HELEN COLE VISITS A PAPER UNIVERSE
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“Artists’ books break all the rules. They stretch, fold, sculpt and reimagine the book as an object — not just something to read, but something to experience”
Curator Maria Savvidis.
Two views of the ‘Paper Universe: The Book as Art’ entry concertina PHOTOs: Helen Cole
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PAPER UNIVERSE: THE BOOK AS ART
A MAJOR EXHIBITION OF ARTISTS BOOKS AT THE STATE LIBRARY OF NSW
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The exhibition press release states, ‘Paper Universe: The book as art’ showcases almost 100 rarely seen works from the State Library’s extraordinary collection of artists’ books. Featuring striking and innovative creations, the exhibition reveals how artists transform the idea of a book into works of art. According to State Librarian Dr Caroline Butler-Bowdon: “Paper Universe offers a rare chance to experience some of the most inventive, thought-provoking and surprising works in the Library’s collection – many by some of Australia’s most celebrated artists – all in the one place.”
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Paper Universe: The book as art is a free exhibition at the State Library of NSW until 3 May 2026
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Visiting ‘PAPER UNIVERSE’ with Helen Cole+Victoria+Doug
Towards the end of 2025 we were drawn to Sydney to encounter the seminal artists book exhibition PAPER UNIVERSE: The Book as Art. We invited our friend Helen Cole to join us and Helen was able to arrange a meeting with the curator Maria Savvides to discuss the exhibition, the books and their presentation.
After our viewing of the exhibition our reflective discussion about what we had encountered led to an invitation for Helen to write an informed essay from her significant experience and knowledge of the artists book.
What follows after a selection of images, mainly taken by Helen, is her essay and a collection of documents and a video of the exhibition.
Paper Universe: The Book as Art – curator Maria Savvidis with Helen Cole PHOTO: Doug Spowart
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HERE’S A SELECTION OF BOOKS FROM THE EXHIBITION
“Click” on the image to enlarge and see the caption.
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HELEN COLE’S REFLECTIONS ON THE SHOW
When I curated the artists’ books exhibition Freestyle Books from State Library of Queensland’s artists’ books collection in 2008 it was supposed to be a mere taster before a major exhibition of the artform. That never happened. It was very gratifying to find out that State Library of New South Wales has taken up the challenge of both curation and display of this form that can be difficult to exhibit, and given it the title of Paper Universe: The book as art. The curator, librarian Maria Savvidis and her supporting team of librarians, conservators and designers have done a superb job in showcasing the richness of stories and artworks that artists books yield. They were fortunate to have five years to bring the exhibition to fruition, and this is shown by the attention to detail in its staging.
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The exhibition is introduced in the wide corridor leading to it by a huge concertina ‘book’ with blown-up details of three distinctive works. Before you enter, the view of the concertina is a quiet white book by Nicole Hayes with a delicate texture pierced through the page from front and back with pins. As you leave the view is of colourful, forceful black, red and blue designs in linocut and digital prints from books by Dianne Fogwell and Lyn Ashby, summing up the other extreme of the books you have seen.
Paper Universe exhibition PHOTO: Doug Spowart
That calm entry leads into a quiet space to engage with the works in the exhibition, provided by dividers reminiscent of Japanese shoji screens. The themes around which the exhibition is woven are well chosen and enunciated in the didactics: the art of inspiration – influences and sources in other artists work; the natural world – its beauty, its power, but also its fragility; the civil condition – investigating, reflecting and challenging social issues, politics, morality and equality; unveiling identity – the shaping of personal, family, and national identities and memories; the artist’s eye – investigations into the notion of the book. Each is signified by a different colour in the surrounding exhibition architecture – walls, plinths and borders on the screens
The books are very well displayed, individually, with several strategies used to overcome the perennial problem of exhibiting artists books, that they generally cannot be fully experienced when closed or open at only one page. The most common comment about an artists’ book exhibition is “I wish I could see the whole book” and indeed it is my thought too, even knowing how difficult it is to avoid. The curator has gone to great lengths to show as many books in their entirety as possible.
Caren Florance WYSIWYG, 2013
The first book in the exhibition, or is it the last? WYSIWYG (What you see is what you get) (2013) by Caren Florence, the curator’s own copy, was designed to be seen as a whole when the book is closed, displaying what a rarity that is. The text lines are printed on increasingly larger pages, each peeking out from the one above. Maria Savvidis wrote: “This book served as both a talisman and inside joke for me as the curator of this exhibition, years spent thinking about the paradox of exhibiting artist’s books…WYSIWYG is a wry but generous show of empathy from the artist who understands this difficulty and has shown mercy on collecting institutions tasked with the impossible.” Anne-Marie Hunter created the Tower of Babel (2006), (The Tower of Babel, Artists’ Book By Anne-Maree Hunter | State Library of Queensland) a book in the round which was exhibited in my 2008 exhibition, with the same intent.
Garry Shead Ern Malley: The Darkening Ecliptic, 2003
Several of the works have been removed from their covers and are displayed, page by page, on the wall. These include Garry Shead’s Ern Malley: The darkening ecliptic (2003): a sequence of etchings, which when presented together create a single image. Along with the display of the ceramic box in which it was presented, this is possibly the best way to show this work.
G.W. Bot Requiem by Anna Akhmatova, 2020
The pages of G.W. Bot’s superb linocuts for Requiem by Anna Ahkmatova (2020) are beautifully arranged framed on a blue background, however not all pages of the book are included so it is unfortunately a circumscribed view of the production.
Other works displayed page by page include Paul Uhlmann’s New Insecta, Queensland: AA Girault (1989), Judy Watson’s A preponderance of Aboriginal blood (2005), Peter Lyssiotis and George Matoulis’ Bridge (2021) and Glenda Orr and Kathy Boyle’s Paradise Lost : an artists’ book exploring the status of threatened & iconic plants from Australia and New Zealand collected by Daniel Solander and Joseph Banks during Captain Cook’s 1770 voyage (2020).
Dianne Fogwell Ashes to Ashes – Dust to Dust- Ash Wednesday 16th February 1983, (2018) PHOTO: Doug Spowart
The pages of Di Fogwell’s Ashes to ashes – dust to dust: Ash Wednesday 16th February 1983 (2018) are arranged upright to evoke the flames of the bushfire it describes. There has been some comment that this destroys the original form and order of the books, but I disagree. Some books are meant to be rearranged by the reader or at least read in any order they want. Also, the curator went to some lengths to speak to the artists and present their work as they would want. For most of the works artists’ statements are provided, along with translations of foreign language texts, where appropriate.
I don’t consider print portfolios on a single subject, often by printmaking groups, constitute successful and cohesive artists books, and there are a few in this show including Natural Collection (2017) by the Warringah Printmakers Studio. It was published to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Studio and is based on the species and ecological communities of the Northern Beaches of Sydney that are under threat. Ten of the 29 prints that comprise the work are exhibited over three changeovers, not including the texts which accompany each print. I don’t think this work has a conceptual framework – a common subject, yes, but not enough to tie them together – as a book.
Mike Hudson & Jadwiga Jarvis Ockers: A poem by Pi O 1999
Concertina books are perfectly made for display, extended either framed on a wall or standing upright on a plinth. The bold and colourful Wayzgoose Press book Ockers: a poem by Pi O (1999) is displayed partly opened behind glass. A thoughtful work previously unknown to me was Theo Strasser’s In ecstasy, Franz Kafka (2013) in acrylic painting and collage, based on an aphorism by Kafka. Another is Lossed (2022) by Sara Bowen. Reduction lino prints of her parents, at first strong, becoming lighter as the book is opened page by page. I’m not sure if it represents her memory of them fading or their memories of each other fading through dementia, but it is a very touching work which is displayed to perfection.
Katharine Nix The Uluru Book, 1994
Several works which could be regarded as book objects were included. The Uluru Book (1994) by Katharine Nix has an imposing physical presence; multiple layers of the hand-made paper for which she is well known, with ochre coloured covers tied with rusted wire and pierced by bones. All elements allude to the close links between the rock and its original inhabitants, and the damage done to the rock and its surrounding environment by the thousands of visitors. Teledex (1981), by Ted Hopkins is a container for poems in the form of an old-fashioned metal teledex, indexed with tabs.
Nathalie Gautier-Hartog
Looking for Paradise, 2020 + Video a collaboration with Broken Yellow
Looking for paradise (2020) by Nathalie Gautier-Hartog, is about refugees seeking a home in Australia, but subject to Australian government policies. It is presented as 12 books inside a wire cage, further emphasizing the restrictions placed on refugees. It is noted that all of the books are available to view as PDFs on the artist’s website with a QR code linking to it displayed. There is also a clever animation based on the United Nation’s Human Rights Charter with images from the books showing in the gallery. It is also on her website. It was created in collaboration with Broken Yellow Studio and the Asylum Seekers Centre. I’m not a great fan of digitised artists books but must admit this combination of media enhances interaction and appreciation of the work.
Penny Evans Proof, 2015
Relatively few First Nations artists create artists books, so it was great to see a works by Judy Watson and a work by Penny Evans, who has Gamilaroi, Welsh, Irish and German heritage using the form to examine connections between culture and country in her unique state book Proof (2015). Using collage and digital prints with stitching it was accompanied by a page-by-page video of the work.
