Australia Pavilion & the VCA

The VCA pamphlet was at the Australian Pavilion. It listed the VCA graduates selected to represnt australia at the biennale.

Reading the pamphlet left the question of who the other eleven artists were and what their demographic breakdown was. It also led to questions concerning the selection process, funding sources, politics and other curatorial concerns.

I also note this article on the suitability of the Australia Pavilion building.


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This article from uninews.unimelb.edu.au

The Victorian College of the Arts is celebrating the outstanding success of its art school staff and alumni in representing Australia at the prestigious international Venice Biennale over the past three decades.

VCA visual artists have been selected to represent Australia at 10 of the 21 Venice Biennales to which Australia has sent artists since 1978.

A special publication, in English and Italian, has been produced to promote the achievement and to profile the VCA’s ‘Venice 10’ – eight graduates and two past staff members.

The publication, 10/21 – VCA at the Venice Biennale, features images of works by the artists, notes on their careers, and messages from Victorian Minister for Arts Mary Delahunty, VCA Director Professor Andrea Hull, and Head of the VCA School of Art, Associate Professor Su Baker.

The ‘Venice 10’ are former VCA staff members John Davis and Lyndal Jones, and noted alumni Peter Booth, Arthur Boyd, Trevor Nickolls, Jenny Watson, Bill Henson, Howard Arkley, Patricia Piccinini and (in 2005) Ricky Swallow.

“The maverick, innovative and bold spirit of the ‘Venice 10’ have made an historic contribution to Australian culture and the wider world of art,” says Professor Hull.

“And through their teaching and art practice, John Davis and Lyndal Jones also added in significant ways to the cultural life of the College.

“Celebrating these 10 outstanding visual artists reflects the VCA’s longstanding commitment to providing students with a nurturing environment – one in which they have every opportunity to explore ideas and work creatively,” she says.

Associate Professor Baker sees the VCA School of Art’s ‘Venice 10’ as “a testament to the long history of the School and its impact on the creative life of Victoria and the nation”.

“They represent the history of the VCA – from the National Gallery School of Art to its modern form as the foundation school of the Victorian College of the Arts, as established in 1972,” she says.

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