Private in Public
Showcasing works from private collections for the first time in a public gallery, POEM will be at Clifton School of Arts from April 11 to 19
Two friends with an interest in art. More specifically, Australian art from the late 20th century. That is the simple genesis of POEM, a unique exhibition at Clifton School of Arts (CSA) from April 11 to 19 that showcases two local private collections, with works never shown in a public gallery until now.
"I hope this is the first of many shows in which local private collectors share their collections with us," says CSA President David Roach, who admits that he was "astonished" by the quality of works being offered for the exhibition, which is a fundraiser for the building of the CSA’s much-needed extension.
"It’s a who’s who of some of the finest abstract painters working in Australia."
Artists include constructivist Godfrey Miller, abstract impressionist John Passmore, minimalist mark maker Ken Whisson, conceptual artist Robert McPherson and First Nations artist Judy Watson.
When lawyer John Morrissey and artist Jelle van den Berg met in the 1980s at a gallery opening in Sydney, they began a conversation that led to discovering their mutual enthusiasm for abstraction, for qualities of tonality and form rather than narrative. One as a collector, the other as a practitioner.
"Sometimes works came to us as a form of payment either for John’s legal advice, or in my case I would swap my own work with that of other artists," says Jelle. They often got to know the artists personally. And coincidentally, each of them moved to the northern Illawarra with their partners.
It has taken them months of fine-tuning to narrow down their selection for the CSA, Jelle says. "We wanted the paintings to have space to breathe."
Many more works, including sculptures and ceramics, remain at home, suggesting that POEM might be the first in a series.
For more information, visit the CSA website.
