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MARGARET
PRESTON
ART AND LIFE
26 May - 13 August 2006
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IMAGE NOT AVAILABLE
Margaret
Preston
Australia 1875-1963, lived in Europe 1904-07, 1912-19
Western Australian gum blossom 1928
oil on canvas, 54.6 x 44.5 cm
Art Gallery of New South Wales
Purchased 1978
© Margaret Preston Estate. Licensed by VISCOPY Australia |
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| about
the exhibition |
Margaret Preston (1875-1963) is one of Australia’s
most celebrated artists and the country’s most important early modernist. Her
vibrant, decorative paintings and prints of the 1920s and 30s epitomise a unique era in
the history of Australian art. Born in
Adelaide as Margaret Rose McPherson in 1875, Margaret Preston had by the 1920s become one
of Australia’s leading modernist artists. She
had spent the years of World War I living and working in Paris and Britain developing an
art based on the decorative or abstract principles of European post-impressionism and the
Japanese print tradition of Ukiyo-e. Moving to Sydney by 1920 (having married William
Preston) she expanded her practice to encompass the concept of an appropriately national
art, and became one of the country’s most astute public commentators on the wider
cultural issues shaping Australia in the era of its new modernity. Preston’s growing
recognition of the intrinsic connection between country and art in Aboriginal culture,
both informed her work and prompted her ongoing travel around Australia to study sites of
Aboriginal rock painting. Her works of the
1940s and 50s argue for her re-assessment as one of the country’s most significant
landscape artists.
This is the most extensive exhibition
ever presented of Margaret Preston’s art, with over 180 works including paintings,
prints, pottery, textiles and previously unseen archival material relating to
Preston’s colourful life.
The exhibition has been curated by
Deborah Edwards, Senior Curator of Australian Art, Art Gallery of New South Wales. |
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| admission
charges |
| $12 |
adult |
| $10 |
concession |
| $8 |
Member |
| $8 |
students 16 and over |
| FREE |
children under 16 years |
| $25 |
Members' Season ticket for
Margaret Preston & Gladys Reynell
(30 June - 13 August) |
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| tours |
Free Guided Tours
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday,
Saturday, Sunday and public holidays at 2 pm
Meet the guide at the entrance to the exhibition.Margaret Preston in the Botanic
Gardens of Adelaide
Wednesday 14 & 28
June, Wednesday 12 & 26 July and 9
August at 1.30 pm
The Botanic Gardens of Adelaide are situated
approximately one kilometre east from Art Gallery of South Australia. The Schomburgk Pavilion is located at the rear of the
existing Museum of Economic Botany. It provides a space for horticultural displays and
exhibitions, a new espresso bar and shop, a Visitor Information Centre and educational and
performance area. Meet the Garden Guides at the new Schomburgk Pavilion,
for a special tour of the gardens, noting the plants used by Margaret Preston in her many
still life paintings.
AUSLAN
Sunday 18 June at 3 pm
AUSLAN tour for deaf and Hearing Impaired patrons.
An Auslan signed language interpreted tour of the exhibition for deaf and hearing impaired
visitors.
Meet your Guide at the entry to the exhibition. |
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| floor
talks |
Out and About in Adelaide
Well known Adelaide personalities from Channels 9 and 10 share their thoughts on the works
of one of Adelaide’s, and Australia’s, best known artists Margaret Preston.Monday 5 June at 12.45 pm
Che Cockatoo Collins
Tuesday 6 June at
12.45 pm
Georgina McGuiness
Thursday 8 June at
12.45 pm
Jane Reilly
Friday 9 June at
12.45 pm
Jane Lomax Smith |
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Inspiring talks at 12.45 pm, free with
exhibition entry
Friday 26 May at
12.45 pm
Rose Peel, Senior Conservator, Art Gallery of New
South Wales and co-curator of Margaret Preston presents an overview of the exhibition
Tuesday 30 May at 12.45 pm
Rebecca Andrews,
Acting Associate Curator, Australian Paintings & Sculpture, speaks about selected
works in the exhibition
Tuesday 25 July at 12.45 pm
Robyn Barker, Honorary
Research Associate, State Herbarium of South Australia
Plant Biodiversity Centres, speaks about selected
works from a botanical perspective
Tuesday 8 August at 12.45 pm
Susan Jenkins, freelance curator and writer (specialising in Indigenous Australian art)
speaks about selected works in the exhibition |
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| free
public lectures |
Enhance your enjoyment and knowledge of the work of Margaret Preston
Saturday 27 May at
12 noon
Denise Mimmocchi, Assistant Curator, Margaret
Preston: Art & Life and of Australian Art, Art Gallery of New South Wales,
presents an illustrated talk on the work of Margaret Preston. Discover more about the
research and discoveries that make up this extraordinary exhibition.
Location: Radford Auditorium
Sunday 16 July
at 12 noon
Rebecca Andrews, Acting Associate
Curator, Australian Paintings and Sculpture presents an illustrated talk on the exhibition
Art & Life.
