The Newcastle Art Gallery Youth Advisory Group acknowledges the Awabakal and Worimi people as the traditional custodians of the land on which we work and live, and pay our deepest respects to Elders past, present and future. The Youth Advisory Group is dedicated to honouring the culture and traditions of our local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities through the visual arts.
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Y2C
Prints & Drawings
MAKING A MARK
At the centre of artistic expression, drawing is its beating heart. Drawing is democratic, it is accessible to all - a movement dragged through space to form unique expressions. In printmaking, drawing is a crucial starting point.
This issue explores prints and drawings in the traditional confines of the medium and how contemporary artists take both these practices into the post-medium era.
Emerging artists Jemima Hodge, Wolfe Jessie and Emma Wilks, discuss how works from the collection have made a mark on their practice, and of course, their own mark-making.
Curated by Kar Mun Phoon
Videography by Wanjun Carpenter
Collection
Queenie MCKENZIE Mingmarriya 1997 etching and aquatint on paper 44.8 x 60.4cm Gift of Easwaren Sivagnanam through the Australian Government’s Cultural Gifts Program 2009 Newcastle Art Gallery collection © Queenie Mckenzie/Copyright Agency, 2022.
Queenie McKenzie is from the Malngin and Gurundji language groups. The Youth Advisory Group acknowledges her, the Traditional Owners and Elders who shared this knowledge and artwork.
Brett WHITELEY The divided unity 1974 silkscreen on paper 66.2 x 93.7cm Gift of Mrs June Bridge in memory of Lieutenant Clive Bridge through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program 2008
Newcastle Art Gallery collection Courtesy Wendy Whiteley
"THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVOURITE OCEAN DEPICTING ARTWORKS. THE MARK MAKING TO REPLICATE THE MOVEMENT AND WHITEWASH IN WATER IS SOMETHING THAT HAS INFLUENCED MY PERSPECTIVE ON IMITATING OBJECTS AND LIFEFORMS IN A SEMI REALISTIC AND FLUID WAY." — W. JESSIE.
Vera ZULUMOVSKI Veiled woman on a balance beam 1996 linocut on paper Gift of Councillor Keith Parsons in honour of Margaret Henry for her support of the Arts as a Newcastle City Councillor (1995-2004) 2008 Newcastle Art Gallery collection Courtesy the artist
“THE VEILED WOMAN’S BATTLE CHOOSING BETWEEN LIGHT AND DARK REPRESENTS A STRUGGLE WE ALL FACE. SOMETIMES THERE’S NOT ALWAYS A CLEAR PATH AND SOME PEOPLE STRUGGLE TO CHOOSE. I THINK IT’S A POWERFUL PIECE THAT REFLECTS THE HUMAN CONDITION. VERA WAS MY PRINTMAKING TEACHER AT NEWCASTLE ART SCHOOL IN. I’VE ALWAYS BEEN OBSESSED WITH HER PRECISE LINE WORK AND SHARP CORNERS, ESPECIALLY WHEN MANY OTHER LINO ARTISTS ATTEMPT A PAINTERLY EFFECT." — J. HODGE.
John OLSEN, OBE, AO Cat Kitchen (black and white) 1973 lithograph (ed. 7/25) 72.4 x 93.9cm Purchased 1973
Newcastle Art Gallery collection Courtesy the artist
“I’M INSPIRED BY ARTISTS LIKE VIRGINIA CUPPAIDGE, BRETT MCMAHON, MAZIE TURNER, GRACE COSSINGTON SMITH AND JOHN OLSEN. MY WORK MAY NOT LOOK LIKE ITS INSPIRED BY THEM, BUT IN SOME WAY THEIR USES OF COLOUR AND LINEWORK ARE REALLY INSPIRING. IT’S VERY FREE AND UNIQUE AND I LOVE THAT.” — E. WILKS.