Exhibition: ‘Cartier’ at NGV International, Melbourne

Exhibition dates: 12th June – 4th October, 2026

Curator: Helen Molesworth, Senior Curator of Jewellery, Victoria & Albert Museum, London

 

Scroll Tiara, Cartier Paris, special order, 1902

 

Scroll Tiara
Cartier Paris, special order
1902
Diamonds, silver and gold
Cartier Collection
Nils Herrmann, Collection Cartier
© Cartier

 

Owned by the Countess of Essex

 

 

Bling, bling, bling.

Beauty, craftsmanship, style, for the very wealthy.

Opulence … but at what cost?

No mention here of the menials that would have been forced to mine the original stones in Africa, India or South America.

No mention of the horrors of colonialism of the British, French, Dutch, Belgiums etc… which allowed the exploitation of foreign countries: “The ruling nation takes natural resources, wealth, and cheap labor from the colonised area to enrich itself.”

No mention of the people (or the greased palms) that traded these gemstones and allowed them to reach Western markets and into corporate and private hands.

This “spectacular” display – the spectacle – is beautifully presented at the NGV but it’s all just a bit – what’s the word – gauche for me, especially the over the top 1950s-contemporary pieces. Less is more.

At least the Paris branch of Cartier actively resisted the Nazi occupation and the London offices operated as a frequent meeting place for Charles de Gaulle’s Free French movement, unlike Coco Chanel who was a documented Nazi collaborator and intelligence agent with the Abwehr, holding the agent number F-7124 and the codename “Westminster”, during World War II.

Why you would buy anything by Chanel even today is completely beyond me.

Dr Marcus Bunyan


Many thankx to the NGV for allowing me to publish the photographs in the posting. Please click on the photographs for a larger version of the image. All installation photographs (except the top four) © Marcus Bunyan

 

 

Unknown photographer. 'Alfred Cartier (second from right) with his three sons (left to right), Pierre, Louis and Jacques' 1922

 

Unknown photographer
Alfred Cartier (second from right) with his three sons (left to right), Pierre, Louis and Jacques
1922
Archives Cartier Paris
© Cartier

 

 

Colour, cut and craftsmanship – that’s the magic at the heart of the 2026 Melbourne Winter Masterpieces®: CARTIER exhibition.

Watch as NGV Director Tony Ellwood AM, along with Helen Molesworth, Senior Curator of Jewellery at Victoria and Albert Museum, Pierre Rainero, Cartier Director of Image, Style and Heritage, exhibition designers Studio Sabine Marcelis and Paul Cournet of CLOUD and NGV Senior Curators Dr Miranda Wallace and Amanda Dunsmore, share what makes this exhibition shine – from diamond necklaces and glittering tiaras to original drawings, sketchbooks and photography.

 

 

CARTIER, a once-in-a-lifetime exhibition featuring nearly 500 jewels, objects, archival materials and never-before-exhibited pieces, traces the remarkable story of the French jewellery house from around 1900 to now.

Watch on for your first glimpse into the exhibition as Helen Molesworth, Senior Curator of Jewellery at Victoria and Albert Museum, Pierre Rainero, Cartier Director of Image, Style and Heritage, Pascale Lepeu, Director of Cartier Collection and NGV Senior Curator Miranda Wallace introduce you to the wonderful world of CARTIER.

 

 

2026 MWM Cartier – Announcement Broll

 

Installation view of the exhibition 'Cartier' at NGV International, Melbourne, June - October, 2026
Installation view of the exhibition 'Cartier' at NGV International, Melbourne, June - October, 2026
Installation view of the exhibition 'Cartier' at NGV International, Melbourne, June - October, 2026
Installation view of the exhibition 'Cartier' at NGV International, Melbourne, June - October, 2026

 

Installation views of the exhibition Cartier at NGV International, Melbourne, June – October, 2026

 

 

Featuring 300+ resplendent and beautifully-crafted jewels, tiaras, necklaces, brooches, timepieces, design drawings and more, the 2026 Melbourne Winter Masterpieces presentation, Cartier, is the largest exhibition on the global jewellery house ever staged in Australia. Direct from London’s Victoria & Albert Museum and opening exclusively in Melbourne at NGV International on 12 June 2026, the exhibition explores Cartier’s unparalleled reputation for design excellence, craftsmanship and innovation through a dazzling selection of Cartier creations owned and worn by the likes of Elizabeth Taylor, Rihanna, Princess Margaret, The Duchess of Windsor, Dame Nellie Melba, the Maharaja of Patiala, the Begum Aga Khan III, and American heiress Barbara Hutton. The Melbourne-exclusive exhibition also features many jewels and objects that have never-before-visited Australia.

The exhibition charts the evolution and artistic legacy of the jewellery house, including its transformation at the turn of the twentieth century by brothers Louis, Pierre and Jacques Cartier, grandsons of the house’s founder Louis-François Cartier. The brothers established branches in Paris, London and New York, creating the first internationally recognised jewellery maison, and honed Cartier’s inimitable style by bringing design and manufacturing in-house. With an enviable client list of royalty and aristocracy, Cartier was described as ‘the jeweller of kings and the king of jewellers’ by King Edward VII, who granted his Royal Warrant in 1904. Cartier’s reputation later broadened thanks to the devotion of leading creatives from the worlds of cinema, music and fashion.

