Ep 160: Karen Black

Podcast listeners click here to view the works Through layers of paint in varying translucency, Karen Black explores not only the physical nature of the female form but through her use of abstraction and considered use of colour she brings out another dimension - an emotional layer.  There is a strong sense of a spontaneous response in her paintings so you may be surprised to hear that reading and research play as much a role in her process as creating those drips and brushstrokes. Karen talks with me in this episode about her fascination with recent research on frequencies and vibrations which occur in all matter. That interest informs her most recent body of work which will be on view in her upcoming solo show 'alternative frequency' at Ames Yavuz in Sydney. Karen has been acclaimed with awards and residencies and her work is in the collections of many public institutions. She has been repeatedly shortlisted in the Archibald and Sulman prizes, among many others, and has work hanging in both those prize exhibitions in the Art Gallery of NSW this year. She has also been recognised for her ceramic work, two of which have been acquired by the National Gallery of Victoria. In this podcast episode Karen talks with me about her childhood memories of art, how she came to painting, the story behind her current show and some interesting aspects of her process. A video of highlights of the episode will be posted to the YouTube channel in the coming weeks. Links Sign up to the TWP newsletter Karen Black on Instagram Karen Black at Ames Yavuz Karen Black at Sutton Gallery Solo show 'alternative frequency' at Ames Yavuz Gallery, 31 August to 5 October 2024   'Both of us'oil on canvas61 x 92 cmFinalist Sir John Sulman Prize 2024Source: AGNSW website ‘Head wind’ 2024,oil on polyester, 183.3 x 153 cmImage courtesy of the artist 'Licking the rain' 2017oil on canvas152.5 x 122 cmFinalist Sir John Sulman Prize 2017Source: AGNSW website 'I Will Shade You from the World'2022Oil on canvas213.6 x 198.5cmImage courtesy of the artist Vivian Vidulichoil on polyester183 x 152.5 cmFinalist - Archibald Prize 2024Source: AGNSW website 'Crown legs arms' 2016earthenware, 23ct gold leaf69.0 × 29.7 × 29.2 cmCollection, National Gallery of Victoria

Watch the video version of my interview with Laura Jones here on the Talking with Painters YouTube channel Congratulations to previous podcast guest Laura Jones on winning the Archibald Prize - Australia’s most famous portrait prize  - with a sensitive and meaningful portrait of writer and environmentalist Tim Winton. On Friday I interviewed Laura shortly after the announcement and I’m bringing you that 5 minute conversation in this episode but I’ve also gone through the archives to my podcast conversation with Laura in 2018 to bring you something extra.  When I interviewed Laura a few years ago it was after she had finished a residency on the Great Barrier Reef where she was studying the terrible bleaching events which occurred there (and continue to occur) and her concern surrounding those events is not unconnected with her winning portrait in this year's Archibald Prize. Because it was after seeing Tim Winton’s documentary on the ABC, Ningaloo Nyinggulu, about the fight to save the Ningaloo reef that Laura requested an Archibald portrait sitting. They have in common a sense of urgency that we must act now on climate change and are doing everything they can to bring attention to the devastating and inevitable consequences of inaction. One of the most interesting parts of my conversation with Laura was when she explained how coral bleaching occurs. It’s complex and scientific but she explained it in a way that anyone could understand so I thought I would bring you that part of the interview today .   The Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes exhibition continues until Sunday 8 September 2024.  The Archibald finalist works then go on tour across 5 venues across NSW and for the first time, to the Northern Territory. The Wynne Prize finalist works will tour to four venues in regional NSW. 2018 podcast interview with Laura Jones (ep 53) Laura Jones' Archibald Prize acceptance speech (Instagram) YouTube version of my Archibald interview with Laura Incognito Art Show Studio A Tim WintonOil on linen, 198 x 152.5cmImage: Art Gallery of NSW, Jenni Carter Winner 2024 Archibald Prize

See the video version of this episode on the TWP YouTube channel here.  This is my 5th collection of Loading Dock Interviews of entrants to the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman prizes. Six brave painters fronted my camera and microphone as they delivered their work to the packing room at the Art Gallery of NSW via the loading dock. Thankyou to these artists (tap on their name for their Instagram page): Andrew Bischoff Mila Kalik Joshua Van Gestel Simon Weir Linda Lockyer Mary Shackman Tickets for the 'Artists in Conversation' talk with me and Marikit Santiago at the Art Gallery of NSW Sign up for the Talking with Painters Newsletter here.  https://youtu.be/T-26mfmJMqw?si=L_YMco2XH8Hwwsup