Geraldine Rede & Violet Teague Night Fall in the Ti-Tree, 1905 PHOTO: Doug Spowart
I was surprised that no works from the origins of artists books were shown: books such as those by Picasso and Bonnard published by Ambroise Vollard and Daniel-Henry Kahnweiler in Paris in the early twentieth century. It could be because the library doesn’t hold them. A quick search of the SLNSW catalogue revealed Dingo, with drypoint etchings by Pierre Bonnard published by Vollard in 1924, but few others. I was pleased to see the inclusion of Night fall in the ti-tree (1905) by Violet Teague and Geraldine Rede with its delicate woodcuts, and its acknowledgement as the first Australian artists’ book.
Ed Rusha Every Building on the Sunset Strip, 1966 + Philip Quirk Oxford Street Profile, 2011 PHOTO: Doug Spowart
In a small way the exhibition demonstrates the limitations of the artists’ book collection at the SLNSW, which has not concentrated on its development until relatively recently. Most of the exhibited works have been created in the twenty-first century. There are few books published overseas, one being the fabulous version of the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam (1973) by the British artist Susan Allix. The Rubaiyat is a very popular subject for interpretation by artists. An important artist in the history of the artist’s book is American Edward Ruscha, an early exponent of the democratic multiple. He is represented by the concertina photobook Every building on the sunset strip (1966) which has had a huge influence on other artists who continue to create similar works. In this exhibition the book is unusually displayed fully extended to 7.5 metres and is shown with Oxford Street Profile (2011) documenting Oxford Street in Sydney by Australian photographer Philip Quirk. It only stretches to 7.33 metres. It was interesting to see Micky Allan’s early (in Australian terms) artist’s book My Trip (1976). Displayed open, a full facsimile of its newspaper format is also available for closer investigation.
Micky Allan My Trip, 1976
Dancing Over Dark Waters (2012), Howl for a Black Cockatoo (2015), and Phantomwise Flew the Black Cockatoo (2017), by Sue Anderson and Gwen Harrison, with Peter Lyssiotis writing the text for Dancing over dark waters, very impressive books all, are very similar materially and in subject. They could have been replaced by other works expanding the breadth of vision made available in the exhibition. Similarly, several artists are represented by more than one work when other artists and their ideas could have been embraced.
Deanna Hitti Towla, 2017
The exhibition includes some of my favourite artists books including Towla (2017) by Deanna Hitti, with the integral clamshell box creating a board for backgammon, the subject of the book. It is an intriguing book with instructions for backgammon phonetically translated using Arabic and Latin characters but with a twist. Arabic letters spell the instructions in English and Latin letters spell the instructions in Arabic. Some of the books in this exhibition have become my new favourites.
In Conclusion
Criticisms of some components of the exhibition are mere quibbles. In retrospect I could make many about my own exhibition in 2008. This is a fabulous exhibition, beautifully curated, wonderfully designed, and a rare opportunity for the public to experience the breadth and depth of the artists’ book. I hope it will introduce the magical world of artists’ books to a whole new audience in Sydney who will follow up with personal experiences with artists’ books in the library. I also hope that SLNSW will continue to support the art form in both acquisitions and exhibitions.
Helen Cole
March 14, 2026
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Judges: Helen Cole & Roger Butler with Clyde McGill PHOTO: Artspace Mackay
HELEN COLE: Brief Biography
Helen Cole is intimately acquainted with the world of artists’ books, including their collection and the opportunities and difficulties in presenting these artworks in a public context. Helen was the Arts and Rare Book librarian at State Library of Queensland for thirty years. During much of that time she was responsible for the development of the Library’s extensive Artists’ Books Collection. She has been significantly involved in the artists’ book discipline writing articles and making presentations at conferences. She has judged the Manly Artists Book Prize once and on two occasions judged the Libris Australian Artists’ Book Prize for Artspace Mackay. In 2008 she curated the SLQ exhibition Freestyle Books: Artists’ books from the collection. Helen also co-curated the Tales from the Lyrebird with Ron McBurnie for Artspace Mackay. Apart from her work developing public collections she has amassed a personal library of cherished books.
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OTHER PAPER UNIVERSE RESOURCES
DOWNLOAD: A list of all books in Paper Universe: Paper Universe Book List
DOWNLOAD: A catalogue of Didactic Information on Each Book: Paper Universe Exhibition Captions
DOWNLOAD: A Press Release of the exhibition: Paper Universe Media Release
We wish to acknowledge the courtesy extended to us by curator Maria Savvidis.
The Reflection text ©2026 Helen Cole
All photographs are by Helen Cole unless otherwise credited.
© is retained by all authors
All photographs have been digitally optimised by Doug Spowart.
Two views of th ‘Paper Universe’ entry concertina PHOTO: Helen Cole
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2025 MULLINS CONCEPTUAL PHOTOGRAPHY PRIZE
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2025 Mullins Conceptual Photography Priz
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2025 Mullins Conceptual Photography Prize
Muswellbrook Regional Art Centre 14 August – 11 October 2025
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The Mullins Conceptual Photography Prize seeks artist entities that challenge the viewer via the illustration of a concept rather than being merely illustrative or representational.
The work must be primarily photographic but not to the exclusion of mixed media and three dimensional objects.
The Australian Photographic Society’s Mullins Conceptual Photography Prize is a national $30,000 acquisitive prize that seeks to find Australia’s best conceptual photographic works. Finalists of the prize are exhibited annually at Muswellbrook Regional Arts Centre with the prize-winning work joining the Muswellbrook Shire Art Collection, and a collection of contemporary photographic works acquired through the Muswellbrook Photographic Award (1987 – 2014). Means of work presentation are unrestricted, inviting photographers to illustrate the intent of their works through a myriad of mediums.
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Antares Wells Assistant Curator MCA PHOTO: liya Cohen Headshots
ABOUT THE ADJUDICATOR (From the APS Instagram)
This year’s sole adjudicator is Antares Wells, Assistant Curator at the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia. Antares is a curator and writer with a specialisation in photography. Previously, she was Curator at the Powerhouse Museum, Sydney, and Curatorial Assistant in the Department of Photographs at the J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles.
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THE 30 FINALISTS (Selected from 366 entries)
Images supplied by the Mullins Conceptual Photography Prize. “Click” on the image to enlarge entry and to see maker and title.
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Antares Wells announces the Prize-cropped
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THE ADJUDICATOR’S ADDRESS AND PRIZE ANNOUNCEMENT
Good afternoon everyone, and thank you all for coming. It’s wonderful to see so many people here celebrating contemporary photography. My name is Antares Wells and I am Assistant Curator at the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia. It’s an honour to have been invited by the Australian Photographic Society to judge the 2025 Mullins Conceptual Photography Prize and I am thrilled to be here with you today. I’d like to acknowledge the Wonnarua people as the traditional custodians of the lands on which we are gathering tonight and I pay my respects to elders past, present and emerging.
This year’s Mullins Conceptual Photography Prize received hundreds of entries from across the country and I am delighted to have selected 30 finalists for this exhibition. The work presented here spans the breadth of contemporary photographic practice in Australia.
Artists Justine Roche, Nicholas Hubicki, Claire Paul and Isabella Capezio engage thoughtfully with the natural environment and its relationship to photography, presenting work that reflects a deep consideration of materials. Works by Carolyn Craig, Shea Kirk and David Rosetzky critically consider the body, desire and the self. Artists Mungo Howard, Angus Brown, Lisa Stonham and Annabelle McEwen mine the relationships between photography and other media, such as painting and sculpture, encouraging us to think critically about what a photograph is.
Works by Skye Wagner, Claudia Nicholson, Darron Davies and Callan Skimin reframe existing found and archival imagery, creating new image worlds in the process that harness the photograph’s associative power. Artists Jeremy Drape, Jessie Turner and Julie Purdie experiment with perception and the capacity of the lens to frame a world.
Works by Dylan Marriott, George Angelovski, Kathy Mackey, and Tamara Voninski experiment with colour and form, while artists Izabela Pluta and Yvette Hamilton consider sites of photographic history and practice through formally ambitious works. Finally, Miho Watanabe, Hilary Wardhaugh, Ali Tahayori, Lilah Benetti, and Minami Ivory explore memory, trauma, loss, and possible futures, in quietly affecting and powerful ways.
For those of you drawn to processes of technical experimentation, you are in for a treat. We have artists who are working in new ways with historical processes, such as salt prints, wet collodion and opalotypes; we have artists inventing new processes, such as ‘chemography’; and we have artists working critically with new technologies such as 3D printing, moulding, and Artificial Intelligence.
As you can imagine, with this group of finalists it was incredibly difficult to identify a winner, and I thank Elissa, Brian and Roger for their patience over the past 48 hours!
Johanna Ng – a woman wearing a choker is walking in a crowd, 2024
I am delighted to announce that the winner of the 2025 Mullins Conceptual Photography Prize is Johanna Ng, for her work a woman wearing a choker is walking in a crowd (2024). Drawn from her broader body of work every asian in sex and the city, Johanna’s work utilises screenshots of Asian extras in the TV show, often glimpsed in the background. Johanna writes in her statement: I “photographed the extras in new compositions” and then “fed these compositions through Google’s image-to-text and then text-to-image AI engines. Ultimately, an image of an Asian woman becomes ‘a woman’ and the text ‘a woman’ conjures the image of a white one.”
