2006 Exhibition Program

Town & country – portraits of colonial homes & gardens 26 November to 5 February 2006
This major touring exhibition focuses on the nineteenth-century tradition of house portraits in Australia and provides an insight into aspects of colonial history.  The exhibition features commissioned house portraits by leading colonial artists including Eugene von Guérard, Louis Buvelot, Conrad Martens, ST Gill, Nicholas Chevalier and Thomas Clark, as well as images of gardens, estates and homes from the period. A Bendigo Art Gallery travelling exhibition. Sponsored in Geelong by Bendigo Bank.

Playing with design – European toy designers working in wood 3 December to 26 March 2006
An exhibition of over ninety wooden toys dating from the 1930s to 1990s, created by designers and design houses from Switzerland, England, Germany and Denmark. The exhibition includes hand made examples of yachts, wooden dolls, miniatures, pullalongs and farm animals that represent major innovations in international toy design of the twentieth century. A Design Centre – Tasmania travelling exhibition. Sponsored in Geelong by the Geelong Advertiser GT.

Figures of the imagination 4 February to 5 March
An exhibition of new works in metal by sculptor–jeweller Victoria Edgar, limestone sculptures by Peter Julian and photographic images by George Stawicki.

The female nude 18 February to 2 April 2006
Including photographs, paintings and works in other media, this exhibition features historical and contemporary depictions of the female nude—one of the oldest themes in the history of art. Includes works by George Bell, Rupert Bunny, Bernard Hall, Lina Bryans, Fred Williams, John Brack, Clifton Pugh, Julie Rrap and Bill Henson. A Monash Gallery of Art travelling exhibition.

Ray Hearn – The shards series 11 March to 9 April
Recent works that illustrate Dr Ray Hearn's interest in the broader role of the ceramic medium. This installation explores the relationship between makers and the 'consumer society' and reflects Hearn's origins as a studio potter in Geelong in the early 1970s and recent studies in anthropology.

The cutting edge: cut & engraved glass 31 March to 2 July
A Wagga Wagga Art Gallery touring exhibition
This exhibition illustrates how one of the great traditions in the history of glass—that of cutting and engraving—extends into the realm of contemporary Australian studio glass. Guest curator Geoffrey Edwards.

Place made: Australian Print Workshop 7 April to 4 June
A National Gallery of Australia travelling exhibition
A survey of prints produced at the Australian Print Workshop (APW) between 1981 and 2002 that presents a snapshot of the stylistic, technical and political concerns of Australian artists over the last two decades. With over 80 works selected from the National Gallery of Australia's recent acquisition of the APW's second archive of workshop proofs, the exhibition includes prints by Rick Amor, John Coburn, Graham Fransella, Dale Hickey, Deborah Klein, Allan Mitelman, John Olsen, Robert Rooney and Judy Watson. Geelong Gallery is the sole Victorian venue for this exhibition.

Pat and Mark Shannon 13 April to 7 May
New paintings by Pat Shannon and Mark Shannon that offer different interpretations of the Otways: Pat's series of female nudes within the rainforest are titled Paradise found , and Mark's smaller, intense paintings depict the sea and the Otway Ranges.

14th Vigex International Photography Salon 2006 13 May to 12 June
Selected works from the 2006 Vigex photographic competition. Accredited by the Federation Internationale de l'Art Photographique (FIAP) and the Australian Photographic Society (APS), this bi-annual competition attracts thousands of entries. A selection of works awarded medals and certificates of merit will be exhibited.

White mantle – the winter landscape in Australian art 10 June to 6 August
Includes historical and contemporary works depicting an alternative vision of the Australian landscape—that of winter landscapes under snow. Featured artists include Eugene von Guérard, Rupert Bunny, John Loxton, James Northfield, Edwin Adamson, Stephen Wickham, Peter Booth and Magda Matwiejew. A Geelong Gallery exhibition. Sponsored by Bendigo Bank and B&H Australia.

Terry Eichler – the light evanescent 17 June to 13 August
An exhibition of recent paintings that continue Eichler's interest in the landscape, in particular, the distinctive light, weather patterns and topography of the Geelong region.

Painted porcelain – decorated British ceramics 1750 – 1850 7 July to 12 November
A documented display of richly decorated porcelains (late C18th and early C19th) from the collection.

Green turtle dreaming 12 August to 24 September
Through drawings, photographs and stories this award-winning exhibition explores the turtle as a cultural symbol and icon in Indonesian and Aboriginal cultures. Previously shown at museums in Western Australia and Sarawak, the exhibition is programmed at Geelong Gallery to coincide with the Indonesian Day of Independence on 17 August. (Sponsored in Geelong by People at Work and The William Angliss (Victoria) Charitable Fund)

Sybil Craig 1901–89: modernist painter 12 August to 24 September
A survey of over sixty works, including paintings, prints and drawings, spanning the period 1924 to 1960 by modernist artist Sybil Craig. The exhibition charts the development of Craig's practice from early works that reflect her training at the National Gallery School, to her interest in the principles of modernism and a significant group of works completed as an official war artist in the 1940s. A Castlemaine Art Gallery & Historical Museum touring exhibition.

Kelly McNiece – Simulacra 19 August to 17 September
A series of drawings inspired by abandoned industrial architecture and traditional artistic techniques such as sfumato (use of soft outlines) and chiaroscuro (contrast of light and shade). The works allude to the ‘functional and metaphorical significance' of windows throughout time.

Enid Mayfield – Field and flora in art 15 September to 15 October
A selection of botanical illustrations featured in the newly released publication Flora of the Otway Plain and Ranges . The exhibition includes detailed watercolour drawings of orchids, lilies and irises of the region by botanical artist Enid Mayfield.

Jenny Evans – Tranzl8it 23 September to 22 October
Electronic communications, particularly SMS texts, are the inspiration for this recent series of paintings. Using the abbreviated language of SMS as her source, Evans explores changes in cultural values arising from the latest communications technology.

2006 Fletcher Jones Art Prize 30 September to 26 November
An exhibition of selected entries from around Australia submitted for this $25,000 acquisitive award. Fletcher Jones has generously sponsored the Prize that assists with the development of the Gallery's contemporary collection. Guest judge for 2006 is David Hansen, curator, author and critic. Sponsored by Fletcher Jones.

Notations – Gillian Turner 28 October to 10 December
Recent works by Gillian Turner, completed during two residences at the Arthur Boyd Studios, Bundanon, that are a response to the Shoalhaven landscape. Exhibited works explore text and contemporary spaces.

Instinct and tradition: Karl Duldig 1902–1986 17 November 2006 to 18 February 2007
Follow the remarkable journey from Vienna to Australia of the sculptor Karl Duldig. This exhibition of sculptures and drawings, sourced largely from the collection of the Duldig Studio, highlights the artist's contribution to the development of Australian sculpture after his arrival in 1940 until his death in 1986. This exhibition has received assistance from Museums Australia (Victoria) Regional Exhibition Touring Fund (RETI) supported by the Victorian Government through Arts Victoria and the Community Support Fund.

Unsettled boundaries. Melbourne International Arts Festival 2006 Visual Arts on Tour 2 December to 4 February
Presented by Melbourne International Arts Festival and Geelong Gallery
A selection of works from the Visual Arts Program of the 2006 Melbourne International Arts Festival, based on the theme of animals in art. Includes sculpture, photography and installation by artists who explore our relationship to, exploitation of and efforts to connect with animals. Includes works by Kate Ellis (Australia), Malia Jensen (USA), Christopher Langton (Australia), Francisco Larios (Mexico) and Ariel Orozco (Cuba).