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    PETER WESTWOOD PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES: BIO SYNOPSIS      

     

    Background to practice

     

     

    Peter Westwood is an artist, curator and arts writer living in Melbourne. For many years Peter’s work has concentrated on ideas about being within unsettled conditions. In this, he has worked through a long-standing interest in painting, but also video, drawing, installation and collage. And over the past two decades Peter has also focused on the complementary relationship of art making, writing and curating. In his approach to his work Peter seeks to consider the artwork as immanent to experience, and as much an ‘event’ as an object. His work has formed through ideas that reinforce of the passing nature of experience rather than as representation or imitation, or the depiction of a ‘thing’ or an affect

     

    Peter has been included in group, and individual exhibitions in public and commercial galleries in Australia and overseas. His work is included in the permanent collections of art museums, regional galleries and corporations, and he has curated two to three annual exhibition projects for the past 20 years in Australia, and periodically overseas.

     

     

     

     

     

     

    PETER WESTWOOD PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES: ART PRACTICE

     

    EDUCATION

    2013 -                      Research Higher Degree Candidate: PhD

                                    School of Art, RMIT University (concurrent)

     

    1995                        Master of Arts Degree by Research

                                    School of Art, Monash University

     

    1982                        Graduate Diploma in Education

                                    School of Education, University of Melbourne

     

    1981                        Graduate Diploma of Fine

                                    School of Art, RMIT University

     

    1978                        Diploma of Fine Art

                                    School of Art, The University of Ballarat (Federation University)

     

     

    RECENT AWARDS, GRANTS AND RESIDENCIES

    2014                        Artist residency: LIA - The Leipzig International Art Program, Germany

     

    2012                        Project Grant, City of Melbourne

     

    2010                        Artist residency: East China Normal University, Shanghai, PR China

     

    2002                        Curatorial residency: Crossing: New Art from Australia, an exhibition of contemporary Australian art, ÄLTO, Helsinki                                                       Finland.

     

     

    SOLO EXHIBITIONS

    2016                          NKN Gallery, Melbourne

    2015                          The Poor Hospital, NKN Gallery, Melbourne

    2013                          Drive, Blindside ARI, Melbourne

                                      Staring back at the world, Boutwell Draper Gallery, Sydney

    2011                          Look out, Jenny Port Gallery, Melbourne

    2010                          Dieback, Jenny Port Gallery, Melbourne

    2009                          48 Portraits, Jenny Port Gallery, Melbourne

    2006                          Hard Times, The Doll’s House, Melbourne

    2004                          Similarities and differences, Crossley and Scott Gallery, Melbourne

    2003                          Shape, Crossley and Scott Gallery, Melbourne

    1996                          Things that have happened, Temple Studio, Melbourne

    1995                          Fruit of the forest, School of Art, Monash University, Melbourne

    1992                          Bandwagons, Powell Street Gallery, Melbourne

    1991                          Untitled (Paintings), Powell Street Gallery, Melbourne

    1989                          Assemblages, Reconnaissance Gallery, Melbourne

    1988                          Paintings, Reconnaissance Gallery, Melbourne

    1986                          Drawings, Reconnaissance Gallery, Melbourne

     

     

    SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS

    2015                           The Door in the Wall, curated by Verity Hayward and Lucie McIntosh, Blindside ARI, Melbourne

     

    2014                           Head: Incidents Above a Bar (part 4), curated by Louise Paramour and Lisa Young, The Alderman, Melbourne

     

                                       Asteroid, Winter Spinnerei 2014, Leipzig International Artist in Residence Program (LIA), Spinnerei Arts Complex,                                                          Leipzig, Germany

     

    2013                           Reading the Space: Contemporary Australian Drawing #3, New York Studio School, New York, USA

     

    2012                           A place to eat from, Michael Jäger Collection, Atelier Dorrit Nebe, Cologne, Germany

                                       (http://www.mesamis-mesamies.de)

     

                                       People … ahh People, Gallery Mesh, Seoul, South Korea; curator Mihwa Park

     

                                       The Rick Amor Drawing Prize, The Art Gallery of Ballarat, Ballarat

     

                                       Contemporary Australian Drawing #2: drawing as notation, text and discovery, University of Arts London, UK; 120                                                          Langford Street, Melbourne; curator Dr Irene Barberis

     

    2011                           Crossing the Line: Drawing in the Middle East, intersections of understanding, Gallery Tashkeel & American                                                                  University United Arab Emirates (UAE), curated by Princess Shiekha Latifa and Dr Irene Barberis, Dubai                                             

                                       Australian Art of the 1970’s. The Art Gallery of Ballarat, Ballarat

                                       

    2010                           2010: How can a Network…..? The South Project, curator Zara Stanhope, West Wing (part of the program of West                                                          Space Gallery, Melbourne

     