Johanna’s work is visually compelling and turns on its ability to make you stop, look, and then look again. There’s a dimensionality to it best experienced in person, which gives form to questions of visibility, erasure, and the biases structuring the image and text generation systems that are increasingly shaping how we see, think and behave. Congratulations, Johanna!
I am also pleased to award two works as Highly Commended:
Mungo Howard – Studio Window, 2025
Congratulations to Mungo Howard for his work Studio Window (2025), a beautiful work hovering somewhere between painting, sculpture and photography, turning on the power of introspection.
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Miho Watanabe – Awareness of Between-ness A Day After My Father’s Departure – Self-Portrait in His Room on His Chair, 2025
Congratulations to Miho Watanabe for his work Awareness of Betweenness: A Day after My Father’s Departure – Self-Portrait in His Room on His Chair (2025), a quietly affecting meditation on memory, grief and the passage of time.
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Congratulations to all of the finalists, and thank you again to Muswellbrook Regional Arts Centre and the Australian Photographic Society for having me as this year’s judge.
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The Adjudicator Antares Wells with the winning entry
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SOME DOCUMENTATION OF THE EXHIBITION OPENING EVENT
“Click” on the image to enlarge and see the caption.
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SPONSORS OF THE MCPP
The 2025 Mullins Conceptual Photography Prize is made possible by the Australian Photographic Society in partnership with the Muswellbrook Regional Arts Centre, and with the support of Bengalla Mining Company, MACH Energy, Malabar Coal, AGL Hunter, and Australian Photography Magazine.
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SEE OUR BLOG POST FOR THE
2023 MULLINS CONCEPTUAL PHOTOGRAPHY PRIZE
“Click” the link HERE
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POSTSCRIPT: THE WINNER JOHANNA NG VISITS EXHIBITION
Johanna Ng+Roger Skinner with Max Watters’ statue PHOTO: Andrew
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Mullins poster
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Adjudicator’s address ©Antares Wells
All photographs of the MCPP exhibition at the Muswellbrook Regional Art Centre are ©Doug Spowart
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2025 LIBRIS AWARDS Highly Commended to Cooper+Spowart book
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LIBRIS Website logo and image
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2025 LIBRIS AWARDS: THE AUSTRALIAN ARTISTS’ BOOK PRIZE
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Held biennially by Artspace Mackay the Libris Awards brings together artist book works by leading and emerging makers from across Australia. The awards celebrate the artform by providing a snapshot of the discipline at a particular time and place. Of the hundreds of submissions received this year 60 finalists were selected to compete for three award categories:
CATEGORY 1 – Daly Bay National Artists Book Award (acquisitive)
…………………– Daly Bay National Artists Book Award, Highly Commended (acquisitive)CATEGORY 2 – Cathy Knezevic Regional Artists Book Award (acquisitive)
CATEGORY 3 – Tertiary Artists Book Prize – an invitational award (acquisitive)
Award winning artists books are acquisitive and each Awards event build on the gallery’s nationally significant artist book collection.
ABOUT THE JUDGES (From the Awards website)
The 2025 Guest Judges were MARIAN MACKEN is a writer, researcher, educator, and artist trained in architecture, landscape architecture and visual art, and is currently Associate Professor at Te Pare School of Architecture and Planning, Waipapa Taumata Rau University of Auckland, New Zealand.
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ANA ESTRADA is a Brisbane-based socially engaged artist working in healthcare, exploring how art can be used to create safe spaces for dialogue. Her practice involves storytelling, photography, poetry, bookmaking, and, more recently, performance, all of which serve as crucial tools for voicing the experiences of aged care workers and residents.
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BEING PRESENT: Eight Acts – Image, Folders and clamshell
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The Cooper+Spowart entry in this year’s Awards was our book Being Present: Eight Acts which was recently presented in a framed format in the Wangaratta Performing Arts Gallery.
Our artist’s statement was:
Walking is integral to our creative practice and being present in everyday life. These journeys, both physical and psychological, are not driven by the necessity to arrive at a determined end point but to meander and be aware of the possibilities in each step. Walking and Being Present also refers to the concept creation in, and performative actions of material thinking in the making of our book works.
Through a combination of materials and book forms, ‘Being Present: Eight Acts’ invites the reader to enter each scene and join us on a slow walk through time, space and considerations of ‘being in the world’.
We were excited to be advised that the book was judged as ‘Highly Commended’ by the judges and acquired for the Artspace Mackay Collection. While unable to attend the Award presentation event we forwarded the following words that were read by Gallery Director Tracey Heathwood.
We are deeply honoured to receive the Daly Bay Highly Commended Award in this prestigious exhibition and award. The Libris Awards is an important event to the artist book community, and we are thrilled with the knowledge that our book will now be included in the highly acclaimed Artspace Mackay artists book collection.
‘Being Present: Eight Acts’ evolved over many months of deep questioning and material thinking. The concept of walking and performance through both the physical and psychological space of the book is deeply embedded in both the making and reading of this book. It is an invitation the reader to enter each scene and join us on a slow walk-through time, space and an awareness of being in the world.
We wish to thank the sponsors Daly Bay for their support and the continued commitment that Artspace Mackay makes to the artists book community. We also wish to thank the Judges who we have taken care and time to connect with all the amazing books that have been presented to them for this award.
Thank you
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THE 2025 AWARD WINNERS
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CATEGORY 1
WINNER Daly Bay National Artists Book Award (acquisitive)
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Jude Taggart Roberts Less than 2 degrees 2025
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Jude TAGGART ROBERTS Less than 2 degrees 2025
Drawing, relief print on Hosho with paperclay, 160.0 x 46.0 x 4.0cm (open).
Images courtesy of the artist and Artspace Mackay
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HIGHLY COMMENDED Daly Bay National Artists Book Award (acquisitive)
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COOPER+SPOWART Being Present – Eight Acts 2024
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Victoria COOPER and Doug SPOWART Being Present: Eight Acts 2024
Pigmented inks on photographic and art papers, edition of 3 + 1 AP, 31.0 x 22.0 x 3.5 cm
Images courtesy of the artists and Artspace Mackay
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CATEGORY 2
Cathy Knezevic Regional Artists Book Award (acquisitive)
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Karen Hurford & Natalie Field The Little Bird Compendium 2025
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Karen HURFORD and Natalie FIELD The Little Bird Compendium 2025
Mixed media, 19 x 27.0 x 13.0 cm. Images courtesy of the artists and Artspace Mackay
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CATEGORY 3
Tertiary Artists Book Prize – An invitational award (acquisitive)
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Megan Kennedy Hold Hands Spring Tide 2025
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Megan KENNEDY Hold Hands Spring Tide 2025
Mixed media, 20.0 x 22.0 x 4.0 cm (closed), 20.0 x 44.5 cm dimensions variable (open).
Images courtesy of the artist and Artspace Mackay
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The 2025 Libris Award: The Australian Artists’ Book Prize exhibition will be on display at Artspace Mackay until the 14th of September.
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LIBRIS Website logo and image
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WOTWEDID Blog page
READ MORE ABOUT OUR BEING PRESENT BOOK AND EXHIBITION: BEING PRESENT WOTWEDID BLOG POST 2024
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Libris Finalists Catalogue cover
DOWNLOAD AN ILLUSTRATED CATALOGUE HERE: 2025 Libris Finalists Catalogue
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Artspace Mackay website
FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT THE AWARD: THE LIBRIS WEBSITE
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WATCH THIS SPACE …
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ARTISTS BOOKS IN AUSTRALIA: The People+Events
Doug Spowart’s ARTISTS BOOK FAMILY Mosaic
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In July the artists book symposium ABBE 2025 took place at Artspace Mackay. A key theme of this event was the ‘mapping Australia’s artists book histories’ and in the extended brief for the conference there was the lament that while artists books in Australia had been broad and active there was a scant record of the history the discipline.
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Reference was made to the understated history of the two main texts Gary Catalano’s The Bandaged Image (1983) and Alex Selenitsch’s NGA published Australian Artists Books 2008, conferences such as those coordinated by Artspace Mackay, many unpublished PhD thesis and the ‘valiant attempts by journals’ that burn out after a few years.
‘Bring your stories, your artifacts, and your memories’ they said so I put forward a submission consisting of aspects of the visual record that I have been making over 22 years of the artists book scene. My submission was to be an illustrated presentation consisting of approximately 200 portraits of the people of the artists book discipline as well as a few events.
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Here is my submission rationale:
AN ARTISTS BOOK FAMILY ALBUM – A ‘paper’ by Dr Doug Spowart
“A family’s photograph album is generally about the extended family
and, often, is all that remains of it.”
Susan Sontag in On Photography 1977
Family archives are a profound thread connecting past, present, and future, serving as repositories of memory, identity, and history.
Photography is more than just a medium for capturing pictures—it is a lens through which we view and understand history. Its ability to document, provoke, and preserve moments in time has made it an indispensable tool for both personal and collective memory.
In this way photographs hold the power to evoke vivid recollections, introducing us to lost relatives and forgotten stories while anchoring us within a broader familial narrative. Yet, the fragility of these archives is striking — images tucked away on devices or in drawers risk being lost to time, their stories untold.
The passing of key family members often deepens this void, as context and meaning tied to people and events can vanish. Establishing and preserving a family archive becomes not just an act of personal curation but a legacy-building effort, ensuring that these visual fragments of memory remain accessible to future generations.
