DIRT FEELING

 I’ve recently discovered another art space – the John CurtinGallery at Curtin University. Way back in the 1970s when the University was the WA Institute of Technology I taught there for a year – subjects such as Construction Management about which I knew nothing and Personal Management about which I knew something. I haven’t been back on that campus for for nearly 50 years.

The gallery is quite impressive and the staff more so. They were engaged, helpful and clearly passionate about their jobs, the work on the walls and on the floor. I was introduced to the gallery by friend Stephanie and we saw a number of exhibitions on the same day:

·         Everyday, Myths and Legends – an exhibition from the University’s Art Collection

·         Fantastic Forms – a touring exhibition of the drawings of Merric Boyd and a range of artists responding to his work

·         Dirt Feeling  - which explored the diverse ceramic practices within Australia and beyond.

The latter was my favourite collection with work by some artists I knew (Joan Campbell, a WA artist whose name I knew growing up) and some I didn’t, such as the stunning ‘vases’ by Josina Pumani inspired by the atomic testing in Maralinga. As always there were some pieces I would have killed to own (Pippin Drysdale)and some I couldn’t even bear to look at (I won’t upset the artists by listing them) but it was the largest collection of ceramic work I have seen. It's on until 7 December so worth a visit.

Josia Pumani



Pippin Drysdale





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