                                       1918 ArtSPACE, No,20 Moganshan Rd, Shanghai, PR China

     

                                        Winter, Jenny Port Gallery, Melbourne             

     

                                        2010 Beleura National Works on Paper, (invitation) Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery, Mornington

     

                                        Magnetic Islands, Project Space and Spare Room Gallery, RMIT University – a joint survey of contemporary                                                                   drawing from Seoul University and RMIT University ­­– project component of the international Drawing Out                                                                       Conference conducted by RMIT University and the University of Arts London, Melbourne

     

                                        Distinction, 99 Creative Centre, Shanghai University Academy of Fine Arts, M50 Moganshan Lu Arts Complex;                                                               curator Song Kexi; writer/theorist Qui Min., Shanghai

     

    2009 - 2010                The Shilo Project, The Ian Potter Museum of Art, the University of Melbourne, curator Dr Chris McAuliffe

                                        NETS touring exhibition: Mildura Arts Centre, SH Ervin Gallery, Sydney, Warrnambool Art Gallery, Wangaratta                                                               Exhibitions Gallery, Gippsland Art Gallery, Australia

                                       

                                        Imagine, The Art Gallery of Ballarat, Ballarat

                                                                         

    2008                            The Mars Project, Project Space and Spare Room Gallery, RMIT University, Melbourne

     

    2007                            Eye to ‘I’ - the self in recent art, curator Geoff Wallis 

                                        The Art Gallery of Ballarat. NETS touring exhibition: Warrnambool Art Gallery, Hamilton Art Gallery, Australia

     

    2006                            Robert Jacks Drawing Prize, Bendigo Regional Gallery, Bendigo

     

                                        The men’s gallery, curator, Rebecca Mayo. The Doll’s House, Melbourne

     

    2003                            Group Show 2, Crossley and Scott Gallery, Melbourne

     

    2002                            Group Show, Crossley and Scott Gallery, Melbourne

     

    2001                            31st Alice Prize, Araluen Arts Centre, Alice Springs

     

                                        Mediations, curator, David Harley. Mass Gallery, Melbourne

     

    1997                            The Sulman Prize, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney

     

    1996                            Superstar, Billboard project funded by Arts Victoria, Melbourne

     

                                         A Centre of Culture, The Art Gallery of Ballarat, Ballarat

     

    1992                            Scotchmans Hill Art Prize, Geelong Regional Gallery, Geelong

     

    1991                            Painting, Powell Street Gallery, Melbourne

     

    1989                            The ICI contemporary exhibition, Australian Centre for Contemporary Art, Melbourne, and Regional galleries in                                                               Victoria and NSW, Australia

     

                                        Decadence – 10 years of 200 Gertrude Street, 200 Gertrude Street, Melbourne

     

                                        Adelaide Festival, The Living Arts Centre, Adelaide

     

                                        New Work, Reconnaissance Gallery, Melbourne

     

                                        Reconnaissance, Launceston Community Arts Centre, Launceston

     

    1988                            New Work, Reconnaissance Gallery, Melbourne

     

    1987                            New Work, Reconnaissance Gallery, Melbourne

     

                                        Young Australians, National Gallery of Victoria; traveled to State and Regional galleries in Australia and the USA

     

                                        The Golden Shibboleth, 200 Gertrude Street, Melbourne

     

    1985                            Acquisitions for the Michell Collection, Melbourne University Gallery, Melbourne

     

                                        The McCaughey Prize, National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne

     

    1983                            The New Art: works from the Michell Endowment, Banyul, National Gallery of Victoria annex, Melbourne          

     

    1979                            Still life still lives, Visual Arts Board traveling exhibition, The Art Gallery of Ballarat and regional galleries traveling exhibition in                                       Victoria and NSW, Australia

     

                                        Michell Endowment, inaugural exhibition, National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne

     

                                        Some Recent Art of the Ballarat Region, The Art Gallery of Ballarat, Ballarat

     

     

    REPRESENTATION IN PERMANENT PUBLIC COLLECTIONS

    The National Gallery of Victoria (NGV), Melbourne

    Works included in the Shell Collection, the Michelle Endowment Collection and the Prints and Drawing Collection

     

    The Art Gallery of Ballarat, Ballarat

    Works included in the Painting Collection and the Prints and Drawing Collection

     

    Wollongong City Gallery, Wollongong

     

    Auckland Art Gallery / Toi O Tamaki, Auckland

     

    Victoria University, Melbourne

     

    Geelong Art Gallery, Geelong

     

    Art Bank, Sydney

     

     

    BIBLIOGRAPHY

    Powles, J., The Poor Hospital, NKN Gallery, Melbourne. 2015

    Accompanying poem Heel by Paul Carter, 2015

     

    Cox, S., The Waiting Places, Catalogue essay accompanying the exhibition Staring back at the world, Boutwell Draper Gallery, Sydney. 2013