In an era where countless photos are taken but rarely saved, the challenge lies in collecting and annotating these fleeting moments. A taking them into lasting archives for some to have as a touchtone for memory, and for others to review and research. Maybe to tell the story for future eyes and minds of the books that were made, what events happened and who was there…
This paper will present an illustrated fragment of photographs of the artists book family taken by the author over a 20 years period.
Dr Doug Spowart
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This submission was accepted, and the presentation offered to attendees of the symposium, and later online as a movie via the Artspace website.
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A LINK TO THE YOUTUBE VIDEO ON DOUG SPOWART’s Channel: “CLICK IMAGE”
For BEST viewing quality select HD quality in the SETTINGS menu. NOTE: The full video is 12 minutes long.
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PRESENTER’S COMMENT from Doug Spowart
In curating these photographs I have focussed on selecting images from the broad artists book community and have not included many photographs from my collaborative practice with Victoria Cooper.
Every attempt has been made to ensure correct captions – Please advise of any errors or omissions. Thanks to Caren Florance, Helen Cole, Robert Heather and Adele Outteridge for their assistance with captions.
Victoria and I have provided commentary about the artists book and photobook disciplines for many years in our Blog, journals, events coordinated and lecture presentations.
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All photographs are Copyright Doug Spowart (Some by Victoria Cooper). The subject pictured, after contacting the copyright owner, may be able to use the portrait of themselves for non-commercial applications. Other usage may require negotiation of a fee.
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WHAT FOLLOWS IS A LIST OF ALL CAPTIONS IN THE VIDEO
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MABF 2017 National Gallery of Victoria
Deanna Hitti and Deidre Brollo @ MABF 2017 National Gallery of Victoria
‘Life’s Journey’ exhibition @ Redland Art Gallery, Cleveland 2012
Julie Barratt in her gallery at Alstonville 2011
Dianne Longley in her exhibition ‘Navigations’ at Barrett Galleries 2008
Tim Mosely in his exhibition Make Like An Eskimo 2012
grahame galleries opening of Lessons in History Vol. II – Democracy 2012
Heather Matthew and Stephen Spurrier @ grahame galleries opening of Lessons in History Vol. II – Democracy 2012
Monica Oppen and Jan Davis @ grahame galleries opening of Lessons in History Vol. II – Democracy 2012
Volume Art Book Fair, Artspace, Woolloomooloo, Sydney 2017
Helen Cole chairs presentations by Keith Smith and Scott McCarney State Library of Queensland 2012
Siganto Seminar: The Trouble with Artists’ Books SLQ 2013
Helen Cole –Siganto Seminar: The Trouble with Artists’ Books SLQ 2013
Noreen Graeme and Jan Davis – Siganto Seminar: The Trouble with Artists’ Books SLQ 2013
Hearsay book launch with Euan Mcleod, Ron McBurnie, Susi Muddiman & Lloyd Jones SLQ 2013
Jo Kambourian at Artists Books Flash Mob Survey Book event Grafton 2013
Catherine McCue Boes Books as art: 30 years in the making Bundaberg Regional Gallery 2014
George Paton Gallery, Artist’s Books (reprised) University of Melbourne 2014
International speaker Sarah Bodman presents a paper – Abbe 2015 Griffith University
International speaker Brad Freeman – Abbe 2015 Griffith University
Lyn Ashby – Abbe 2015 Griffith University
Convener Tim Mosely presenting – Abbe 2015 Griffith University
Books By Artists exhibition – Abbe 2015 Griffith University
Sue Anderson + Gwen Harrison Abbe 2015 Griffith University
Deidre Brollo with Christene Drewe + Helen Cole and Marian Crawford with Sarah Bodman
Abbe 2015 Griffith University
Penny Carey-Wells and Caren Florance Abbe 2015 Griffith University
Robyn Foster + Fiona Dempster and Angela Gardner Abbe 2015 Griffith University
Sheree Kinlyside and Impress Printmakers: Sue Poggioli + Jennifer Stuerzl Abbe 2015 Griffith University
Tim Mosely and Heather Matthew Abbe 2015 Griffith University
Adele Outteridge + Wim de Vos – Abbe 2015 Griffith University
Jo Kambourian and Darren Bryant at Lismore Art Space 2014
The SLQ White Gloves team Christene Drewe, Helen Cole and Jeanette Garrard for Abbe 2015
State Librarian Janette Wright welcomes attendees SLQ 2015
Brazillian artist Amir Brito Cadôr keynote presentation Siganto Foundation Artists’ Book Seminar 2015
Julie Barratt and Clyde McGill discusse their Siganto Foundation Creative Fellowship 2015
Jan Davis and Doug Spowart discuss their Siganto Foundation Creative Fellowship 2015
A forum on collaboration – Siganto Foundation Artists’ Book Seminar 2015
Judy Bourke and Adele Outteridge+Wim de Vos at the Siganto Foundation Artists’ Book Fair SLQ 2015
Clyde McGill and Anne Kirker and Sue Poggioli at the Siganto Foundation Artists’ Book Fair SLQ 2015
Helen Malone and Sandra Pearce at the Siganto Foundation Artists’ Book Fair SLQ 2015
Amir Brito Cadôr with Noreen Grahame & Helen Malone at the Siganto Foundation Artists’ Book Fair SLQ 2015
Helen Cole, Michael Wardell & Clyde McGill at the Siganto Foundation Artists’ Book Fair SLQ 2015
Dr Marie Siganto makes a presentation to Ana Paula Estrada and Victoria Cooper
PAPER CONTEMPORARY – Sydney Contemporary 2015
Grahame Galleries stand with Ron + Jonathan McBurnie at Paper Contemporary – Sydney Contemporary 2015
Victoria Cooper, Jan Davis and Trent Walter at Paper Contemporary – Sydney Contemporary 2015
Sue Anderson + Gwen Harrison and Brigita Oppen at Paper Contemporary – Sydney Contemporary 2015
Helen Cole, Akky van Ogtrop, Robyn Berkeley from Berkeley Editions and Victoria Cooper at
Paper Contemporary – Sydney Contemporary 2015
Fellow Travellers a book by William Kelly, SLV Creative Fellow and Baldessin Press Studio Residency recipient
Personal Histories International Artist Book Exhibition Uni of NSW Canberra 2015
Robyn Foster (Curator), Judy Bourke, Selena Griffith, Tracie Toohey, Rachel Hunter, Lisa Morisset –
Personal Histories International Artist Book Exhibition Uni of NSW Canberra 2015
Christene Drewe introduces UK artist Guy Begbie – The Siganto Foundation Fellowship artist book series 2016 SLQ
Guy Begbie presents his keynote address – The Siganto Foundation Fellowship artist book series 2016 SLQ
Victoria Cooper and Lyn Ashby presentations – The Siganto Foundation Fellowship artist book series 2016-7 SLQ
Helen Douglas presents her keynote address – The Siganto Foundation Fellowship artist book series 2017 SLQ
Clyde McGill performs his book and a White Gloves presentation of artists books
– The Siganto Foundation Fellowship artist book series 2016 SLQ
Freestyle Books exhibition curated by Helen Cole at the State Library of Queensland 2008
Freestyle Books Symposium with Ron McBurnie, Peter Lyssiotis, Judy Watson, Jonathon Tse and others
at the State Library of Queensland 2008
At the launch of Ana Paula Estrada’s book MEMORANDUM – Ana Paula with Louis Lim and Annette Green 2016
Visiting Wim de Vos and Adele Outteridge at Studio West End Brisbane 2017
Visiting the 2017 Festival of the Photocopier Zine Fair – Melbourne
David Dellafiora and Gracia Haby + Louise Jennison at the
2017 Festival of the Photocopier Zine Fair – Melbourne
Ulrike Stoltz & Uta Schneider international presenters at Artists book Brisbane Event Griffith University 2017
A K Milroy + Brad Freeman – presenters at Artists Book Brisbane Event Griffith University 2017
Marian Crawford and Ana Paula Estrada presents their papers
Artists Book Brisbane Event Griffith University 2017
Marian Macken presents at Artists Book Brisbane Event Griffith University 2017
Wim de Vos at Artists Book Brisbane Event Griffith University 2017
A plenary session on artists books at Artists Book Brisbane Event Griffith University 2017
Noreen Grahame in her curated exhibition “… & So” – Artists Book Brisbane Event Griffith University 2017
Barbara Davidson and Caren Florance at Artists Book Brisbane Event Griffith University 2017
Sue Poggioli and Anne-Maree Hunter at Artists Book Brisbane Event Griffith University 2017
Brad Freeman and Anita Milroy – Artists Book Brisbane Event Griffith University 2017
Lyn Ashby and Sue Anderson at Artists Book Brisbane Event Griffith University 2017
Anna Welch, Des Cowley and Madeleine Say at Ballarat International Foto Biennale
World Photobook Day Book Fair 2019
Helen Cole presents and a floortalk – The First Focus of Artists Books and the Libris Awards at Artspace Mackay 2004
Looking at books and the opening crowd – Focus of Artists Books and the Libris Awards at Artspace Mackay 2004
Bruno Leti workshop – Focus of Artists Books and the Libris Awards at Artspace Mackay 2004
Focus of Artists Books and the Libris Awards at Artspace Mackay 2005
Caren Florance, Sasha Grishin and Dianne Fogwell in the ANU exhibition at FOAB 2005
Unknown lady, Adele Outteridge, Madonna Staunton and Wim de Vos and Sasha Grishin FOAB 2005
Focus of Artists Books and the Libris Awards at Artspace Mackay 2006
Robert Heather welcomes attendees + Marshall Weber presents Focus of Artists Books at Artspace Mackay 2006
Katherine Nix workshop – Focus of Artists Books at Artspace Mackay 2006
The installation view of the 2008 Libris Awards
Michael Wardell welcomes attendees and a Forum at the 4th Focus on Artists Books event and
Judge Michael Desmon presents his address to the 2008 Libris Award
Clyde McGill’s foyer artwork FOAB 2028
Michael Desmond presents his lecture in the 4th Focus on Artists Books event
2008 FOAB some of the presenters McGill, Fogwell, Florance and Cooper