A major highlight of the exhibition will be a display of more than 20 magnificent tiaras, a timeless symbol of royalty, glamour and artistry – and some of Cartier’s most celebrated creations. With symbolic links to the laurel wreaths of classical antiquity and celestial halos, the tiara has been worn for centuries across cultures from Asia to Europe. The spectacular display includes Cartier’s celebrated Scroll tiara (1902), crafted in the house’s signature ‘Garland style’ and worn by Clementine Churchill at the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953 and by Rihanna on the cover of W magazine in 2016. Others include the Sun tiara of 1907 with a 32-carat fancy intense yellow diamond in its centre; and the Art Deco diamond and platinum Halo tiara of 1934, which was inspired by ancient Egypt and owned by Her Highness the Begum Aga Khan III.

The exhibition includes a 1951 necklace gifted to Elizabeth Taylor by her third husband and film producer, Mike Todd, while on holiday in the French Riviera in 1957. The necklace features a geometric latticework design of diamonds that showcase seven Burmese rubies, exceptional for their size and matching colour. Taylor herself described the necklace as ‘like the sun – lit up and made of red fire.’

The exhibition also focuses on Australian opera singer Dame Nellie Melba, who was an early client of Cartier when the firm was becoming known internationally for its ‘Garland style’ jewels, often featuring floral swags and bows wrought in platinum and precious gemstones. Pierre Cartier was a fan of Dame Nellie, and a signed 1902 photograph of Melba, once owned by Pierre, will feature in the exhibition along with necklaces and bodice ornaments that the world-famous opera singer owned and wore both on and off the stage.

On display will be an intricate diamond Rose clip brooch (1938) worn by Princess Margaret at her sister’s coronation, as well as a major selection of exceptional jewels belonging to Wallis Simpson, the Duchess of Windsor and wife of former King Edward VIII. These include her famous Flamingo brooch (1947), an extraordinary Bib necklace encrusted with diamonds, amethysts and turquoise, and her 1949 Panther sapphire clip brooch which features an impressive 152.35-carats Kashmir cabochon sapphire.

Named for their colourful use of rubies, emeralds and blue sapphires, a rich selection of Cartier’s iconic Tutti Frutti jewels will also feature. Additionally, there will be a standout selection of Cartier timepieces that showcase the jeweller’s industry-leading innovations in watchmaking, alongside a selection of contemporary works featuring Australian opals.

The never-before-seen exhibition design is a collaboration between the NGV, Studio Sabine Marcelis and CLOUD, two multidisciplinary design practices based in Rotterdam in The Netherlands. The exhibition design will be inspired by colour, light and materiality, three elements that are synonymous with the aesthetic qualities of Cartier’s jewellery. The exhibition design will reflect Cartier’s expansive network of cultural and gemological sources that inspire their jewellery creations. …

Tony Ellwood AM, Director, NGV, said: ‘Cartier are world-renowned for their excellence in jewellery and timepiece design and innovation – a reputation fostered by the three entrepreneurial brothers Pierre, Louis and Jacques Cartier. This exhibition tells the story of how they transformed their grandfather’s jewellery business into one of the most prestigious international jewellery houses with a clientele including royalty, high society and movie stars. We’re indebted to our partner institution the V&A, for their support of this Australian-exclusive exhibition, as well as key lender Cartier.’

Helen Molesworth, Senior Curator of Jewellery, Victoria & Albert Museum, London, said: ‘Cartier is one of the most famous jewellery houses in the world. This exhibition will explore how Louis, Pierre and Jacques Cartier, initiated a strategy of original design, exceptional craftmanship and international expansion that transformed the Parisian family jeweller into an international household name. The V&A is delighted to tour its Cartier exhibition which celebrates the pioneering achievements of Cartier and its transformative ability to remain at the centre of culture and creativity for more than a century. We are excited to be able to share with visitors of the NGV some of Cartier’s most famous creations as well as revealing previously unseen objects that further enrich our understanding of a jewellery house that continues to influence the way we adorn ourselves today.’

Pierre Rainero, Director of Cartier Image, Style and Heritage, said: ‘Building on the success of its presentation at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, the NGV iteration of the Cartier exhibition will showcase pieces never-before-seen in Australia. It promises to be an enlightening experience for the public, offering a captivating journey into the world of Cartier and its signature style, a living language in permanent evolution. We hope that it will not only inspire delight and awe, but also intellectual curiosity, fostering a deeper appreciation for jewellery as a distinct and powerful artistic expression.’

The Melbourne Winter Masterpieces exhibition Cartier will be on display at NGV International from 12 June – 4 October 2026. Admission fees apply. Information and tickets are available via the NGV website: NGV.MELBOURNE

Exhibition created by the V&A in partnership with the National Gallery of Victoria and in collaboration with Cartier.