     

    Powles, J., An order of sorts, Online essay accompanying the exhibition Dieback. 2010

    http://www.jennyportgallery.com.au/exhibitions/dieback.html

     

    Song, K. and Qui, M., Distinction, Shanghai University Academy of Fine Arts. 2010

     

    McAuliffe, C., The Shilo Project, The Ian Potter Museum of Art, the University of Melbourne. 2009. ISBN: 978-0-7340-4146-3

    Wallace, G., Eye to "I" - the self in recent art, The Art Gallery of Ballarat, Ballarat. 2007

     

    Zahra, L., Rhapsody 21C, ch. (essay) Artist Curator Academic, University of Tasmania Press. 2005

     

    Lindsay, R., The Shell Collection of Contemporary Australian Art, Shell Company of Australia Ltd. 1995

     

    Lindsay, R., ICI Contemporary Exhibition, ICI Australia Ltd, 1989

     

    Lindsay, R., Young Australians, Budget Transport Collection. 1987

     

    Lindsay, R., The Golden Shibboleth, Gertrude Contemporary. 1987

     

    Radford, R., Still Life Still Lives, The Art Gallery of Ballarat.1979

     

    Radford, R., Some Recent Art of the Ballarat Region, The Art Gallery of Ballarat.1979

     

     

     

     

     

     

    PETER WESTWOOD PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES: CURATOR & WRITER

     

    2015        The personal thing,

                     Catalogue essay accompanying the work of Melinda Harper, Julia Powles and Nyah Cornish, NKN Gallery, Melbourne                                                  http://www.nkngallery.com/exhibitions/the-personal-thing/

     

    2014         Future Strategies: The New Art Alumni

                     Curatorial project and catalogue essay. Project Space and Spare Room Gallery, RMIT University

     

    2013         Crowded out

                     An essay accompanying the work of Matthew Berka for the project My House is too Small, curated by Julia Powles.                                                      http://www.myhouseistoosmallproject.com/

     

                     The struggle is enough …

                     Essay accompanying the work of Ryan Wilson for the exhibition project Your father’s brother Robert, Kings Artist Run                                                    Initiative, Melbourne.

     

                     Not too close, not too far

                     Catalogue essay discussing the work of Lim Dong Seung (Korea), for the exhibition On Familiar Things, Lee C Gallery, Seoul.

     

    2011        Hivemind

                    Catalogue essay discussing the work of Raphael Buttonshaw, Tyler Clark, Dylan Hammond, Daniel Stojkovich. The School of                                       Art Gallery, RMIT University.

                    (http://schoolofartgalleries.dsc.rmit.edu.au/SOAG/exhibitions/2010/index.html)

     

    2010        The Proposition

                     Catalogue essay discussing the work of Boe-lin Bastian, CJ Conway, Ed McAleice and Sean Crossley, The School of Art                                              Gallery, RMIT University.

                     (http://schoolofartgalleries.dsc.rmit.edu.au/SOAG/exhibitions/2010/index.html)

     

                     Can this be a painting?

                     Catalogue essay (writing collaboration with Julia Powles) discussing the work of Michael Jäger (Germany), Project Space and                                      Spare Room Gallery, RMIT University (http://www.projectspace.rmit.edu.au/)

     

                     Desire and what you end up doing. Bringing fiction into reality: Who are you talking to, me?

                     Catalogue essay discussing the work of Barbara Kapusta (Austria), Project Space and Spare Room Gallery, RMIT University                                        (http://www.projectspace.rmit.edu.au/)

     

                     The moment where you think that that’s all it takes …

                     Catalogue essay discussing the work of Julia Powles for the exhibition Dancing Without Lessons, BLINDSIDE, Melbourne                                            (www.blindside.org.au/)

     

                     Representation in the meaning of a metaphor for a forest as endoscopy / links between locations

                     Curatorial project, installation and catalogue text involving the work of Hoang Duong Cam (Vietnam). Project Space and                                                Spare Room Gallery, RMIT University (http://www.projectspace.rmit.edu.au/)

         

                     Like No Place Known

                     Collaborative curatorial exhibition project and catalogue essay with Katarina Frank.  Works by Kieran Boland (Australia),                                              Cecilia Darle (Sweden), Gunilla Hansson (Sweden). Patrick Nilsson (Sweden), Jin Shan (PR China) Andreas Soma (Sweden). The School                    of Art Gallery, RMIT University.                                                                                                       

     

                     Bus stop

                     Catalogue essay discussing the work of Michael Wegerer (Austria), Künstlerhaus Vienna, Austria

                     Catalogue title : Multiple Matters - Grafische Konzepte

                     Author: Wojcech Krywoblocki and Georg Lebzelter

                     Publisher: Künstlerhaus Vienna, 2010. ISBN 978-3-900926-85-4

     