Focus on Artists Books V and the 5th Libris Awards 2010
Michael Wardell addresses the attendees – 2010 Libris Awards and 5th Focus on Artists Book event
2010 FOAB Deanna Hitti in her exhibition ‘Bint Trembucky (daughter of the drum)’
Caren Florance and David Dellafiora in their workshops – 5th Focus on Artists Book
Victoria Cooper with Judy Barrass and Linda Douglas – 5th Focus on Artists Book
Barbara Davidson and Caren Florance with Sheree Kinlyside of Red Rag Press – 5th Focus on Artists Book
Victoria Cooper with Monica Oppen and Sara Bowen (Book Art Object), Julie Barratt and Caren Florance
Visiting the 2016 Libris Artists Book Award
Visiting the 2016 Libris Artists Book Award
Denise Vanderlugt with her highly commended bookwork I used to wrap rainbows and Jamian Stayt’s
Soulless evolution 2016 Libris Artists Book Award
graeme galleries’ 5th Artists’ Books + Multiples Fair in the Dell Gallery Griffith University 2007
Monica Oppen and Michael Wardell with Doug Spowart
at graeme galleries’ 5th Artists’ Books + Multiples Fair in the Dell Gallery Griffith University
Helen Cole + Dianne Fogwell and Stephen Spurrier + Normana White
at graeme galleries’ 5th Artists’ Books + Multiples Fair in the Dell Gallery Griffith University
Victoria Cooper with Dianne Longley and Anne-Maree Hunter
at graeme galleries’ 5th Artists’ Books + Multiples Fair in the Dell Gallery Griffith University
12th Edition Noosa Artists Book event ‘Back to Basics’ 2008
Southern Cross University Acquisitive Artists Book Award 2006
Southern Cross University Acquisitive Artists Book Award 2007
Southern Cross University Acquisitive Artists Book Award judged by Robert Heather 2008
Judge Tara O’Brien announces the winner – Southern Cross University Acquisitive Artists Book Award 2009
Southern Cross University Acquisitive Artists Book Award 2011 – Judge Ross Woodrow
Peter Lyssiotis is his studio 2014
Ana Paula Estrada presenting her Mexican photobook collection in Maud Gallery, Brisbane 2017
Keith Smith and Scott McCarney in a workshop at West End Studios Brisbane 2006
Deanna Hitti’s exhibition of the book ‘A is for Alam (pen)’ at the State Library of Victoria 2022
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70 YEARS of the BENALLA CAMERA CLUB – An Exhibition
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VISIONS: Photographing Benalla and Beyond
An exhibition celebrating the 70th Anniversary of the Benalla Camera Club at the Benalla Art Gallery October 15 – December 8 2024
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In early 2024 we were invited by the Benalla Camera Club to participate on the organising team of an exhibition that celebrated the Club’s 70th anniversary of its founding in 1954. From October to December this year the club’s showcase was to be held in the Simpson Gallery space of the Benalla Art Gallery. As members of the club, we were excited to be able to contribute to the project through our knowledge and experience of exhibition production.
The team included artist Kym Stubbs, digital designer and technician Mike O’Connor, Club Treasurer and club historian Judy Barry and the two of us. At the beginning of the project the team met with Benalla Art Gallery Director Eric Nash to discuss the gallery’s requirements and process for the exhibition. Meetings of the committee, and at times included Eric, continued at regular intervals throughout the project.
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The Team – Benalla Camera Club VISIONS exhibition
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Early in the project we presented a suggested layout that included a large image mosaic around 7 metres long for one wall, a large projected image screen, a showcase of equipment and a timeline. To make for a dynamic experience for viewers in the centre space of the gallery, team member Kym suggested 3D sculptural collections of boxes with images affixed to them.
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Proposal and final install of Visions Exhibition
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The key theme was to celebrate the club’s current membership while highlighting references to, and stories from, the past 70 years. Concepts and ideas were refined and the exhibition gradually took shape to be an innovative and contemporary display. Special challenges were set for Mike experimenting methods for ganging images together for the montage mural and the printing of images for the boxes. Kym experimented with sizes and arrangements for the boxes and their placement in the gallery space. She also sourced a local manufacturer to make the boxes and then, with fellow club member Helen Repacholi, painted and prepared the boxes. The Gallery already had engaged a local master printer Marty Burke Signs for the adhesive backed vinyl wall mural and other didactic panels. Apart from general project coordination our task was to collate and prepare a timeline from information supplied by the club historian Judy.
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A section of the Visions montage
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Images by current club members were to be presented in the exhibition in many formats. The largest was a photographic montage 8 metres long featuring 44 images. A further 80 images appear on Kym Stubbs’ boxes with around 44 images, and an early movie, in digital projection slide show – all of which were collected and assembled by Mike O’Connor. Kym and Mike collaborated on the selection of image sets for the boxes.
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THE INSTALL
In the days before the opening the camera club team members along with Eric and the Gallery team worked to install the exhibition.
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THE OPENING
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The exhibition was opened on October 18, 2024 by the club Vice President Noel Baumgarten, with other speeches by Dom Testoni CEO Benalla Rural City Council, and Eric Nash Director of the Benalla Art Gallery.
In his introductory remarks at the opening Gallery Director Eric was to make the following comments –
Exhibitions such as this are incredibly important as they speak directly to the diversity and vibrancy of Benalla’s artistic community; those who pursue their artform with passion and dedication. In doing so these creative members of our community are not only benefitting personally, but they are enriching our entire region. And what an incredible thing that the Benalla Camera Club has been doing this for our community for 70 years! A round of applause please everyone on an incredible milestone.
And I think it’s wonderful within this exhibition that we can not only celebrate some stunning images by current members, but also through the illustrated timelines gain an appreciation of the full scale of those changes; stretching back to 1954 when the Club staged competitions centered on Kodachrome film, and 16, 8 and 35mm black and white film, to an adoption in recent years of the online platform MyPhotoClub for the administration, judging, and presentation of photo competitions.
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THE TIMELINE EXHIBITION COMPONENT
Our task was to resolve the Timeline component of the exhibition. We worked to find ways to incorporate the great volume of text material collated by Judy that had been sourced from local newspaper clippings from the Benalla Ensign and club reports. We selected three time periods to generally represent the eras of photographic practice over the 70 years: 1954–1969, 1970–1999 and 2000–2024. To present the information from each era in a visually interesting way we fed the gathered texts relating to that period into a ‘word cloud’ app. The resulting graphic created by the app was a circular design where the size of each word was determined by the number of times it appeared in the text.
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Timeline word cloud for 1970-1999
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An additional element to the Timeline was a succinct history of photography over the 70 years highlighting changes and transitions in technology and the change from analogue (film) to digital capture and output. Here’s a sample of this text from 1970-1999.
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“TOWARDS A PHOTOGRAPHIC TIMELINE FROM THE 1970s to the 1990s – A Brief Commentary
ART MOVEMENTS AND APPROACHES TO MAKING PHOTOGRAPHS: Pictorialism (popular in camera clubs), Modernism and Post-Modernism, Documentary and Art – the foundation of the Australian Centre for Photography
PHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGING TECHNOLOGY: Analogue along with digital technology development of digital imaging and output in the 1990s
IMAGING DEVICES: Analogue camera brands with new digital still and movie cameras in the 1990s including Kodak, Sigma, Sony, Samsung, Canon, Nikon, Pentax and Fuji
CAPTURE MATERIALS: Analogue materials persisted although in the late 1990s digital emerged as the dominant technology. Flatbed and film scanners created opportunities to bring analogue materials into the digital space
PRESENTATION TECHNOLOGIES: Prints, projectors for slides and movies were gradually replaced by digital projectors with screens and speakers
SPECIALISED TECHNOLOGY: Darkrooms became redundant and were replaced by computers and digital imaging programs like Adobe Photoshop. Inkjet printing with desktop devices began to replace professional laboratories. In the 1990s the Internet became the medium for sharing and disseminating digital files”.