Press release continues below…

 

Unknown photographer/Bain News Service (publisher). 'Nellie Melba, her father, David Mitchell, and a young girl (Nellie's niece, Nellie Paterson), in Melbourne, Australia' 1903

 

Unknown photographer/Bain News Service (publisher)
Nellie Melba, her father, David Mitchell, and a young girl (Nellie’s niece, Nellie Paterson), in Melbourne, Australia
1903

 

Unknown photographer. 'Photograph of Nellie Melba' 1904

 

Unknown photographer
Photograph of Nellie Melba
1904
Provenance: Descendants of Pierre Cartier
Cartier Collection
Marian Gérard, Cartier Collection © Cartier

 

This photograph, gifted by Nellie Melba herself, had always been kept in Pierre Cartier’s salon

 

Floral basket pendant watch, Cartier Paris, 1909

 

Floral basket pendant watch
Cartier Paris
1909
Platinum, pink gold, diamonds, enamel
Cartier Collection
Nils Herrmann, Cartier Collection
© Cartier

 

Owned by Dame Nellie Melba

 

Aram Alban (Armenian, 1883-1961) 'Elisabeth of Bavaria, Queen of the Belgians' c. 1925

 

Aram Alban (Armenian, 1883-1961)
Elisabeth of Bavaria, Queen of the Belgians
c. 1925
Photo: Archives of the Royal Palace, Brussels

 

Wearing the scroll tiara by Cartier Paris seen below

 

Scroll Tiara, Cartier Paris, 1910

 

Scroll Tiara
Cartier Paris
1910
Diamonds and platinum
Cartier Collection
Vincent Wulveryck, Cartier Collection
© Cartier

 

Owned by Elisabeth, Queen of the Belgians

 

George Grantham Bain Collection. 'Helena, nee Zimmerman, daughter-in-law of Consuelo Montagu, Dowager Duchess of Manchester, wearing the Manchester tiara to the coronation of King George V and Queen Mary' 1911

 

George Grantham Bain Collection
Helena, nee Zimmerman, daughter-in-law of Consuelo Montagu, Dowager Duchess of Manchester, wearing the Manchester tiara to the coronation of King George V and Queen Mary
1911
George Grantham Bain Collection. Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, Washington, D.C.

 

‘Model A’ Mystery Clock, Cartier Paris, 1914. Sold to Count Greffulhe

 

‘Model A’ Mystery Clock
Cartier Paris
1914
Rock crystal, agate, diamonds, sapphires, enamel, gold, platinum
Cartier Collection
Nils Herrmann, Cartier Collection
© Cartier

 

Sold to Count Greffulhe

 

Panther skin wristwatch, Cartier Paris, 1914

 

Panther skin wristwatch
Cartier Paris
1914
Onyx, diamonds, pink gold, platinum and black moiré strap
Cartier Collection
Nils Herrmann, Cartier Collection
© Cartier

 

Scarab Brooch, Cartier London, 1925

 

Scarab Brooch
Cartier London
1925
Blueglazed Egyptian faience with rubies, emeralds, citrines, diamonds, onyx, platinum and gold
Cartier Collection
Nils Herrmann, Collection Cartier
© Cartier

 

Brooch, Cartier Paris, 1925; altered 1927

 

Brooch
Cartier Paris
1925; altered 1927
Onyx, diamonds, enamel, platinum and gold
Cartier Collection
Marian Gérard, Cartier Collection
© Cartier

 

This brooch was one of the items displayed by Cartier at the Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes held in Paris in 1925.

 

Necklace, Cartier Paris, special order, 1928 (restored 1999-2002)

 

Necklace
Cartier Paris
Special order 1928 (restored 1999-2002)
Platinum, diamonds, zirconia, topazes, synthetic rubies, one critrine, one
smoky quartz.
Cartier Collection
Vincent Wulveryck, Collection Cartier
© Cartier

 

Commissioned by Bhupinder Singh, Maharajah of Patiala

 

Necklace, Cartier London, special order, 1932. Commissioned by Lady Granard

 

Necklace
Cartier London
Special order, 1932
One 143.23-carat emerald, diamonds and platinum
Cartier Collection
Vincent Wulveryck, Cartier Collection
© Cartier

 

Commissioned by Lady Granard

 

 

About the exhibition

The exhibition opens with an introduction to Louis, Pierre and Jacques Cartier, who were united in their ambition to expand the family business globally, which had been established by their grandfather in 1847. The emergence of the ‘Garland style’ will be explored as well as early cultural influences on Cartier’s creations, including ancient Egyptian design. This section reveals how the Maison developed its own instantly recognisable style, one that combined modernity and innovation with elegance and refinement.

The next section of the exhibition focuses on the rise of Cartier’s signature design aesthetic, its workshops, the Maison’s exceptional access to significant gemstones and its technical innovation. At the Paris 1925 Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes, Cartier prominently displayed its creations alongside leading Parisian jewellers and couturiers in the Pavillon de l’élégance. A new aspect of the NGV exhibition will be a focus on Jeanne Toussaint, Cartier’s longstanding female Creative Director from 1933 to 1970 and her innovative design aesthetic. Visitors will see how the panther motif, celebrated by Toussaint and one of the Maison’s most iconic symbols, continues to evolve in contemporary jewels, using many of the same jewellery techniques that have been practised for decades.