Location: Function Room 2 |
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| Members events |
Friday
26 May 5.45 - 8 pm
After Dark Viewing with Rose Peel
Rose Peel is Senior Curator, Australian Art
at the Art Gallery of New South Wales and the co-curator of Margaret Preston: Art &
Life. This exhibition is the realisation
of many years of research into one of Australia’s most important and engaging
artists. Margaret Preston is now revealed to
us as a determined, insightful, courageous and tough minded individual, a champion of
Modernism within her art practice and personal life. Entry to exhibition and light supper
included in the ticket price. Not to be missed!
Tickets: $42, Members $38
Saturday 24 June 1 – 4.30 pm
Linocut Workshop with Margaret Sanders
The inspiration for this workshop comes from the dramatic
works by Margaret Preston who pioneered the linocut in her work. Margaret Sanders instructs participants in a range
of linocut techniques and you print your own masterpiece.
All materials provided and afternoon tea.
Tickets: $45, Members $40
Saturday 22 July 22
and Sunday 23 July 10
– 4 pm
Still Life Painting and
Botanical drawing
Gilbert Dashorst, the State
Herbarium’s botanical artist , presents a practical and tutored workshop on painting
a still life flower arrangement and botanical illustration. Participants will learn the
basics of colour, line and composition and experience the observational and technical
aspects of botanical illustration.
Workshop materials will be available for use and you get to take home your own still life
canvas and botanical studies. Fees: both days, $100, Members $85, single days: $55,
Members $45. Limited to 15 participants, per session. Proudly supported by Tynte Flowers
Thursday 3 August 10am – 12
noon
Sgraffito Workshop at the Jam Factory
Margaret Preston trained in pottery at the Camberwell
School of art with friend Gladys Reynell. Like Reynell she was drawn to the sgraffito
technique of decoration, where earthenware vessels were overlaid with a lighter colour
clay, known as a slip. This technique will be demonstrated to you by Philip Hart, Head of
the Ceramic Workshop at the Jam Factory. You will then be provided with your own vessel to
decorate, which will then be fired, glazed, and returned to the gallery for you to pick
up. Limited to 20 participants only.
Fee: $ 40, Member $30
All bookings
please call Yvonne on 8207 7050 |
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| film program |
To complement the exhibition four short films relating to
Margaret Preston screening continuously every day throughout the exhibition season in
gallery 25
The Australian
Modernists (30 mins)
Modernism: Landscape with Figures (30 mins)
Flying over the Shoalhaven River (10 mins) |
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| symposium |
Saturday
1 July 11am - 4 pm
Margaret Preston & Gladys Reynell -
out of Adelaide
The influence of women artists on the
development of Australian art, in the early part of the 20th century, is now
well recognised. Margaret Preston and Gladys
Reynell initially trained in Adelaide, before travelling overseas
together in 1912 and having direct experiencing
of European modernism. Both returned to Australia with
Reynell establishing the first studio pottery in
South Australia in 1919, and the indomitable Preston
moving to Sydney where she never wavered from her determination to realise works with
a unique Australian character. Preston's remarkable and public career has
overshadowed Reynell's, yet the links between the artists are strong and between them they
introduced many aspects of modernism to Australia. Speakers : Deborah Edwards
(Curator), Robert Reason, Dr Catherine Speck, Humphrey McQueen and Roger Butler.
Members: $75,
non- members $85
(includes morning tea, lunch,
evening reception and exhibition entry)
For more
information and bookings call Yvonne: 8207 7050 |
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| drop
in days for families and children |
Free
family drop-in-day activities are held on the 4th Sunday of each month, 12 noon – 3
pm. Suitable for children aged 5-10, accompanied by an adult. Enjoy free art
and craft activities.
Families (2 adults + children) receive special exhibition entry prices on the day. |
Sunday
25 June 12 - 3 pm
Bush creatures – create your own bush creatures from
Australian flora.
Sunday 23 July 12 - 3 pm
Snakey coil pots – go potty with clay |
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| school holiday program |
Monday 17 – Friday 21 July
Flower Power
Discover the
joys of painting your own still life of Australian flora, just like Margaret Preston.Suitable for children aged 5-10
years, accompanied by parent/carer.
One hour sessions at 10.30 am, 12 noon & 1.30 pm. Cost is $5 per child, pay on
arrival. Bookings essential: telephone 8207 7005 |
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| schools program |
Teacher Briefing
Monday 5 June 4.30 - 6
pm
with Rebecca Andrews, Acting Associate Curator of Australian Paintings and Sculpture
$10 pay on arrival (tax receipts issued)
Interpretative sessions
Education Officer & Education Guides interpretation sessions: duration: 30 minutes
Bookings
requried for all activities: telephone 8207
7033, facsimile 8207 7070
Education
Pack
Download the education pack
and trail
Admission
(school groups) $20 per class size group
Free admission to country schools, DECS category 1-4 and AISSA listed disadvantaged
schools |
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| art gallery bookshop |
The Art of Margaret Preston, 300 pages, 250
illustrations $50 retail
We also
have a captivating assortment of postcards, greeting cards, bookmarks and reproductions of
works in the exhibition as well as beautiful merchandise
related to this period.
telephone: 8207 7029 |
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To see what other events and activities are on at the Gallery,
click here to go to the Calendar of Events |
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| sponsors |
National exhibition tour
sponsors
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| Art Gallery of South
Australia sponsors |
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Tynte Flowers
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