Heroism in the Public Domain

The two most heroic commitments to public art in Australia since Parliament House, Canberra, are for the refurbishment of the Sydney International Airport and the Olympic 2000 Homebush Bay site. These aspirations are eloquently expressed in forms and structures that are surprising , beautiful and of varying quality. The Airport Project features the work of Michael Riley, Robyn Backen, Ron Smith, Kerry Clare, Lindsay Clare, Brook Andrew and Fiona McDonald. Those included in the Homebush Bay Project are Peter Cripps, Terri Bird, Ari Purhonen, Neil Dawson, Paul Carter, Ruark Lewis, Janet Laurence, James Carpenter, Elizabeth Gower and Robert Owen.

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Public Art Boom in Western Australia: It is the edges that make it interesting

The difficulties of public art are universally acknowledged - they are the same across state and national borders and usually result in compromised solutions - however if they are to be considered more as collaborative efforts between artist and community rather than works of 'art' the outcomes become interesting. Millers article addresses this notion through a discussion of recent Western Australian public art programs and in particular the achievements of ArtSource, an employment agency for visual artists. Key figures in this text are Brian McKay, Ahmad Abas, Tony McClure, Jon Tarry, John Elkington, Linnea Glatt and Michael Singer.

Nikki Miller

The Art of Living Dangerously: Victor Meertens

Documents the life and work of Victor Meertens: his journey to Europe where he became inspired by the work of the early Flemish painters and Grunewalds Isenheim Altarpiece (c.1505-1510), his involvement with the Third Australian Sculpture Triennial and the Australian Biennale 1988, his various solo shows and other notable achievements within the contemporary Australian art scene of the late 20th century.

Jonathan Holmes

CHEMISTRY: Art in South Australia 1990-2000: The Faulding Exhibition

Art Gallery of South Australia 16 September to 5 November 2000

Christopher Chapman

Success, Excellence and Iconoclasm

Stephanie Britton

Rhopography

photographs by Joachim Froese SOApBOx Gallery, Brisbane 6-27 September Queensland regional tour 2000-2001

Robyn Daw

Letters to the Editor

Noris Ioannou

Public Art in Adelaide

Francesco Bonarto

Chiasm; An Enduring Symbol; Objectum; Core

Chiasm - Donna Fulton, Richard Giblet, glamorama, Bevan Honey, Andrew Smith, Ric Spencer An Enduring Symbol - Mark Hummerston Objectum - Mark Cypher Core - Matthew Hunt Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts 29 September - 29 October

Philippa O'Brien

Private Rooms: 10 years of painting by Anne Wallace

Brisbane City Gallery 28 July - 28 September 2000

George Petelin

Stafford and Staff: Queensland's Public Art Agency

Morrell examines the recent structural developments which have taken place at and around the precinct of Brisbanes Roma Street Transit Centre. Under Queenslands Art Built-in policy approximately $1.4 million was proposed to be spent on works of art to feature in the new precinct. Morrell was the public art curator for the Roma Street project and this article developed out of conversations held with the Public Art Agencys Executive Program Officer John Stafford.

Timothy Morrell

Unchain my Art: Notes on the role of myths and preconceptions in shaping perceptions of women's art

This article notes the role of myths and preconceptions in shaping perceptions of womens art. In framing art reputations in Australia, the most disputed and uneasy component is gender. Peers looks at the 1970s feminist art movement which was important for providing the blueprint for an ongoing understanding of art as an interrogative gesture and the works of women artists such as Grace Cossington-Smith, Stella Bowen, Joy Hester, Clarice Beckett, Janine Burke, Kiffy Rubbo, Margaret Preston, Hilda Rix Nicholas, A.M.E. Bale, Margaret Olley, Meg Benwell, Judy Perrey and Anne Marie Graham.

Juliette Peers

Frank Bauer Goes Public

German born artist Frank Bauer was raised on the philosophy that art, design and industry could work together to achieve a more visually coherent and democratic society. Over the past thirty years he has produced a huge body of work in metal, which includes jewellery, hollow ware, furniture and lighting. Through this text Fairlamb focuses on Bauers wind sculptures, exhibited at the Powerhouse Museum and JamFactory, which stand over four metres high and bring together his considerable knowledge of balance, precision engineering and sculptural metal work.

Gail Fairlamb

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