In the early twentieth century, Cartier secured access to some of the most important gems in the world, notably due to sourcing trips made by Jacques Cartier to the Middle East, India and Sri Lanka, as well as the house’s elite clientele and dealer networks. In a section entirely devoted to the materials behind the creations, some of the finest gems in the world will be on view. A section on timepiece design illuminates Cartier’s exceptional technical innovation, whether in jewellery, clocks or watches.

The final section of the exhibition celebrates Cartier jewels that were worn by stars of the stage and screen, and the stylistic evolution of the Maison in to the 21st century. The exhibition will culminate in a spectacular display of more than 20 tiaras. Cartier became a master of these crowning jewels at a time when high society wore them to the most glittering events in the social calendar.

About the Cartier Collection

In the 1970s, Cartier began to gather together pieces that had been produced in its earlier years; jewelry, timepieces and other precious accessories were collected for conservation, leading to the foundation of the Cartier Collection in 1983.  

Today, the Cartier Collection includes pieces dating from as early as the 1860s until as recently as the 2000s. These pieces act as material records of Cartier’s more than 170-year history of style and creativity, as well as provide a wider historical account of evolutions within the decorative arts since the end of the 19th century. 

With approximately 3,500 pieces and still growing, the Cartier Collection has sparked the attention of museums worldwide. Since the first major exhibition in 1989 at the Petit Palais in Paris, the Cartier Collection has been showcased by some of the world’s most renowned institutions in 45 monographic exhibitions, including most recently at London’s Victoria and Albert Museum.

Press release from the NGV

 

Unknown photographer. 'Gloria Swanson in "Perfect Understanding",' 1933

 

Unknown photographer
Gloria Swanson in “Perfect Understanding”
1933
Heritage Auctions

 

Brooch, Cartier London, 1933

 

Brooch
Cartier London
1933
Amethyst, sapphires, diamonds and platinum
Cartier Collection
Vincent Wulveryck, Cartier Collection
© Cartier

 

Necklace, Cartier London, special order, 1934

 

Necklace
Cartier London
Special order, 1934
Platinum, diamonds
Owned by the Sassoon family
Cartier Collection
Nils Herrmann, Cartier Collection
© Cartier

 

Necklace, Cartier Paris, special order, 1934

 

Necklace
Cartier Paris
Special order, 1934
Jadeite, rubies, diamonds, platinum and gold
Cartier Collection
Marian Gérard, Cartier Collection
© Cartier

 

Owned by Barbara Hutton

 

‘Hindou’ Necklace, Cartier Paris, special order, 1936; altered 1963. Commissioned by Daisy Fellowes

 

‘Hindou’ Necklace
Cartier Paris
Special order, 1936; altered 1963
Sapphires, emeralds, rubies, diamonds, platinum and white gold
Cartier Collection
Vincent Wulveryck, Collection Cartier
© Cartier

 

Commissioned by Daisy Fellowes

 

Tiara, Cartier London, 1937

 

Tiara
Cartier London
1937
Aquamarine, diamonds and platinum
Cartier Collection
Vincent Wulveryck, Cartier Collection
© Cartier

 

Necklace, Cartier Paris, 1937

 

Necklace
Cartier Paris
1937
Gold, citrines
Cartier Collection
Nils Herrmann, Cartier Collection
© Cartier

 

The five motives on the necklace can be detached to be worn as brooches.

 

Unknown photographer. 'Duke Edward of Windsor (Former King Edward Viii) and Duchess of Windsor (Wallis Simpson, With A Necklace By Cartier) during Ball in Versailles on June 17, 1953' 1953

 

Unknown photographer
Duke Edward of Windsor (Former King Edward Viii) and Duchess of Windsor (Wallis Simpson, With A Necklace By Cartier) during Ball in Versailles on June 17, 1953
1953
© AGIP / Bridgeman Images

 

Rose Clip Brooch, Cartier London, special order, 1938

 

Rose Clip Brooch
Cartier London
Special order, 1938
Diamonds and platinum
Cartier Collection
Vincent Wulveryck, Cartier Collection
© Cartier

 

Owned by HRH Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon, worn on the photograph below

 

Cecil Beaton (British, 1904-1980) 'Princess Margaret wearing the Cartier rose clip' 1955 brooch' 1955

 

Cecil Beaton (British, 1904-1980)
Princess Margaret wearing the Cartier rose clip brooch
1955
Cartier Collection
Vincent Wulveryck, Cartier Collection © Cartier

 

Flamingo Brooch, Cartier Paris, 1940

 

Flamingo Brooch
Cartier Paris
1940
Platinum, diamonds, rubies, sapphires and emeralds
Cartier Collection
© Cartier

 

The iconic Cartier Flamingo Brooch ordered for the Duchess of Windsor on the eve of the Nazi Occupation of Paris.