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Benalla Camera Club Timeline 1954-1979
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An additional Timeline element were small quotes from the newspapers that describe the activities of the club at that time …
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(CLICK ON EACH TEXT BLOCK TO ENLARGE)
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IN CONCLUSION
It was exciting to be part of the team that created this innovative presentation of the Benalla Camera Club. Importantly the exhibition presents the visual record in many photographic styles from artistic representation to documentary, and abstract to natural history recording. As photography enthusiasts the club members are a part of a world-wide community. Through personal expression and creativity, they provide visual statements of the times in which they lived and stories of their community. Their manifesto states:
“Today our club continues to explore expanding opportunities for photography. As well as creating images of the world around us, we pursue a range of techniques and photo-making experiments to capture the world beyond the scope of the human eye. We can be found with camera in hand at every community occasion. Through our regular club competitions, activities and excursions, we work to share our knowledge, skills and experience of the art and craft of photography with the wider community. (From the Gallery didactic)
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Congratulations Benalla Camera Club and their members on their 70 years of operation – we look forward to seeing the Club thrive in the next 70 …
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Victoria Cooper+Doug Spowart
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More Information About the Benalla Camera Club
The Benalla Camera Club is a local club, with current membership of approximately 30 active photographers. The Club meets monthly for photo competitions, workshops, activities and outings. Anyone interested in photography is welcome to attend meetings and learn more about the Club, which caters to all photographers from beginner to advanced. To learn more or become involved, visit: www.benalla.myphotoclub.com.au
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COOPER+SPOWART “BEING PRESENT” and Perform Eight Acts
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Wangaratta Art Gallery Webpage
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THE STORY ABOUT THE WORK
A long-term underlying driver of our creative practice both individual and collaborative is linked to a philosophy of Being Present. Our work responds to a variety of conditions and influences including historical that relate to the contemporary experience of a place, space and time.
This bookwork and exhibition is the culmination of work started in December last year when we were offered a show by the Wangaratta Art Gallery Director Rachel Arndt in the Wangaratta Performing Arts Centre (WPAC). Very early in the project, Arndt selected the image of Doug walking along the Wooli Wooli River to be the featured image. This image holds a lot of meaning for us as it is emblematic of our long journey along many paths following new directions in our creative and personal life.
In the WPAC space we could only present framed work as a requirement for the organisation due to the complexity of presenting off the wall art in that public space. As our medium is artists books and photobooks with wall art to support the concept, we were then confronted with the dilemma of how to present an exhibition that was potentially an artists book. We forged ahead, confident that this would be resolved as we materially worked through the project.
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Ovens River Wangaratta
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Following on from recent work in the nearby Winton Wetlands (Mokoan) and our Desire Paths series of books, we began the project by exploring tracks within the local place of Wangaratta, the Ovens River and the Warby Ranges.
During this time we also returned to the place of the Wooli River walk in northern NSW where we further developed the conceptual and creative work.
At this time we identified and drew upon a connection to the exhibition space as a site that related to our practice that involves self-documentation as a performative exploration of each concept.
The book was now taking shape as a series of Eight Acts that brought together our physical and psychological documentation together with the concepts of performance. As Arndt highlights in the exhibition didactic our work is:
… not driven by the necessity to ‘arrive’ at a determined end point, but instead guided by a shared philosophy of ‘being present’ – to meander and be aware of the possibilities in each step. Attuned to the sounds of birds, the texture or shape of a tree, an abstract form or shadow, or a poetic thought, they will stop and take time to observe and document these moments, each pause a metaphorical and visual conversation between time, place and being-in-the-world.
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Being Present: 8 Acts installation
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Presented as a series of eight ‘Acts’, Cooper and Spowart’s new body of work explores the psychological and corporeal insights of their walking practice. Their performative actions are captured through the making and reading of a book, with each framed work presenting one page turned and exposed, while another is hidden below. Just as one leg steps forward, the other remains behind in shadow. The ground, or their mise-en-scene, bringing situational significance.
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4 images of Angophora Grove Walk showing different aspects of the book
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We designed the book so that each ‘Act’ offers an engaging haptic reading experience through unfolding the pages. In the exhibition space we were unable to show the book, therefore to give viewers an opportunity to see it in its entirety we made videos performing each ‘Act’ folio. Visitors to the exhibition can access these high definition videos via QR codes on the didactic panel next to each frame. We will also be presenting the book at specified times during the exhibition’s 3 month duration.
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Being Present: Eight Acts book and clamshell
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HERE ARE THE EIGHT ACTS
ACT ONE – The fourth path
ACT 1 – The fourth path – Wooli Wooli River
TO VIEW A VIDEO PERFORMANCE of this ACT “Click” HERE
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ACT TWO – Angophora Grove Walk
ACT 2 Angophora Grove Walk, Yuraygir National Park
TO VIEW A VIDEO PERFORMANCE of this ACT “Click” HERE
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ACT THREE – Walking the Fenceline
ACT 3 Walking the fenceline – Sunrise Track, Warby Ranges
TO VIEW A VIDEO PERFORMANCE of this ACT “Click” HERE
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ACT FOUR – Walking Through the Thickness …
ACT 4 Walking through the thickness of sound – Ovens River, Wangaratta
TO VIEW A VIDEO PERFORMANCE of this ACT “Click” HERE
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ACT FIVE – In the Presence of a Tree
ACT 5 In the presence of a tree – Lake Catani, Mount Buffalo National Park
TO VIEW A VIDEO PERFORMANCE of this ACT “Click” HERE
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ACT SIX – The Meeting Circle
ACT 6 The meeting circle – Ovens River, Wangaratta
TO VIEW A VIDEO PERFORMANCE of this ACT “Click” HERE
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ACT SEVEN – Portal, The Great South-West Walk
ACT 7 Portal – The Great South-West Walk, Glenelg River
TO VIEW A VIDEO PERFORMANCE of this ACT “Click” HERE
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ACT EIGHT – Taking Flight, Boroka Lookout
ACT 8 Taking flight – Boroka Lookout, Gariwerd National Park
TO VIEW A VIDEO PERFORMANCE of this ACT “Click” HERE
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THE ARTISTS’ EPILOGUE TO THE BEING PRESENT BOOK
Throughout the development of this project, we have been informed by, and acted on, insights arising from both the physical: walking and corporeal contemplation; and the psychological: metaphorical and poetic connections with our surroundings.
Being Present is a philosophy that resonates throughout our creative careers and everyday life – underpinning our past, and as we navigate new paths.
The performance and creation of the eight ACTS has set the stage for future visual books to share, through the haptics of reading and visual metaphors, a deep connection with narratives of place.
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THE MAKING OF THE BOOK
This body of work was first exhibited as a book in frames in Wangaratta Art Gallery’s exhibition space at the Performing Arts Centre in August to December 2024.
The book was resolved, printed and bound in our Bridge Street Studio in Benalla.
Being Present: Eight Acts is printed on an Epson printer with pigment inks on Epson Velvet Fine Art Paper and Zerkall printmaking papers and bound in Stonehenge covers, with Kozo Kawairi interleaved papers and waxed linen thread.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We wish to thank Rachel Arndt, Director of the Wangaratta Art Gallery for the opportunity for us to conceptualise, develop and create a new body of work that relates to the continuing theme in our work – Being Present.
We wish to thank Dr Felicity Rea for the access given to her family retreat at Wooli where we worked on this project. We also wish to acknowledge her continuing commentary and support of our work.
Thanks also to Cassandra Pollack for her knowledge and companionship along the Ovens River walk.
Thanks to Remy at She’s Arty in Benalla for the framing of the exhibition.
We also acknowledge the First Nations as the traditional custodians of the Country on which we have travelled through and worked. We respect their deep and enduring connection to their lands and waterways and recognise that sovereignty was never ceded.
We honour and respect their ancestors, Elders past, present and emerging and the continuation of cultural, spiritual and educational practices of all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
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Victoria Cooper + Doug Spowart
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WATCH THIS SPACE …
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VISITING GRAFTON REGIONAL GALLERY: June 2024
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Regional Art Galleries exhibitions and events not only say a lot about the culture of a local community but they also provide a connection to the broader national and international world of art. These institutions are places where locals can engage with and present their stories and celebrate their creative spirits. This experience is not one that a capital city can provide – it is unique to the regional gallery and arts centre. It also provides an opportunity for local artists to be located or acknowledged within the broader art community. The Grafton Regional Gallery is one of these galleries.
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When visiting this region we always make time to see what is showing at the gallery and the current exhibitions were again full of interesting stories and creative work. The entrance to the front of the gallery and information centre is on the ground floor of historic Prentice House[1] . In these front rooms there is a wonderful show of botanical drawings and paintings by local artist, Doris O’Grady. O’Grady’s art can be appreciated for the aesthetics and taxonomic work she made from her collection during the mid 20th Century.
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Doris O’Grady “Mushrooms” exhibition
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Interestingly the place where we are staying in this region had some strange fungi growing in the garden about which we were curious. Amongst Doris’ paintings was the very same fungus we had seen that morning in the front garden! O Grady’s work in emblematic of the blurred lines between art and science. Where the scientist or naturalist creates interpretive aesthetic drawings of their beloved subject for both further investigation and display.
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The Mush Room Family Play Space with soft sculptures by Antony Perring, Design and education by Bush Fairy animations by Clara Lagor (USA) and Emma Scarth (Canada)
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Across the courtyard the newer second part of the gallery, we encountered a magical space inventively named, The Mush Room. Here artists and designers have playfully created a space of soft sculptures, a video and didactic wall panels. There is also an interactive drawing and sculpture for the young at heart to investigate fungi and environmental themes by creating their own work and adding leaf elements to adorn the wooden tree shapes.
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In the next gallery spaces, mushrooms and fungi feature again within a larger exhibition of prints and an artists book, The Printer’s Proof: The Fred Genis Collection. Genis over his long career as a master printmaker collaborated with many nationally and internationally renowned artists including John Cage, Robert Rauschenberg, Tim Storrier, Judy Watson and Brett Whiteley.