See highlights of this interview on the YouTube Channel Caroline Zilinsky's paintings freeze pivotal moments in our culture's history, encouraging us to reflect upon our times, whether it's the absurdity, the horror or the humour. At the risk of being labelled a conspiracy theorist, she's attracted to the dilemmas brought on by the internet era and shines a light on the things that trouble most of us: our loss of privacy, shortened attention, a heightened focus on appearance,  a growing indifference to human suffering and the increasing power assumed by tech giants. Her paintings often depict a political or social narrative and although she accepts some are too confronting to hang above the sofa, there's something about the levity in her use of line, colour and form which invites us to venture into the darker corners of our culture, causing us to linger and question. Caroline is also well known for her portraiture and landscape painting. She won the Portia Geach Memorial Award portraiture prize in 2020 (the same year she won the Evelyn Chapman award) and has been a finalist in many others including the Archibald and Darling portrait prizes. This interview took place at the mid-career survey show of Caroline's work 'Exquisite Cadaver' at the University of Newcastle Gallery. Curated by Gillean Shaw, it was a collection of 40 stunning works spanning over 2 decades. The interview was also filmed and a 6 minute video of highlights can be seen here on the YouTube  channel. Feature photo:  Phillip Antonio Lemos Caroline Zilinsky on Instagram Caroline Zilinsky at Nanda\Hobbs Sign up to the TWP newsletter TWP YouTube channel Loading Dock interview My AGNSW Artists in Conversation interview with Caroline Ceal Floyer https://youtu.be/qW9UOk7RA7I?si=Sc30OmX9unO_Mitu 'Kubla Khan'2022oil on linen107 x 106.7 cm 'Exquisite Corpse'2024Oil on linen 'For Whom the Bell Tolls' 2023oil on linen138 x 138cm 'Faceless The Congressional Hearing of Mark Zuckerberg' 2020oil on linen122 x 122cm 'Man of Few Words'2020Ink on AGNSW archive manila folder30 x 21cm (paper size), 60 x 47cm (framed size) 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow' 2023Oil on linen112 x 122cm 'Plastic Fantastic', 2023oil on linen56 x 62cm 'Refract Back', 2023Oil on linen112 x122 cm 'Too Long; Didn't Read (Universal Declaration of Human Rights)'2023Oil, Oil Stick and Digital Configuration on Canvas97 x 87cm 'Me and Ellie', 2004-2005oil on linen 71 x 454.5cm'My Brother Adrian' oil on linen72.5 x 54cm

Podcast listeners click here to see images of the work Over the years, podcast guests have shared some fascinating back stories to paintings they have made, stories which you could never have guessed just on viewing the work. Sometimes that back story has made me look at the work in a totally different way and I’m bringing you another eight artists' works in addition to those in ep 155. Click on the artist's name below for the full podcast episode (and any YouTube videos) and see images of the works we talk about below. Davida Allen Jacqui Stockdale Sam Leach Sam Leach YouTube video Robin Eley Peter O'Doherty Kathrin Longhurst Tom Carment Nicholas Harding Links mentioned in this episode TWP YouTube channel Sign up for the TWP Newsletter TWP Loading Dock video  NGV Triennial highlights - Instagram reel Memorial service for Jan Senbergs I dream of Sam Neill when I go to bed, 1986Davida AllenNational Gallery of Victoria © Davida AllenCollection: National Gallery of Victoria, MelbournePurchased 1986 (P22-1986) Drawings of George StirlingJacqui Stockdale George Stirling from the Heads of the Family seriesJacqui Stockdale Sam LeachMachine-assisted memory of Harewood Farm, Meadowsoil on linen51 x 51 cm Robin Eley‘Self Portrait’, 2010, oil on Belgian linen, 39″ x 25″Runner Up, Doug Moran portrait Prize, 2010 Peter O'DohertyEdgecliff high rise, 2019, acrylic on canvas, 198x167cm Kathrin LonghurstPoster Girl, 2011, oil on canvasFinalist Portia Geach Memorial Award, 2011 Tom CarmentWhere I scattered my father's ashes, Oratunga, SAwatercolour on paper45.3 x 52 cm Nicholas HardingRobert Drewe (In the swell)2006oil on canvas (frame: 140.4 cm x 125.0 cm, support: 138.0 cm x 123.0 cm)Collection: National Portrait Gallery