The brooch was delivered to the Duke and Duchess of Windsor only a few days before they left the French capital ahead of the German invasion. Via Spain and Portugal, the Duke and Duchess travelled to Nassau in the Bahamas where the Duke took on the role of governor for the duration of World War II. Upon arrival in Miami, en route to Nassau, the Duchess wore her brand-new Cartier flamingo brooch when greeting the crowds. She paired it with a now-famous bi-corned hat, one of her boldest and most iconic fashion choices.

The flamingo brooch was one of the star lots in Sotheby’s landmark sale of the Duchess of Windsor’s Collection in 1987 and was again offered at Sotheby’s London in November 2010 in a sale that re-united several highlights from the Duke and Duchess’ collection. Today, the original flamingo brooch is part of the Cartier heritage collection and is frequently featured it in exhibitions all over the world.

Text from the Sotheby’s website

 

Brooch, Cartier London, special order, 1941

 

Brooch
Cartier London
Special order, 1941
Diamonds and platinum
Commissioned by Ernest Schwaiger
© Victoria and Albert Museum, London

 

Panther clip brooch, Cartier Paris, 1949. Owned by the Duchess of Windsor

 

Panther clip brooch
Cartier Paris
1949
One 152.35-carat sapphire, sapphires, diamonds, yellow diamonds, platinum and white gold
Cartier Collection
Nils Herrmann, Cartier Collection
© Cartier

 

Owned by the Duchess of Windsor

 

Unknown photographer. 'Elizabeth Taylor at the Tropicana Hotel in Las Vegas, June 1958' 1958

 

Unknown photographer
Elizabeth Taylor at the Tropicana Hotel in Las Vegas, June 1958
1958
© Photofest

 

Wearing the necklace by Cartier Paris below

 

Necklace, Cartier Paris, 1951; altered 1953

 

Necklace
Cartier Paris
1951; altered 1953
Rubies, diamonds, platinum, yellow and white gold
Owned by Elizabeth Taylor
Cartier Collection
Vincent Wulveryck, Cartier Collection
© Cartier

 

Snake Necklace, Cartier Paris, special order, 1968

 

Snake Necklace
Cartier Paris
Special order, 1968
Diamonds, emeralds, enamel, platinum, white and yellow gold
Cartier Collection
Vincent Wulveryck, Cartier Collection
© Cartier

 

Commissioned by María Félix

 

Bracelet, Cartier, 2014

 

Bracelet
Cartier
2014
White gold, diamonds
One sugarloaf tanzanite cabochon weighing 79.52 carats, rock crystal, onyx
Cartier Collection
Vincent Wulveryck, Cartier Collection
© Cartier

 

Bracelet, Cartier, 2015

 

Bracelet
Cartier
2015
White gold, diamonds, one opal weighing 189.345 carats, purple sapphires and blue sapphires, emeralds
Cartier Collection
Vincent Wulveryck, Cartier Collection
© Cartier

 

Bracelet, Cartier, 2018

 

Bracelet
Cartier
2018
Platinum, white gold, tourmalines, opals, diamonds, onyx
Cartier Collection
Vincent Wulveryck, Cartier Collection
© Cartier

 

Installation photographs

Photos Marcus Bunyan

 

Installation view of the exhibition 'Cartier' at NGV International, Melbourne, June - October, 2026
Installation view of the exhibition 'Cartier' at NGV International, Melbourne, June - October, 2026
Installation view of the exhibition 'Cartier' at NGV International, Melbourne, June - October, 2026 showing 'Tiara' by Cartier Paris 1908 commissioned by Dame Nellie Melba

 

Tiara (installation view)
Cartier Paris
Special order, 1908
Diamonds, turquoise, platinum, yellow gold
Commissioned by Dame Nellie Melba
Private collection

 

This piece is transformable and can be worn either as a necklace or as a tiara

Dame Nellie Melba

Dame Nellie Melba was a renowned opera singer, one of few who achieved global celebrity in the era before recorded music. Born Helen porter Mitchell in Richmond, Melbourne in 1861, she was known as Hellie from childhood and took the stage name ‘Melba’ – an homage to her home town – upon her Paris debut in 1886.

Wall text from the exhibition

 

Installation view of the exhibition 'Cartier' at NGV International, Melbourne, June - October, 2026
Installation view of the exhibition 'Cartier' at NGV International, Melbourne, June - October, 2026
Installation view of the exhibition 'Cartier' at NGV International, Melbourne, June - October, 2026
Installation view of the exhibition 'Cartier' at NGV International, Melbourne, June - October, 2026
Installation view of the exhibition 'Cartier' at NGV International, Melbourne, June - October, 2026
Installation view of the exhibition 'Cartier' at NGV International, Melbourne, June - October, 2026
Installation view of the exhibition 'Cartier' at NGV International, Melbourne, June - October, 2026
Installation view of the exhibition 'Cartier' at NGV International, Melbourne, June - October, 2026
Installation view of the exhibition 'Cartier' at NGV International, Melbourne, June - October, 2026
Installation view of the exhibition 'Cartier' at NGV International, Melbourne, June - October, 2026
Installation view of the exhibition 'Cartier' at NGV International, Melbourne, June - October, 2026
Installation view of the exhibition 'Cartier' at NGV International, Melbourne, June - October, 2026
Installation view of the exhibition 'Cartier' at NGV International, Melbourne, June - October, 2026
Installation view of the exhibition 'Cartier' at NGV International, Melbourne, June - October, 2026
Installation view of the exhibition 'Cartier' at NGV International, Melbourne, June - October, 2026 showing Tutti Frutti strap bracelet (Cartier New York, Special order 1928, modified in 1929); Pair of Tutti Frutti clip brooches (Cartier New York, 1929); Tutti Frutti bracelet-watch (Cartier Paris, 1929); Secret watch (Cartier, 2024)