     

    2009       The city lost in snow

                    Catalogue essay discussing the work of Katarina Frank (Sweden/UK), Project Space and Spare Room Gallery, RMIT University                                   (http://www.projectspace.rmit.edu.au/)

     

                    Man in the Cold

                    Catalogue essay discussing the work of Godwin Bradbeer for the exhibition Portraits in Exile, Ardel Gallery of Modern Art, Bangkok,                             Thailand

     

     

    2008       Things that remain

                    Curatorial project, installation and catalogue text. Works by Steve Cox, Jess Crowe, Julia Powles, Greg Pryor and Leonie Zylberberg,                         Jenny Port Gallery, Melbourne

                    http://www.jennyportgallery.com.au/exhibitions/thingsthatremain.html

     

                   The World in Painting

                    Curatorial advisor and contributing writer to the catalogue essay discussing the work of Lê Quôc Viêt (Vietnam) for the                                                 exhibition project The World in Painting, Heide Museum of Modern Art, Melbourne. Curator Zara Stanhope. 

     

     

    2007       An obvious problem

                   Catalogue essay discussing the work of Jan Svenungsson (Sweden) and Katrin von Maltzahn (German) for the dual exhibition                                      project A Place on Earth & Tracking and Jorge Luis Borges visited Melbourne for 10 days; School of Art Gallery. RMIT University                                  (http://www.projectspace.rmit.edu.au/)

     

     

    2006      The brain hand thing

                   Catalogue essay discussing the work of David Palliser for the exhibition Imagine…the creativity shaping our culture, Heide                                          Museum of Modern Art. Curator Zara Stanhope. (http://www.davidpalliser.com/essay.html)

     

     

    2005       One another’s otherworld

                   Curatorial project installation and catalogue text, at the invitation of the French Cultural Centre, Melbourne. Featuring the                                              works of Laetitia Bourget (France), Philippe Charles (France), Steve Cox, Sanné Mestrom, Dominic Redfern, Philip Samartzis,                                      Ania Walwicz and Louiseann Zahra. Alliance Française de Melbourne

     

                   Various Presence: the human spaces in new technology

                    Curatorial project, installation and catalogue text, Shanghai International Science and Art Exposition, China, 2005. Featuring  the                                 works of Mark Burry, Martine Corompt, Ho Sui Kee, Nicole Jaquard, Lyndall Jones, Dominic Redfern, Philip Samartzis, Daniel von Sturmer,                 Christian Bumbarra Thompson, Jason Wade, Yandell Walton

     

     

    2004       Siblings

                   Two concurrent curatorial projects with accompanying catalogue text titled

                   Similarities and differences. Featuring the work of Loretta Quinn and Paul Quinn, Fiona Mc Monagle, and Tim McMonagle,                                             Project Space and Spare Room Gallery, RMIT University

     

                   Beyond horizons / Horisonttien takana

                   Curatorial project, and catalogue essay referring to the work of environmental artist Markku Hakuri (Finland). Faculty Gallery, RMIT                              University, Melbourne

     

                   The Drawing Room

                   Curatorial project and catalogue essay, titled Insideout, accompanying an installation work by John Kelly. Project Space and                                        Spare Room, RMIT University, Melbourne

     

     

    2003      Benjamin Armstrong and Katherine Huang

                  Curatorial project and exhibition text (text drawing / poster). Works by Benjamin Armstrong and Katherine Huang. Project                                             Space and Spare Room, RMIT University, 2003

     

     

    2002       Crossing: New Art from Australia

                   Curatorial project with catalogue essay.  Works by Adam Bunny, Linda Erceg, Fiona Foley, Peter Graham, Katherine Huang,                                        Dianne Jones, Tim McMonagle, Vera Möller, David Noonan and Simon Trevaks, and Christian Bumbarra Thompson. Lume                                          Gallery, UIAH (University of Art and Design), Helsinki, Finland

     

                   David Potter

                   Curatorial project (posthumous exhibition) and catalogue essay, Project Space and Spare Room, RMIT University

     

     

    2001       Berenice’s Hair /Bereniken Hiukset

                   Exhibition catalogue with curator Leena Lohiniva. Rovaniemi Museum, Finland and Project Space and Spare Room, RMIT                                            University, Melbourne

     

     

    2000        Seen something more

                    Curatorial project and catalogue essay.

                    Works by Tim McMonagle and David Palliser. Project Space and Spare Room, RMIT University, Melbourne

     

     

    1999        rubik 10 – are you experienced

                    Catalogue essay discussing the work of Tim McMonagle. The Physics Room, Christchurch New Zealand pp.16

     

     

                   The trouble with Harry

                    Curatorial project and catalogue essay. Works by Judith Duquemin, Diena Georgetti and Daniel Noonan. Project Space and                                         Spare Room, RMIT University, Melbourne