in Australia’s contemporary art scene. In 1993, Ann was appointed the Vice President of the International Council of the Museum of Modern Art in New York and she was Commissioner for the Australian Pavilion at the Venice Biennale on two occasions. She was also a foundation member of the Visual Arts Board of the Australia Council, President of the Art Gallery Society in the Art Gallery of NSW, a member of the Aboriginal Arts and Crafts Company and was appointed to the Tate Gallery International Council in 2000.

Ann Lewis passed away on May 17, 2011, after a long battle with pancreatic cancer , she was 76.

paragraph about the artworks

describe them, medium style / techniques opinion on them

Thanks to Ann’s roles as collector, philanthropist and gallerist, visitors to the exhibition can enjoy a collection of works built at the forefront of cultural production across five decades.

a diverse array of artists. Tracing changes in taste, influence, styles and ideas, Almanac reflects a collection with depth and currency. Veering across time and location, it is comprised of paintings, photographs sculptures, ceramics and prints including several works which are on public display for the first time.

The exhibition begins with abstract painting by modernist Ralph Balson, and later works by John Firth-Smith and Richard Dunn, and continues through to more recent works by Aboriginal artists from remote regions. The diversity of materials and approaches is reflected in the media and methods employed by the artists – from Robert Klippel’s delicately teetering metal sculptures to Hany Armanious’ hotmelt sculptures that solidify the negative spaces of various wine glasses. Similarly works by Rosalie Gascoigne and Neil Roberts use found objects which carry the aura of their history.

The exhibition includes a number of photographic works by artists such as Rosemary Laing and Anne Zahalka, which combine wit, scale and observation alongside compelling portraits and street studies by photojournalist Jon Lewis.

Significantly, the exhibition also features several works by respected Aboriginal artists, including the acclaimed Emily Kame Kngwarreye, Sally Gabori, Dorothy Napangardi, Gloria Petyarre and Judy Watson.

Aboriginal work

Chair with a plane (air force one)

Woman on bed

Red cubism

Candles on glasses

Artists featured in the exhibition are: Hany Armanious, Ralph Balson, Curley Barduguba, Ian Burns, Robert Ambrose Cole, Timothy Cook, Richard Dunn, Mikala Dwyer, John Firth-Smith, Mirdidingkingathi Juwarnda Sally Gabori, Rosalie Gascoigne, Callum Innes, Kitty Kantilla, Robert Klippel, Emily Kame Kngwarreye, Ildiko Kovacs, Rosemary Laing, Jon Lewis, Marrirra Marawili, George Milwulurrurr, Rosella Namok, Dorothy Napangardi, Jimmy Ngalakurn, Bobby Barrdjaray Nganmirra, Robert Owen, Gloria Petyarre, Robert Rauschenberg, Neil Roberts, Lola Ryan, Ricky Swallow, Walala Tjapaltjarri, Turkey Tolson Tjupurrula, Wukun Gathinikpa Wanambi, Judy Watson, Louise Weaver, Timothy Wulanjbirr and Anne Zahalka.

About the gallery space

The Tweed River Art Gallery has displayed these artworks in the ----------- wing which is Climate controlled large open space with pertitions separating the floor space into 3 sections.

There is little to no natrual light entering the space , and bright artifical light is used enhances the stark white walls. A large plaque which is visible as soon as the exhibition space is entered explaining what the exhibition is about.

Most of the sculptural works are centrally placed and a few paintings have barriers errected around them cluttering the space which makes it difficult to fully appreciate the artworks.

While still a very impacting collection of art the overall experience could have been improved by providing seating and freeing up of the floor space.