‘SOUTHERN HANDS’ - THE ANZA ART SHOW 2006
17 April 2006
Introduction - ANZA
The Australian & New Zealand Association was founded in 1948 and officially established in Seoul in 1993 to assist expatriates with integrating into Seoul life and provide social and networking opportunities for its members. ANZA is a “not for profit” organisation and is also committed to helping charities via fundraising initiatives that are undertaken in conjunction with functions that ANZA organises for members, and the broader Seoul expatriate and local community.
Many ANZA members have strong interests in the visual arts and crafts – either as practitioners, enthusiasts, collectors, academics or facilitators of cultural exchange and trade. Given this high level of interest and activity among our members, we are holding an exhibition to share some of the diversity of our arts interests with the broader Seoul community.
Overview - ‘Southern Hands’ The ANZA Art Show,
April 26 - May 2, Kwanhoon Gallery, Insadong
Southern Hands is a diverse, group exhibition offered in a spirit of friendship and thanks to the people and city of Seoul, by the members and friends of the Australian and New Zealand Association (ANZA).
The exhibition has been made possible by the generous support of our sponsors and we extend our warm thanks to the Seoul Metropolitan Government and Seoul Business Agency - Seoul Help Center for Foreigners, Macquarie Bank, and the Australian Embassy, Seoul for their sponsorship support.
An opening night Cocktail Reception will be held on April 26, from 6:00pm – 9:00pm and we hope many Korean guests will join us.
The exhibition will be opened by HE Peter Rowe, Australian Ambassador to the Republic of Korea, and HE Jane Coombs, New Zealand Ambassador to the Republic of Korea.
The ANZA Art Show will present works from members of the ANZA community. A number of our members who will exhibit are established artists and have held exhibitions in Seoul and in their home cities in New Zealand and Australia. Other presenters have associations with galleries in Australia or have a strong interest in supporting artists from other countries where the presenters have also lived as expatriates.
Each participant in Southern Hands currently lives in or has lived in Seoul in the past, most with previous exhibition experience here.
Artists such as Robert Liddicoat and Anita Gate respond to the scenes and people of Seoul with a particular focus on the nature and flux of light, and the urban forms and rhythms of the city. Sarina Stavride’s abstract themes and brush painting techniques reflect the influence of Asian artistic traditions that she has drawn from over a period of 25 years of living and working in Asia.
Korean artists Demi Kim and Jinho Choi are both established artists in Seoul and are members of the broader ANZA community through their personal and social networks. Australia and Korea enjoy many artistic linkages – past and present. In terms of these, we have Bridget O’Brien, who last year undertook a residency in Seoul with the National Museum of Contemporary Art, and Jinho Choi, recently Artist in Residence at the Australian National University in Canberra.
A key dynamic of the cosmopolitan experience of expatriate life, is the desire to share and communicate that which is close to you. Accordingly, Georgie Bruce presents works by a number of urban and indigenous Australian artists, that express a contemporary spirit of place and pleasure that are perhaps distinctively Australian. Anthea Fawcett, an Australian, lived in South Africa for several years and presents work from a number of South African artists and crafters, whose work express something of the energy and optimism of the new South Africa.
Most importantly, the ANZA Art Show is an engaging exhibition through which we also aim to say thank you to the people and city of Seoul, our host community and home. A contribution to a Korean charity will also be made from funds generated in association with the event.
The exhibition will be held at the KwanHoon Gallery, Insadong, from April 26 – May 2. A cocktail party will be held on the opening night and this event will be one of the highlights in ANZA’s calendar. Many guests from the ANZA, broader expatriate and Korean community are expected to attend.
ANZA is a ‘not for profit’ organisation and is committed to helping Korean charities via fundraising activities that are undertaken in conjunction with ANZA activities. Jenny Thorn, from the Gallery Kosaek, and Demi Kim have both kindly donated pieces for sale for charity as part of this exhibition. ANZA thanks them both for their generous contributions.
Anthea Fawcett,
ANZA Committee Member/ Convenor ANZA Art Show
ph: 010 9487 8856 [email protected]
THE ANZA GROUP SHOW
The Artists and Exhibitors
Anita Gate
Anita has held two solo exhibitions in Seoul since she moved to live here from her home in New Zealand. An accomplished artist working in oil, Anita focuses upon celebrating the charming, piquant and evocative in the everyday life of Seoul and everyday people. Her works are figurative and offer a warm insight into an expatriates view of life on the street in modern Seoul.
Sarina Stavrides
Sarina is an Australian artist who specialises in brush painting and abstract themes. Korean brush painting has been a key inspiration to Sarina and the development of her work and her pieces often feature exquisite abstractions of still lifes and objects drawn from nature – as pictured left.
Robert Liddicoat
Robert is an established Australian artists who has lived in Seoul for various periods over recent years. Robert exhibited in Insadong in 2002 and in 2003 and we are delighted that he is able to join the ANZA group show in 2006. Southern Hands will be the seventh exhibition of Robert’s painting in Seoul.
Anthea Fawcett
Anthea has diverse interests in the visual arts and crafts, and South African fine art and art craft are particular areas of interest and expertise. Anthea will exhibit a selection of fine contemporary South African prints by both established and emerging South African artists, such as ‘Dikgomo’, by Colbert Mashile pictured right
Demi Kim
Demi is a local Korean artist who has recently joined ANZA and recently held her second solo exhibition at the Sang Gallery, in Insadong, in November 2005. A lady much admired for the breadth of her artistic achievements, Demi is also well known in Korea for her strength and dynamism in overcoming a major spinal handicap. Demi will exhibit some of her wonderful large figurative works, many of which celebrate the female form.
See www.demisart.com
Georgie Bruce
Georgie is President of ANZA, a role to which she brings artistic flair and her impressive professional experience in creative event management. Georgie’s family is closely integrated within Sydney’s contemporary gallery scene and Georgie will exhibit some examples of emerging contemporary Aboriginal artists such as Kathleen Petyarre and George Ward Tjungarrayi, along with some striking works from Vanessa Forbes and amusing prints from Sydney based artist Gavin Barbey. See www.gavbarbey.com
Bridget O’Brien
Bridget is a dynamic young Australian artist who has been working in Seoul as a journalist having completed an Artist in Residence with the National Museum of Contemporary Art, Seoul. Bridget has held three solo exhibitions - 2 in Seoul and 1 in Darwin. She will will soon return to Australia and may there participate in a group show at the Gertrude Contemporary Art Space, Melbourne, in May.
Jin-ho Choi
Jin-ho is an established Korean sculptor, who has recently spent time as an Artist in residence at the Australian National University. Jin-ho is married to an Australian and regularly spends time with his family in both Seoul and Canberra.
Meredith Buining
A representative work of Meredith’s will be shown. Meredith exhibited with Maryanne Wick in Seoul in 2003. Such inclusions illustrate the ongoing artistic links that have been established in Seoul and that we seek to foster for the future.