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There is a huge diversity of themes and work, the Mushroom Book by John Cage is a main feature. Pages from the book are displayed between Perspex to allow the viewer to see both sides of the pages and connect with the books conceptual design incorporating lyrical texts and visual elements. The bound book was displayed in a vitrine adjacent with some archive documents of the production and sale.
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Artists Proof is a comprehensive exhibition bringing together a history of art and printmaking, the artists and studios. It is an exhibition that would appeal to many particularly those wanting to touch with the practice of Genis and his contemporary colleagues. There is the potential for many discussions around the individual works as objects and concepts, of and for their time in art.
We will return to the gallery as to fully engage with the depth of these exhibitions will take more than one visit.
Victoria Cooper
[1] For more history see https://galleryfriends.com.au
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Grafton Regional Gallery
June 2024
Exhibitions, 11 May to 7 July 2024
Doris O’Grady: Mushrooms
The Mush Room
The Printer’s Proof: The Fred Genis Collection
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All photographs by Doug Spowart Text by Victoria Cooper
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A Poem for Dad on ANZAC DAY – Victoria Cooper
Reg Cooper’s WW2 PNG Butterfly collection*
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My father Reg Cooper served in the Royal Australian Air Force in Papua New Guinea in World War II. During this time he made this work by collecting butterflies and placing them over a map of PNG and framing. It is entitled “Nadzab 1944” – where he was stationed.
Remembering small shared moments of joy for the natural world.
Many of which no longer exist but for a museum of memories.
With gratitude to my father
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Pneumas
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Flashes of colour
Flutter across the wall
The souls of the warriors
Fly over
The sublime terrain
While pinned
To a never ending present
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Years pass
This man
Tends a distant garden
Preparing a fertile space
In anticipation for the end of dormancy
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And so the decades
They fly
This man and a small child
Tend the garden
With humility in everyday work
Merging into a gentle rhythm
No expectations
Just joy in the flowers
That simply grow
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But the Butterflies
Remain
Souls Hovering
Over that memory
What do they know
About Time…..
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Eventually
The child alone
Tends the garden
Now a field
Rich with Dreams
Of Flowers
And Forests
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All this …
For The Butterflies
To breathe
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Vicky and her Dad Reg …circa 1960s
*Pneuma (πνεῦμα) is an ancient Greek word for “breath“, and in a religious context for “spirit” or “soul“.[1]
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This Blogpost is copyright: Text – Victoria Cooper ©2020, Nadzab 1944 © Reg Cooper, Portrait of Victoria & Reginald Cooper – Helen Cooper ©circa1960
Any RSS reposting from this Blog without permission represents a breach of Copyright.
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JULIE MILLOWICK’s ‘Surrounding’– Intrinsically Local
Continuing Drought El Nino year – Julie Millowick with son Christian McArdle at Crocodile Reservoir PHOTO: Courtesy of the artist
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SURROUNDING
The beauty of Central Victoria’s landscape in tumult and recovery
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An exhibition by Julie Millowick at Castlemaine Art Museum
CAM – Surrounding Julie Millowick
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“Photography is my life; it is the very core of my being”
Julie Millowick
Surrounding is an exhibition by Julie Millowick surveying her lived experience over 36 years in Fryerstown, Victoria. Over time this celebrated documentary and commercial photographer, driven by a curious and creative mind, has created a photographic archive both cataloguing her visual inquiry and providing a chronicle of her life within this place. Millowick’s work is multifaceted where the poetic and psychological is interconnected with an almost scientific aesthetic thus sharing deep insights into the land that has both nourished and challenged her.
The curator, Jenny Long, has written a sensitive and informative essay for the book Surrounding that accompanies the exhibition. Long discusses Millowick’s process and conceptual thinking along with observations to provide background and framework for the viewer to consider this extensive project. Along with the book there is promotional material and didactics that proposes the exhibition will ‘show us the devastating effects of mining, drought, flood and invasive plants, but also remind us of the interconnectedness that links all parts of this ecosystem including its human occupants.’ And that there is a, ‘capacity for renewal … that offers a spark of hope for the future.’
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Surrounding House and domestic installation PHOTO: Supplied by the artist
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In the first gallery space, the ‘house and domestic’ body of work is presented as twenty-three individual framed works including an 1870s photograph an original owner, Mrs King, standing outside the home. In this work Millowick’s subject matter includes botanical still-life works, images of the detritus of past inhabitants unearthed in the house grounds and there is also a large print of a section of a house wall interior etched with the marks of habitation and the patina of age. Images of washing drying on the clothesline refer to the domestic space of the past and present habitation of this home. Far from being prosaic records of domesticity, the photographs of the washing have an ethereal perhaps even ghostly appearance.
Washing in Horse Paddock pinhole image 1996 PHOTO: Courtesy of the artist
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There is also a kind of haunting in the walls and surrounds of the house, which continues through the shadowy and dramatically lit scenes of this exhibition. The appearance of a selectively illuminated tree branch or the enchanted presence of Millowick’s horse Goldie, imbues the place with a mythical spirit that beckons the viewer to follow into the mysterious dark forest.
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Contrasted with a sense of wonder and fairy tale mystery, Millowick’s work is also deeply grounded in the reality of place, which is as sharp and unadorned as the land itself. In the larger exhibition space, there are groupings of unframed images that explore both topographical and psychological aspects of specific spaces and themes including mine sites, the Castlemaine Diggings National Heritage Park, ecological thinning, the Crocodile Reservoir Drought and horse paddock. A constant subject for Millowick is her son Christian whose activities are documented in many of these themes. images within the groups are placed together to form clues and evidences that suggest larger narratives. It is also interesting to consider the installations as visual representations of the conversation between artist and curator piecing together the rich collection of work and the resonance or dissonance between images and concepts.
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Invasive Thistles 2002 Lumen print by Julie Millowick
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Goldie, 34 year old horse 2009 PHOTO: Julie Millowick
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Horse Paddock Post Goldrush Uniform Regrowth PHOTO: Julie Millowick
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Fryerstown, Isolation, Lockdown, Orchard, Chinese Pistachiola Tree, last moments before midnight on 21 October, and first moFryerstown, Isolation, Lockdown, Orchard, Chinese Pistachiola Tree, last moments before midnight on 21 October, and first moments on 22 October PHOTO: Julie Millowick
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Original Cottage Wall with introduced Invasive Blackberry 2023 PHOTO: Julie Millowick
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Fryers Diggings, Sluicing, Heron’s Reef 2023 PHOTO: Julie Millowick
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Crocodile Reservoir 2006 PHOTO: Julie Millowick
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Drowned Kangaroo PHOTO: Julie Millowick
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Lumen Buried Paper Under Blackberry Bush by Julie Millowick
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Castlemaine Diggings National Heritage Park Cherry Ballart 2022 PHOTO: Julie Millowick
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A photographer with less time moving over the space would document the superficial surface of things and create a record time-locked to when they were there. Millowick has set for herself the challenge of distilling a life of experience of time and place by using her comprehensive knowledge of photographic techniques* that, when combined with personal vision, can present to the viewer something deeper. As Millowick explores the environment or found objects, she reveals deeper layers and meanings through her experimentation with the visual language of each process and technique. The depth and complexity of this work tells of the unwavering commitment to her art, the community and the environment.
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Image grouping
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When introducing Julie Millowick at a recent artist’s talk about her exhibition the Gallery Director Naomi Cass described her as a ‘Localist’. ‘Localist’ is indeed an appropriate term not only for the work in this exhibition but also for Millowick’s continued photographic activity in the community. As a localist Millowick’s activity is part of the growing contemporary global movement for living locally and telling local stories particularly since the impacts of the Covid Pandemic. As it was 36 years in the making, this exhibition could only be just a fragment of Millowick’s creative visual documentation of her surroundings and community. Further digging or mining of her extensive archive will potentially reveal new perspectives and meanings on these powerful local stories of her place. Surrounding is just a beginning, there are so many other stories yet to be told …
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A commentary on the exhibition by Victoria Cooper and Doug Spowart
Surrounding was part of the PHOTO2024 program
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Surrounding – the book
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P.S. The Surrounding exhibition is complemented by an illustrated book copies of which can be purchased from Castlemaine Art Museum or directly from Julie Millowick
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IMAGES FROM THE IN CONVERSATION EVENT | Julie Millowick and Kyla McFarlane
Sunday 10 March, 11:30am — 12:30pm
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* Photographic techniques that Julie Millowick employed in the exhibition include – pinhole photography, lumen printing, added lighting (painting-with-light), double exposure, cyanotypes, out-of-focus capture, re-photography, progressive sequencing, documentary and personal narrative.
We wish to thank Julie Millowick and congratulate her on the exhibition and for the images of her photographs and the exhibition installation. Photographs of the IN CONVERSATION event were by Doug Spowart.
Castlemaine Art Museum is a member of the Public Galleries Association of Victoria
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This site is archived by PANDORA, Australia National Library’s Web Archive
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A GALAXY OF ART: Visiting 10 Victorian Regional Art Galleries in December 2023
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The regional gallery provides worlds of new experiences and inspiration for all visitors and locals. It is a hub for the building of culture and identity for both the very young and old. The regional gallery or arts centre is a uniquely dynamic and generative space that energises and underpins the soul of each community.