Podcast listeners click here to see images of the works Over the years, podcast guests have shared some fascinating back stories to paintings they have made, stories which you could never have guessed on merely viewing the work. Sometimes that back story has made me look at the work in a totally different way and I’m bringing you a few of those to you in this episode. See images of the works we talk about below. Links Tickets for talk with Caroline Zilinsky at the Art Gallery of NSW (Artists in Conversation) YouTube video - Anthony White Vincent Fantauzzo podcast episode Prudence Flint podcast episode Ben Quilty podcast episode Scott Bevan podcast episode on William Dobell 2:40    ‘Heath’, 2008, oil on canvas, 106 x 140cm (Collection of the Art Gallery of NSW, highly commended and winner of the Archibald Prize People’s Choice award 2008. Portrait of Heath Ledger) 10:40    ‘Baby’, 2015, oil on linen, 105 x 90.5cm (Finalist in Archibald Portrait Prize 2015) 15:45.  ‘Kandahar’ 2011, oil on linen, 140 x 190cmPhoto: Australian War Memorial 18:00   ‘Captain S. after Afghanistan’ 2012, oil on linen, 210 x 230cmFinalist Archibald Prize 2012Photo: AGNSW/ Mim Stirling 20:30    ‘Margaret Olley’, 1948, oil on hardboard, 114.3 x 85.7 cm boardCollection: Art Gallery of NSWWinner Archibald Prize 1948 23:45.    ‘Storm Approaching, Wangi’, 1948, oil on cardboard on composition board, 32.9 x 56cmWinner Wynne Prize 1948

Podcast guests talk with me about the flow state! See below for timestamps and links to each guest's full podcast interview and video 3:39 Julie Nicholson and Fiona Verity - Podcast | Instagram video 6:40 Ann Thomson - Podcast | YouTube 7:54 Joshua Yeldham - Podcast | YouTube 10:15 Antonia Perricone Mrljak - Podcast | YouTube 11:25 Wendy Sharpe - Podcast | YouTube 12:51 Lewis Miller - Podcast | YouTube 13:50 Aida Tomescu - Podcast | YouTube 16:30 David Griggs - Podcast | YouTube 17:27 Idris Murphy - Podcast | YouTube 18:40 Kathrin Longhurst - Podcast | YouTube 20:50 Anthony White - Podcast | YouTube (coming soon) 22:07 Bernard Ollis - Podcast | YouTube 23:59 Kim Leutwyler - Podcast | YouTube 25:20 Tim Maguire - Podcast | YouTube 26:40 Belinda Street - Podcast | YouTube 27:58 Yvette Coppersmith - Podcast | YouTube (coming soon) 29:30 Tim Storrier - Podcast | YouTube 31:15 Jacqui Stockdale - Podcast | YouTube 32:02 Sandi Hester - YouTube Links  Sandi Hester interview on the YouTube channel Sandi Hester’s YouTube channel ‘Bits of an Artist’s life’ Paul Newton YouTube video TWP Instagram reels - ‘Summer reels from the archives’ Ep  ‘Inspiration from the archives: Colour (1)’ Ep  ‘Inspiration from the archives: Colour (2)’ Ep  ‘Inspiration from the archives: Risk’ Subscribe to the Talking with Painters monthly newsletter