 

Tutti Frutti strap bracelet (installation view)
Cartier New York
Special order 1928, modified in 1929
Emeralds, rubies, sapphires, diamonds, enamel, platinum
Cartier Collection

Pair of Tutti Frutti clip brooches
Cartier New York
1929
Rubies, emeralds, diamonds, enamel, platinum, white gold
Cartier Collection

Tutti Frutti bracelet-watch
Cartier Paris
1929
Emeralds (42.38 carats total), rubies, sapphires, diamonds, platinum
Cartier Collection

Secret watch
Cartier
2024
Emeralds (including one of 17.02 carats), sapphires, rubies, diamonds, onyx, white gold
Collection of Mrs Lolita Younes

 

Installation view of the exhibition 'Cartier' at NGV International, Melbourne, June - October, 2026 showing 'Necklace' by Cartier London, Special order, 1932

 

Necklace (installation view)
Cartier London
Special order, 1932
Emerald (143.23 carats), diamonds, platinum
Commissioned by Beatrice Mills, Countess of Granard
Cartier Collection

 

Beatrice Mills, daughter of American financier and philanthropist ogden Mills, married the 8th Earl of Granard in 1909. Lady Granard, as she became known, was a lotyla client of Carter London and was famous for her extravagant jewellery collection. According to the society diarist Henry ‘Chips’ Channon, ‘Lady Granard could scarcely walk for jewels’ while attending on of his dinner parties in 1938. This spectacular necklace was created from stones entirely supplied by the Countess. It is in the style of the heavier but shorter collar necklaces popular in the 1930s, while its powerful S-shaped diamond-set scrolls surrounding the magnificent emerald in the centre.

Wall text from the exhibition

 

Installation view of the exhibition 'Cartier' at NGV International, Melbourne, June - October, 2026
Installation view of the exhibition 'Cartier' at NGV International, Melbourne, June - October, 2026 showing Brooch, originally set as a head ornament (Cartier Paris, 1925, modified in 1927); Bracelet (Cartier Paris, 1922); Bracelet (Cartier Paris, 1925)
Installation view of the exhibition 'Cartier' at NGV International, Melbourne, June - October, 2026 showing Brooch, originally set as a head ornament (Cartier Paris, 1925, modified in 1927); Bracelet (Cartier Paris, 1922); Bracelet (Cartier Paris, 1925)

 

Brooch, originally set as a head ornament (installation view)
Cartier Paris
1925, modified in 1927
Diamonds, onyx, enamel, platinum, gold
Cartier Collection

Bracelet
Cartier Paris
1922
Emeralds, diamonds, coral, onyx, platinum
Cartier Collection

Bracelet
Cartier Paris
1925
Diamonds, coral, onyx, platinum
Cartier Collection

 

This onyx and diamond orchid brooch was on display at the 1925 Paris Exhibition as one of four orchid flowers mounted as a pair of hair ornaments. The coral, onyx and diamond bracelet was also displayed at the exhibition, along with an identical example of the bracelet with coral and emeralds. They exemplify Cartier’s innovative colour combinations and striking geometric designs.

Wall text from the exhibition

 

Installation view of the exhibition 'Cartier' at NGV International, Melbourne, June - October, 2026
Installation view of the exhibition 'Cartier' at NGV International, Melbourne, June - October, 2026
Installation view of the exhibition 'Cartier' at NGV International, Melbourne, June - October, 2026
Installation view of the exhibition 'Cartier' at NGV International, Melbourne, June - October, 2026
Installation view of the exhibition 'Cartier' at NGV International, Melbourne, June - October, 2026
Installation view of the exhibition 'Cartier' at NGV International, Melbourne, June - October, 2026
Installation view of the exhibition 'Cartier' at NGV International, Melbourne, June - October, 2026 showing 'Hindou' Necklace (Cartier Paris, 1936, modified in 1963)

 

‘Hindou’ Necklace (installation view)
Cartier Paris
1936, modified in 1963
Special order
Sapphires (240.15 carats total), emeralds, rubies, diamonds, platinum, white gold
Cartier Collection

 

This necklace is generally regarded as the most spectacular example of Tutti Frutti jewellery ever created by Cartier. Recorded in the Cartier Archives as ‘Hindou’, the necklace was originally mounted on a long Indian-style cord so that it would sit lower down. Daisy Fellowes supplied Cartier with jewels from her own collection (including from a Tutti Frutti bracelet, the design sketch for which is displayed on the wall opposite). Her daughter the Comtesse de Casteja had the necklace remodelled by Cartier in 1963.

