David Jones, artist and poet (1895-1974) begins his PREFACE TO THE ANATHEMATA :

'I have made a heap of all that I could find.' (1) So wrote Nennius, or whoever composed the introductory matter to Historia Brittonum. He speaks of an 'inward wound' which was caused by the fear that certain things dear to him 'should be like smoke dissipated'. Further, he says, 'not trusting my own learning, which is none at all, but partly from writings and monuments of the ancient inhabitants of Britain, partly from the annals of the Romans and the chronicles of the sacred fathers, Isidore, Hieronymous, Prosper, Eusebius and from the histories of the Scots and Saxons although our enemies . . . I have lispingly put together this . . . about past transactions, that [this material] might not be trodden under foot'. (2)

(1) The actual words are coacervavi omne quod inveni, and occur in Prologue 2 to the Historia.
(2) Quoted from the translation of Prologue 1. See The Works of Gildas and Nennius, J.A.Giles, London 1841.


03 November 2018

Open and yet : ) the eyes of y|our subjects ( :


click image to enlarge 


Book Launch at Ian Potter Museum of Art 

'Australian Art Exhibitions: Opening Our Eyes'


Thursday 29 November 2018, 6.00 - 7.30


This pioneering publication outlines the exciting and often controversial development of Australia’s public galleries and the changing conditions that have determined their exhibition programs from the 1960s to the present. The extravagantly illustrated chapters are based on the extensive research of four authors associated with four universities from three states, which trace the growth and evolution of curatorial practice in Australia’s rapidly changing art scene. Read how initial consultations between state gallery directors in the 1950s and 60s led to the emergence of national endeavors under the guidance of Gough Whitlam.

Richly annotated with multiple appendices and a comprehensive index of more than 1,500 entries, this publication is an incredible resource for Australian art history that concludes with an analysis of the value of exhibitions that enables visitors to 'see art with fresh eyes and see the world anew'.

Join Jane Clark, Senior Research Curator, MONA and the authors for the Melbourne launch of Australian Art Exhibitions: Opening Our Eyes by Joanna Mendelssohn, Catherine De Lorenzo, Alison Inglis, Catherine Speck.

 Followed by refreshments and book signing.

And so the long eye-opening project continues...

   

The final words of William Tyndale before he was 
strangled and burned at the stake :

Lord, ope the King of Englands eyes.


click image for more of the scene 
Theatre of the Actors of Regard  
 detail
 A Person Looks At A Work Of Art/
 someone looks at something... 
         
 LOGOS/HA HA