Victoria Cooper
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We planned our journey from northern Victoria to a coastal town in the extreme south west corner of the state for a beach holiday – Little did we know it would turn out to be a galactic journey into the rich cosmos of Victorian Regional Galleries in Victoria.
This Blog post is an illustrated and conversational report of our travels, the galleries visited and the amazing exhibitions witnessed.
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In preparing this post we wish to acknowledge and show our support of the current call for action by the Public Galleries Association of Victoria – PUBLIC GALLERIES: OUR CREATIVE HEART.
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Our Creative Heart is a campaign by the Public Galleries Association of Victoria, sharing the role and value of galleries to local communities and highlighting why greater investment from the Victorian Government is vital to sustaining these cultural hubs … Without significant change, art collections worth some $4 billion will deteriorate, community stories will disappear, gallery professionals will burn out, and millions of Victorians will miss out on access to a vibrant local visual arts culture. [From the PGAV website]
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Our first stop was Ballarat on the lands of Wadawurrung Traditional Owners. Where we met a friend and colleague for a coffee at the Art Gallery of Ballarat. New exhibitions had been installed since we were there in October and instead of the short visit we had planned we were drawn into a stellar show of works that took us into another dimension of experience and creative works.
We were deeply moved by the work of Tamara Bekier, Between Worlds, on show in the main gallery. It was wonderful to see some of our friends work on show in Whereabouts: Printmakers Respond. We also had a deep synergy with a specially curated show on the concept of artists in work and life partnerships, Significant Others.
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.We travelled to Ararat, also on Wadawurrung. Our trip plan was to spend two nights camping on Gariwerd, the Grampians National Park, BUT rain and bitterly cold weather for summer made us retreat to a motel in Ararat – So we day tripped to see some nature … at Halls Gap we overheard a couple talking about how cold they were at the campsite.
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Gariwerd Grampians National Park (Diptych) PHOTO:Cooper
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We felt happy that we decided to stay as we now had time to visit the Ararat Gallery – Textile Art Museum Australia (TAMA). Walking into the gallery just before closing, we found ourselves in yet another world with no time to discover what this gallery had to offer. So the next day we went back to the gallery to explore the rich history of Australian ceramics on show, SIXTY: The Journal of Australian Ceramics 60th Anniversary 1962–2022. Also on show was, Overlay, by Cara Johnson residing on and responding to the Otways hinterland, Gadubanud country. The next day we returned to the TAMA as part of our journey through the unknown territories of the crater lakes district.
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Next we headed towards the coast for a stop at Warrnambool. This was our first connection with the beach for some time – the last being 6 months ago in northern NSW. It was far too windy to sit on the beach and have a sumptuous fish and chip lunch (straight out of the paper wrapping), so we huddled in a sheltered spot.
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It was part of the itinerary to visit the Warrnambool Art Gallery. After walking through a makers market on the front lawn of the gallery we then entered into a completely magical space filled with the work of Mirka Mora and Lisa Gorman, To breathe with the rhythm of the heart. Then, as we visited the second gallery, we felt like we were entering a dark side of the human psyche with the show, Structures of Feeling, connecting the dark paintings of Albert Tucker and Paul Yore’s mixed media work commenting on social issues. The current director Aaron Bradbrook curated both shows. A third exhibition space presented the exhibition Maar Nation Made featuring First Nations works. These shows transported us into the wormhole of those artists’ creative minds and psychological spaces – far from the reality of a beach resort town.
Sadly we had to pull ourselves from the gravitas of these amazing shows, as we needed to get to Port Fairy for the night.
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Port Fairy Monument
Exploring Port Fairy we encountered a monument that reminded us of the presence of First Nations and the conflicts that still need to be acknowledged along with their stories and deep connection to the country. The monument commemorates the Eumeralla Wars, which were violent encounters between British colonists and Gunditjmara Peoples in this region of Victoria.
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Continuing our look around Port Fairy connection with art continued. How could we not do an orbit around the ancient volcano crater, Tower Hill to search for the Eugene von Guérard view? The painting by von Guérard from this viewpoint has been influential in the restoration of this site. At the lookout a weathered image of the painting remains on a plaque fixed to a boulder.
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BOTTOM IMAGE: Eugene von Guerard “Tower Hill” 1855 and TOP: Photo by Doug Spowart 2023
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After our epic journey, we finally landed in Nelson for a three day suspended animation to refuel, rest and consider the natural world – the Glenelg River, The Great South West Walk and the beach …
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From the outer limits of the Victorian Universe at Nelson we then plotted our return via an unchartered route to explore new territory and a rare and beautiful display of art at Hamilton Gallery and their latest exhibition Emerging From Darkness, a collaboration with the National Gallery of Victoria.
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When we arrived at the gallery we were able to participate in an informative session about the Baroque artworks in this extraordinary and astronomical exhibition – the scale of which is rarely seen in the regional Australia. We felt that visitors to this gallery could consider that they have been ‘beamed’ into a European gallery as they ascend the grand staircase to the main exhibition. The work on show went beyond oil painting and drawings as it also included musical instruments, ceramics and a large tapestry. The walls are painted richly and the art theatrically lit to add to the sensual and intellectual experience of this important exhibition showcasing the creative life of the Baroque.
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Moving on from Hamilton we glided past constellations of paddocks, forests and small pockets of native bushland until we came into land at the Victorian town of Maryborough. The sensitive restoration of a former fire station has created the Central Goldfields Art Gallery, which has become a cultural hub for the community, local children and their extended families. On show were three exhibitions and activities, which included a contemporary and strident VCE Student art exhibition and a creative workshop with children. That day we had traveled the span of art from the celestial history to the living ground of community.
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As we near the end of our journey we visited the Castlemaine Art Gallery & Museum. After we entered the gallery through its stunning art deco facade we spent time in an interesting group of exhibitions. The first, Stonework, was a thoughtful curation of material from their art and museum collection. In the back gallery there was the 2023 Experimental Print Prize that brought a different dimension to the traditional art experience.
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Next day we track our route to the Bendigo Art Gallery. As with Ballarat, this significant gallery was established from the profits of the 19th century gold rush and continued through philanthropy. It cannot be experienced as a quick flyby as there are a many galleries. On show was First Nations Photography, Essays on Earth, the 2023 Arthur Guy Memorial Painting Prize and works from the extensive collection.
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The diverse astral phenomenon of the Victorian Regional Gallery continues even after we have landed home again. We ascended the curved elevated path that leads up to the main entrance of the Benalla Art Gallery as it floats serenely beside the lake. Inside was a world of activity, three galleries with a diverse ecosystem of contemporary art. Alongside a curated show of 20th century work from the gallery’s Bennett Bequest collection to a contemporary art experience of Gonketa’s Moving Forward and Mark Dober’s plein air paintings in Wetlands.
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The next day we headed off to Shepparton Art Museum, on the unceded lands of the Yorta Yorta Nations. The architecture of this gallery is quite contemporary and stands in the landscape much like a landed sleek metal and glass space ship. After negotiating the revolving doors we climbed the formidable staircase to each the three floors. In side each of the climate controlled galleries with their typical high walls to lofty ceilings were collections of many forms of art: from the talented local to prominent European and Australian artists.
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Not far from us is the town of Wangaratta, part of the Taungurung Traditional Owners land, where we try and visit the Wangaratta Art Gallery regularly. When we were there in December, we saw a show, Beauty & Fear, paintings by Robert Hirschmann and Andy Pye, who have worked and lived in this region. The scale of work in this exhibition exemplifies the depth of creativity and arts practice in Victoria’s North East.
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Our journey to the Gallery Universe in December was not complete until we ascended a mountain also on the lands of the Taungurung Traditional Owners, Mt Buffalo, to a place of granite boulders and snow gums that is named by colonial explorers as the Old Galleries. Here we were transported to a more-than-human experience where Nature is …
Old Galleries Mt Buffalo National Park
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In conclusion
Interestingly it seems that the curated experience of vast collections from the big city art gallery is being transported into these regional gallery spaces. Much like walking into Dr Who’s Tardis or Alice’s wonderland we found ourselves in an ever-expanding universe of the history and the enormity of Art. The walls are no longer the support for hanging but have become part of art display.
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Public programmes value add to both the traveller and the local connections with these regional gallery blockbusters. Galleries with cafes have the extended experience for the visitor to spend time and engage with the cultural ambience.
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Importantly most galleries, councils and national parks acknowledge the rich and enduring heritage of First Nations Peoples ownership of the stories and knowledge of their unceded lands.
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The regional gallery provides worlds of new experiences and inspiration for all visitors and locals. It is a hub for the building of culture and identity for both the very young and old. The regional gallery or arts centre is a uniquely dynamic and generative space that energises and underpins the soul of each community.
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Victoria Cooper + Doug Spowart
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PS: We have visited other regional galleries in Victoria though there are still another 10 or so on our ‘to-do’ list … And then, as the shows change we need to go back and visit again …
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Acknowledgement of Country:
We wish to acknowledge the First Nation’s lands we have travelled across and stayed on during this journey. We respect their deep enduring connection to their lands, waterways and seas and recognise that sovereignty was never ceded. We also honour and respect their ancestors, their Elders past, present and emerging.
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© 2023 All photographs and story in this post are the copyright of Doug Spowart + Victoria Cooper.
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