Above photo of Jan Senbergs by Riste Andrievski Click play for my podcast introduction to this interview and scroll down for the transcript. Podcast listeners click here and scroll down for transcript. Watch the YouTube video of Jan Senbergs' studio and work here Links Jan Senbergs' website Jan Senbergs on Instagram Jan Senbergs at Niagara Galleries Talking with Painters YouTube channel Talking with Painters on Instagram Talking with Painters on Facebook Subscribe to the TWP newsletter PDF version  of transcript for tablet/desktop  With over six decades of work as a painter, printmaker and draughtsman, leading artist Jan Senbergs has exhibited in over 50 solo shows and has been the subject of three survey shows including a major retrospective curated by the National Gallery of Victoria in 2016. A rare accomplishment. His art evolved from early masterly screenprints to large scale paintings and with subject matter as varied as urban and natural landscapes, industrial themes, surreal structures and forms and aerial map-like works. This episode has been a long time coming. Covid threw out our plans for an early 2020 meeting but two years later we met in Jan's inspirational studio in Melbourne. His voice has been affected by some health issues and so this episode is coming to you by way of transcript (below) and an intro on the podcast. As I was setting up my audio equipment on the day of the interview, Jan and I chatted about the time he had spent in London in his 20s. We talked about other Australian artists who were there at that time. That’s where the recording of the interview began. Jan Senbergs I was the younger artist who came into that area and I didn't know anybody. I didn't want to bother the local Antipodeans (laughs) so I usually went out by myself. I headed for the National Gallery on one occasion and ran into Arthur Boyd heading there too. We travelled together on the bus from Pimlico to Trafalgar Square. It was very nice because we walked through the Gallery making comments. It's lovely to do that with another painter. We walked past one room and Arthur stopped and said, 'There's a good painting in this room.’ It was a big dog watching over a dying nymph, by Piero di Cosimo. He was such an interesting painter. Afterwards, Arthur suggested we go and have a drink, so we went across the road and had a couple of beers and then he said 'You'll have to excuse me, but I've got to go back home. I've got a few duties there.' We shook hands and I never saw him again.  Maria Stoljar You never saw him again? JS No, but what was nice about it was the generosity of the older person to somebody younger who had just arrived.  MS How lovely. But you knew a lot of famous Australian artists like Fred Williams, for example. He was a friend of yours, wasn't he? JS Yeah, I knew Fred. When I first started showing around, I mixed with some of the older artists. At that time there were hardly any younger artists around. And because I hadn't gone to an art school, I was very isolated. It's quite different for artists today. Now there are thousands of young people trying very hard to make good art after their schooling. It's a different atmosphere. Schools pump out all these people with hopes and ambitions. That’s the reason it's good to know some of the older painters. MS Yes. Like John Brack? JS Yes, John Brack was one … Len Crawford, Fred, Roger Kemp – these were heavy-duty Melbourne blokes. MS It's amazing that you, in your early 20s, were hanging out with those people. JS Yeah, it was actually. Because I couldn't get into art school so I’d started working in a silkscreen printing company, which was a terrible bloody job (laughs). ‘Modern monument in colour ‘ 1975, Colour screenprint, 56.6 x 81.2cm (image)National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne MS Why? Was it heavy work or just dirty work? JS Dirty work.

See a video version of the interview with curator Jackie Dunn here See a video version of the interview with artist Desmond Lazaro here The largest exhibition of Kandinsky's work ever to be seen in Australia has just opened at the Art Gallery of NSW! The exhibition, titled simply 'Kandinsky', brings together over 50 works of one of the 20th century's most innovative and ground breaking painters - Vasily Kandinsky - with 47 paintings from the Solomon R Guggenheim Museum in New York. Curated by the Guggenheim's curator of modern art and provenance Megan Fontanella together with the AGNSW's senior curator Jackie Dunn, these works touch on the most important periods of Kandinsky's artistic career, from the early 'Blue Rider' period, to his time in Germany when teaching at the Bauhaus school right through to his final years in Paris. In this podcast episode (which you can also see on YouTube) I talk with Jackie Dunn about this extraordinary exhibition. She tells me about Kandinsky's life and work, including what the catalysts were for him to become a painter, his use of colour, line and form and his interests in spirituality and music. I also talk with Desmond Lazaro who was commissioned to design a family-friendly space where visitors are invited to follow the path of a colourful labyrinth and create drawings using the shapes that inspired Kandinsky. Lazaro is a British-Indian-Australian artist whose primary ingredient is colour. His practice explores map-making, planetary systems and the concept of the journey. Also, alongside the Kandinsky show is an exhibition of 'spirit drawings' created by British medium Georgiana Houghton in the 1860s and 70s. The exhibition, 'Invisible Friends', brings together a collection of rarely seen swirling, evocative watercolours.  They highlight how significant spiritualism was in early modernism. 'Kandinsky' is a must-see exhibition.  It runs from November 4th to March 10th, 2024.  More details here. To hear the podcast episode press 'play' beneath the above photo. To watch the video versions of the interviews click on the links at the top of this page or see below. Links 'Kandinsky' at the Art Gallery of NSW Desmond Lazaro Tickets for my conversation with Julia Gutman on 15 November 2023 in the Artists in Conversation series Talking with Painters on Instagram Talking with Painters on Facebook Connect with me on LinkedIn https://youtu.be/Pgm4112joG8 https://youtu.be/D3b3WLlsakc 'Composition 8' July 1923, oil on canvas, 140.3 x 200.7 cm, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, Solomon R. Guggenheim Founding Collection, by gift, photo courtesy Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation 'Blue mountain' 1908-09, oil on canvas, 107.3 x 97.6 cm, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, Solomon R. Guggenheim Founding Collection, by gift, photo courtesy Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation Vasily Kandinsky 'In the black square' June 1923, oil on canvas, 97.5 x 93.3 cm, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, Solomon R. Guggenheim Founding Collection, by gift, photo courtesy Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation 'Landscape with rain' January 1913, oil on canvas, 70.5 x 78.4 cm, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, Solomon R. Guggenheim Founding Collection, photo courtesy Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation 'Yellow painting' July 1938, oil and enamel on canvas, 116.4 x 88.9 cm, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, Solomon R. Guggenheim Founding Collection, photo courtesy Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation 'Around the circle' May–August 1940, oil and enamel on canvas, 97.2 x 146.4 cm, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, Solomon R. Guggenheim Founding Collection, photo courtesy Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation

This episode is a conversation between James Powditch and Maria Stoljar in front of an audience at the Art Gallery of NSW, recorded by the Art Gallery Society James Powditch has always loved the movies. As a child in the 70s and 80s he would watch whatever he could get away with - from Taxi Driver to Deliverance. But in recent years, after being shortlisted in the Archibald prize with paintings of Labor leader (now PM) Anthony Albanese and journalists Kerry O'Brien and Laura Tingle he noticed other themes emerge; media and politics. In his most recent solo show at Nanda Hobbs Gallery he found a way to merge those interests. In Medium Cool: Journalism in Film, works took on titles of films in which journalism and politics were central themes. Beautifully composed assemblages incorporating found objects explored the ideas behind movies such as All the President's men and Network. James has exhibited in over 10 solo shows and has won the Mosman and Blake art prizes. He has been a finalist in the Archibald Wynne and Sulman prizes for a combined total of about 25 times. In this episode Maria has a vibrant (and often humorous) conversation with James in front of an audience at the Art Gallery of NSW as part of the Artists in Conversation series. You can see images of the works they talk about below. Members of the Art Gallery Society can also see a video of this conversation for a limited period on the Art Gallery website. To hear the podcast conversation press 'play' beneath the above photo. Links James Powditch on Instagram James Powditch at Nanda\Hobbs Gallery Video of this interview on the AGNSW website (for members) Art Gallery Society membership page Get tickets for the Steve Lopes talk at the AGNSW  Samantha Dennison interview on the Talking with Painters YouTube channel 'Once upon a time in Marrickville – Anthony Albanese', acrylic on paper and board 190 x 190 cm Finalist Archibald Prize 2020  Lloyd Cole and the Commotions album cover  New Order - Power, Corruption and Lies album cover   'Citizen Kave' mixed media  200 x 300 cm, Finalist Archibald Prize 2014 ‘Citizen Kane’ 2022 Mixed media, framed 80 x 120cm  'All the President’s men II' 2023 mixed media, 40 x 60cm 'All the President's men' 2023, mixed media 130 x 282cm 'Laura Tingle - the fourth estate' Acrylic and paper on board 204 x 170.1cm Finalist Archibald Prize 2022 Movie poster ‘Judgment at Nuremberg’ Digital work, James Powditch Peter Powditch Photograph by Robert Walker (c1970)  ‘Peter Powditch is a dead man smoking’ 2009, Mixed media 193 x 263cm, Finalist Archibald Prize  Family photo, James Powditch ‘Crowdy Head (after Peter Powditch)’, acrylic on paper and cardboard  122 x 366 Finalist Wynne Prize 2022 ‘Crowdy Head IV’, Oil on masonite, 50 x 48cm, Peter Powditch The Wynne Club Championship 2023, oil, acrylic and pen on board, found objects , 180 x 316.1 cm , Wynne Prize finalist Sam I Am, acrylic on paper and board  200 x 240 cm, Finalist Archibald Prize 2023 Digital work, James Powditch