Wall text from the exhibition

 

Installation view of the exhibition 'Cartier' at NGV International, Melbourne, June - October, 2026
Installation view of the exhibition 'Cartier' at NGV International, Melbourne, June - October, 2026
Installation view of the exhibition 'Cartier' at NGV International, Melbourne, June - October, 2026
Installation view of the exhibition 'Cartier' at NGV International, Melbourne, June - October, 2026

 

Installation views of the exhibition Cartier at NGV International, Melbourne, June – October, 2026
Photos: Marcus Bunyan

 

 

NGV International
180 St Kilda Road

Opening hours:
Daily 10am – 5pm

National Gallery of Victoria website

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Marcus Bunyan black and white archive: ‘Orphans and small groups’ 1994-1996 Part 2

April 2021

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Ma mère' 1994

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Ma mère
1994
Gelatin silver print

 

 

Earlier in my life I believed that identity was always fluid, always in flux. These photographs reflect that belief.

Now as I get older, this belief has changed.

Identity is always steady – at a certain level – and that the old adage to know ones-self is still the greatest challenge. And that this knowledge brings a core that is consistent.

The fluidity of self-knowledge disappears when attention is sharpened.


Marcus Bunyan 2021

 

 

I am scanning my medium format Mamiya RZ67 negatives made during the years 1991-1997 to preserve them in the form of an online archive as a process of active memory, so that the images are not lost forever. These photographs were images of my life and imagination at the time of their making, the ideas I was thinking about and the people and things that surrounded me.

All images © Marcus Bunyan. Please click the photographs for a larger version of the image. Please remember these are straight scans of the prints, all full frame, no cropping !

Dr Marcus Bunyan

*PLEASE NOTE THIS POSTING CONTAINS ART PHOTOGRAPHS OF MALE NUDITY – IF YOU DO NOT LIKE PLEASE DO NOT LOOK, FAIR WARNING HAS BEEN GIVEN*

Photographs are available from this series for purchase. As a guide, a vintage 8″ x 10″ silver gelatin print costs $700 plus tracked and insured shipping. For more information please see my Store web page.

 

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Untitled (Rembrandt thinking)' 1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Untitled (Rembrandt thinking)
1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'The conversation' 1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
The conversation
1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Untitled (Pope folded)' 1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Untitled (Pope folded)
1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Untitled (Pope unfolded)' 1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Untitled (Pope unfolded)
1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan. 'The Angelus, New R, 1892' 1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
The Angelus, New R, 1892
1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Thy Kingdom Come' 1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Thy Kingdom Come
1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Purity' 1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Purity
1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Whistler's mother (looking out to sea)' 1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Whistler’s mother (looking out to sea)
1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Holbein's Happiness' 1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Holbein’s Happiness
1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan. 'Untitled (Sweet heart with leaves)' 1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Untitled (Sweet heart with leaves)
1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Windows at 63aa' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Windows at 63aa
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Untitled' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Untitled
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan. 'Urban abstraction (for Max)' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Urban abstraction (for Max)
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan. 'Untitled' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Untitled
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan. 'Between the breath and the silence' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Between the breath and the silence
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Shame Fraser' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Shame Fraser
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Port Melbourne to Port of Melbourne' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Port Melbourne to Port of Melbourne
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Out back' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Out back
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Untitled (pear on black)' 1994

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Untitled (pear on black)
1994
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Pear I' 1994

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Pear I
1994
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Pear II' 1994

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Pear II
1994
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Abstract I' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Abstract I
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Abstract II' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Abstract II
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Nude in sunlight' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Nude in sunlight
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Abstract III' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Abstract III
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Abstract IIII' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Abstract IIII
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Abstract V' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Abstract V
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Abstract VI' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Abstract VI
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Question  mark' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Question    mark
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Four lines and two trestles' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Four lines and two trestles
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Four tyres' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Four tyres
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Untitled (two cracks)' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Untitled (two cracks)
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Untitled' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Untitled
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Untitled (plank)' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Untitled (plank)
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Untitled (creature)' 1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Untitled (creature)
1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Untitled (creature)' 1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Untitled (creature)
1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Untitled (creature)' 1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Untitled (creature)
1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Untitled (creature)' 1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Untitled (creature)
1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Untitled (creatures)' 1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Untitled (creatures)
1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Untitled (creatures)' 1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Untitled (creatures)
1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Roundel I' 1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Roundel I
1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Roundel II' 1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Roundel II
1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Roundel III' 1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Roundel III
1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Roundel IIII' 1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Roundel IIII
1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'The structure and fabric of existence 1' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
The structure and fabric of existence 1
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Passionfruit²' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Passionfruit²
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Passionfruit²' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Passionfruit²
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'The structure and fabric of existence 2' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
The structure and fabric of existence 2
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Untitled' 1995

 

