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Visual Arts Roundup 2005  With
2005 nearly over, this final review provides a timely opportunity
for us to reflect on the artistic endeavours in Adelaide throughout
the year; exhibitions, festivals, conferences and all that accompanies
these art affairs. Although 2005 has been an off-Adelaide Festival
year, it has had its share of events and provided us with a consistently
jam-packed calender. January, the only exception to the busy art schedule of 2005, as is the case most years, still featured some significant exhibitions. While most artists and galleries were using this period to rest and recuperate, Artspace presented us with 'Shimmer', an exhibition of emerging local talent that became a summer highlight. In February, the 'Helpmann Graduate Exhibition' presented work from the best of the best grad students from the three art schools. This exhibition can be surmised as a kind of prelude of the year to come, with many of the graduating students emerging expectantly throughout 2005 with their own solo or group exhibitions. And so they did. March saw the launch of a major British art exhibition at the Art Gallery of South Australia, 'Island To Empire'. As Ron Radford's baby, this show marked the departure for the once Director of AGSA to his newly appointed position as Director of the National Gallery in Canberra. In May the city was awash with glass as Adelaide hosted the Glass Art Society (GAS) conference. Flinders University City Gallery with their group exhibition of 'The Ranamok Glass Prize 2004' and Nick Mount's scent bottles at the Jam Factory were definite highlights. Jumping to August, it was impossible to miss a SALA festival that although only two weeks long, seemingly went for months. The major exhibitions of this festival were 'The Art Of Fiona Hall' at AGSA as well as Michelle Nikou and Paul Hoban at Greenaway Art Gallery. Other notable exhibitions included Bev Southcott's 'Sea-In' at Bay Discover Centre, City of Holdfast Bay for which she was awarded the 2005 SALA photo media award. David Archer's 'Archer's Arcadia' at Central Gallery_ also deserves a mention. In September the South Australian School of Art (SASA), the Helpmann Academy and the Contemporary Art Centre of South Australia (CACSA) brought international superstar, Japanese artist Tatsuo Miyajima to our city. Miyajima involved many from the Adelaide arts in his performative milk-dipping project and as a result furthered a sense of community. Disappointingly, there was little media coverage (with the exception of dB Magazine) on this substantial arts event. Toward the end of September Adelaide hosted another influential event, this time the 'South Australian School of Art International Drawing Conference'. Rife with international guests this conference was accompanied by exhibitions in and around Adelaide. Also in September and into October the Experimental Art Foundation (EAF) showed significant exhibitions from local artists Sarah CrowEST and Matthew Bradley, as well as ex-Adelaidian Nicholas Folland. Noteworthy exhibitions all. From a year of strong Indigenous exhibitions, October also saw it pinnacle with 'Native Title Business' at Tandanya, finally reaching Adelaide after three years of travelling. Now December and amidst numerous graduate shows, a noteworthy current exhibition is Bridget Currie's 'Spiritual Militancy'. This show tops off another strong year for the artist-run-space, Downtown. Most recently Nexus celebrated its 21st birthday, a milestone for the space that caters to multicultural arts in South Australia. Their importance flagged as issue of multiculturalism becomes more pertinent in Australia by the day. After a year of exhibition openings and several folders worth of invites, catalogues and paraphernalia (from those exhibitions we were fortunate enough to see) we agreed that some things pass without being fully acknowledged. Therefore, it has been decided that the following should be applauded. For best invitation, Morgan Allender should be congratulated for her uniquely shaped, all-round cute and classy invite to 'When The Earth Moves'. Whilst Greenaway Art Gallery consistently produces thick, glossy catalogues that are a pleasure to amass, the best catalogue this year was Toby Richardson's 'Singles, Couples And Queens', a self-funded publication that includes large, luscious reproductions of all the works from the exhibition it accompanies. 'New Painting Heroes' was the best exhibition title of the year, using a witticism directed at the archetypal 'artist as genius' perception. Best opening night was the very recent South Australian School of Art's Grad Show. The best art concept, that will continually dominate this category, is the SALA Festival. Paul Greenaway's initiative is a significant inclusion in Adelaide's annual art programme, and should be commended for its encouragement and promotion of South Australian living artists, of which there does exist so much talent, despite an exceedingly high proportion of amateurish art that seemingly evolves from nowhere at the time. Galleries that made the best contribution to local art were the EAF and Downtown, both of which really pushed local talent to the Adelaide arts community. The CACSA also contributed via its exhibition programme in the Project Space, however this was overshadowed by the interstate and international art in its main galleries (their latest exhibition, 'Mentor/Mentored' an exception). For Sera, the three standout shows of the year were 'Shimmer' at Artspace, Nicholas Folland's 'Doldrum' at EAF and 'Crescent Moon' at AGSA. For Nerina they were 'The Art Of Fiona Hall' at the AGSA, 'Native Title Business' at Tandanya, and Toby Richardson's 'Singles, Couples And Queens' at Central Gallery_. With things fairly quiet over Christmas and January, we look forward to the visual delights of the forthcoming Adelaide Fringe and Festival in 2006.  |
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