Australia - Japan Art Exhibitions Initiative 2002 - 2004 An Initiative of the Australia Japan Foundation Australia and Japan share many things, particularly our geographic place in the world. We share a major trading relationship. We share political understanding. But our cultures are very different. Exchanges of art and artists help us understand each other better. These exchanges excite and inform people in each country about each other's culture. Artists in our region explore our world more successfully together. The Initiative With this in mind, the Australia Japan Foundation has provided seed funding for a series of exhibitions of Australian contemporary art and craft to be seen in Japan, and it is planned for a number of Japanese exhibitions to come to Australia. It is a three year program, with up to nine projects under its umbrella. The Australia Council, the Australian Government's arts funding and advisory body, is providing considerable support to the Initiative, and relevant Australian State governments backing individual projects. Australian public galleries are organizing the exhibitions which are hosted by Japanese partners. The Asialink Centre of the University of Melbourne is providing the program management. The focus is on partnership and working together to create a result with the greatest possible impact for these individual exhibitions as well as furthering cultural understanding more widely. Current Exhibitions The National Gallery of Victoria and Art Tower Mito An exhibition of contemporary art from both countries, co-curated and managed by Australian and Japanese organisations. The Japan Foundation is supporting the Japanese side in equal measure to the Australian Government for the Australian side. Opens: 2004. The Jam Factory Craft Centre, Adelaide and the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo, Crafts Gallery An exhibition titled Light Black of contemporary craft by Robin Best, Sue Lorraine and Catherine Truman. Made in black clay, steel and wood, all the works explore scientific and anatomical phenomena. Opens: Tokyo 2003 Sue Lorraine, Specimen Jars, Kidney/Artey/Heart, 1998, mild steel. Photo: courtesy JamFactory, from Light Black, Touring Japan in 2003 The Melbourne Museum and Art Front Gallery, Tokyo Spirit Country, a major exhibition of Aboriginal art will be the central focus of the 2003 Echigo Tsumari Triennial. The exhibition includes paintings and sculpture mainly from the Central Desert, Arnhem Land and the Kimberley. Opens: Niigata Prefecture, mid 2003 The Centre for Contemporary Photography, Melbourne Young Japanese and Australian curators have selected artists from each country to contribute to exhibitions and publications jointly called Gloss. Opens: Nadiff Bookstore and Gallery, Tokyo, early 2002; Centre for Contemporary Art and Sutton Gallery, Melbourne, mid 2002, Centre for Contemporary Art, Adelaide, late 2002, Tokyo, 2003. Penrith Regional Gallery and Fujieda City Penrith, near Sydney, and Fujieda City are sister cities. Penrith Regional Gallery will provide an exhibition called Indicium, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the relationship. Opens: Fujieda City 2004. Gertrude Contemporary Art Spaces and the Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography Supernatural Artificial is an exhibition which examines notions of artificial fabrication and staging in photo-based media. Curated by Natalie King, the exhibition includes works by seven contemporary Australian artists or collaborators: Pat Brassington, Bill Henson, Eliza Hutchison, David Noonan & Simon Trevaks, Darren Siwes, Darren Sylvester, and Anne Zahalka. Opens: Tokyo 2004. The Australia Council and the Hara Museum of Contemporary Art, Tokyo Patricia Piccinini's We are Family, an Australia Council project curated by Linda Michael, explores the changing relationship between what is considered natural and what is considered artificial. Australia's representation at the Venice Biennale 2003, We Are Family tours to the Hara Museum of Contemporary Art, Tokyo in December 2003. Other partnerships are being developed between institutions around both Australia and Japan. Michael Riley, Untitled - cloud series, 2000, inkjet print on banner paper, 84 x 118.8 cm, from Indicium, Penrith Regional Gallery Exhibition For further information, please contact: Alison Carroll Director, Arts Program The University of Melbourne, 3010 Email: a.carroll@asialink.unimelb.edu.au Phone: 61-3-8344 4800 Fax: 61-3- 9347 1768