From Australia: An Accumulation
Trent Walter & collaborators

From Australia: An Accumulation is an imagining of Australian nationalism made through drawing, printmaking, community-engaged workshops, publications and exhibitions. 

The project uses the print portfolios produced at the time of the Australian Bicentennial in 1988 as a launching off point. Specifically ‘Aus Australien’, published by Rene Block, and the ‘Bicentennial Portfolio of 25 Australian artists’, published by the Australian Bicentennial Commission. Both have become celebrated time capsules of Australian art and identity. At 2020 and the 250th Anniversary of the Pacific voyages of Captain James Cook, it is essential to revisit what ‘from Australia’ looks like now.

Recently there has been a much needed re-evaluation of Australian history and the legacies of colonialism, and the ways this can be addressed through artwork. From Australia builds from this work and extends the trajectory of historical printmaking portfolios by creating an ongoing, inclusive and reflexive examination of collective Australian identity. The project is ongoing.

As part of the broader project, the exhibition at Watch This Space (WTS) presents portfolio works by Robert Fielding, Chips Mackinolty and Alison Alder, and a selection of artwork contributions made during workshops across Australia, including at WTS in 2021 and Mimili Maku Arts in 2019 and 2021.

Trent Walter

Trent Walter is one of Australia’s leading master printers and is interested in the intersection between printed matter and contemporary art. Walter’s collaborations take the form of artists’ books, print series and, increasingly, workshops that explore the social aspects of printmaking practice.

Walter’s imprint, Negative Press, is a laboratory where printmaking’s inherent trait of mechanical reproduction, notions of the copy and complex relations to authorship are explored, participating in international dialogues regarding collaboration, materiality and representation. Walter is currently a PhD candidate in Fine Art at Monash University Art Design and Architecture.

EXHIBITION

5 — 27 March

OPENING

Friday 5 March
6PM

ARTIST TALK

Saturday 27 March
11AM

Workshops

Mimili Maku Arts
25 February

Watch This Space
1 & 2 March

Acknowledgements

From Australia: An Accumulation is dedicated to the memory of Anita Angel, John Nixon and Kunmanara (Mumu Mike) Williams.

This project is supported by the Victorian Government through Creative Victoria. This project has been assisted by the Australian Government through the Australia Council, its arts funding and advisory body and NETS Victoria’s Exhibition Development Fund 2019. Additional support has been provided by Persuade Consulting.

Trent Walter is supported by an Australian Government Research Training Program (RTP) Stipend and RTP Fee-Offset Scholarship through the Faculty of Art, Design and Architecture at Monash University, Australia.

Image
Robert Fielding, screenprint using earth pigments, 76 x 56cm, Mimili Maku Arts workshop, Mimili, SA, 2019