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Untitled
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Williamstown 1' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Williamstown 1
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Williamstown 2' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Williamstown 2
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Williamstown 3' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Williamstown 3
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Case Tractor – 1925 –' 1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Case Tractor – 1925 –
1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Fordson Tractor 1922' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Fordson Tractor 1922
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Hart Parr' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Hart Parr
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'John Deere Tractor c. 1925' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
John Deere Tractor c. 1925
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Lanz Bulldog Tractor 1930' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Lanz Bulldog Tractor 1930
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'McCormick Deering Tractor c. 1928' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
McCormick Deering Tractor c. 1928
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Fighter 1' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Fighter 1
1994-96
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Fighter 2' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Fighter 2
1994-96
Gelatin silver print

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) '"Boomerang Way" Tocumwal Wishing Well' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
“Boomerang Way” Tocumwal Wishing Well
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) '"Boomerang Way" Tocumwal Wishing Well' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
“Boomerang Way” Tocumwal Wishing Well
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) '"Boomerang Way" Tocumwal Wishing Well' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
“Boomerang Way” Tocumwal Wishing Well
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Australian landscape' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Australian landscape
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Australian landscape' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Australian landscape
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Australian landscape' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Australian landscape
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'A twist of the mind' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
A twist of the mind
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'A twist of the mind' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
A twist of the mind
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'A twist of the mind' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
A twist of the mind
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Australian landscape' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Australian landscape
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Australian landscape' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Australian landscape
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Australian landscape' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Australian landscape
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Australian landscape' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Australian landscape
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan. 'Untitled' 1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Untitled
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan. 'Untitled' 1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Untitled
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan. 'Untitled' 1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Untitled
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan. 'Untitled' 1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Untitled
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan. 'Untitled' 1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Untitled
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan. 'Untitled' 1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Untitled
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan. 'Two men and a ute' 1994-1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Two men and a ute
1994-95
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Plume (X marks the spot)' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Plume (X marks the spot)
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Lumbe, Blacksmith, Undertaker' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Lumbe, Blacksmith, Undertaker
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

 

Marcus Bunyan website

Marcus Bunyan black and white archive 1991-1997

LIKE ART BLART ON FACEBOOK

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Marcus Bunyan black and white archive: ‘Orphans and small groups’ 1994-1996 Part 1

February 2021

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Bamboo' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Tall Bamboo
1994-1996
Gelatin silver print

 

 

I am scanning my negatives made during the years 1991-1997 to preserve them in the form of an online archive as a process of active memory, so that the images are not lost forever. These photographs were images of my life and imagination at the time of their making, the ideas I was thinking about and the people and things that surrounded me.

All images © Marcus Bunyan. Please click the photographs for a larger version of the image. Please remember these are just straight scans of the prints, all full frame, no cropping !

Marcus

Photographs are available from this series for purchase. As a guide, a vintage 8″ x 10″ silver gelatin print costs $700 plus tracked and insured shipping. For more information please see my Store web page.

 

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Baby, Oslo' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Baby, Oslo
1994-1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Baby, Oslo' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Baby, Oslo
1994-1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Baby, Oslo' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Baby, Oslo
1994-1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Baby, Oslo' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Baby, Oslo
1994-1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Barrows' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Barrows
1994-1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Barrows' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Barrows
1994-1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Bellows' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Bellows
1994-1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Bonsai' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Bonsai
1994-1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Bricks and cups' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Bricks and cups
1994-1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Cabbage' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Cabbage
1994-1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Children and flowers

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Children and flowers I' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Children and flowers I
1994-1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Children and flowers II' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Children and flowers II
1994-1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Children and flowers III' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Children and flowers III
1994-1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Children and flowers IV' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Children and flowers IV
1994-1996
Gelatin silver print

______________________________

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Corrugations I' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Corrugations I
1994-1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Corrugations II' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Corrugations II
1994-1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Corrugations III' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Corrugations III
1994-1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Corrugations IV' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Corrugations IV
1994-1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Crazy paving' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Crazy paving
1994-1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Marguerite Daisy I' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Marguerite Daisy I
1994-1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Marguerite Daisy II' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Marguerite Daisy II
1994-1996
Gelatin silver print

______________________________

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Doll face I' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Doll face I
1994-1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Doll face II' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Doll face II
1994-1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Drainpipe I' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Drainpipe I
1994-1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Drainpipe II' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Drainpipe II
1994-1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Face I (William Klein)' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Face I (William Klein)
1994-1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Face II (William Klein)' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Face II (William Klein)
1994-1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Gate I' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Gate I
1994-1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Gate II' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Gate II
1994-1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Chalice I' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Chalice I
1994-1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Chalice II' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Chalice II
1994-1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Chalice III' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Chalice III
1994-1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Cracked' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Cracked
1994-1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Gumnuts' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Gumnuts
1994-1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Hat I' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Hat I
1994-1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Hat II' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Hat II
1994-1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Helicopter, flag pole and sun' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Helicopter, flag pole and sun
1994-96
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'If?' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
If?
1994-1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Jubilee Street, Melbourne' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Jubilee Street, Melbourne
1994-1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Kids horse I' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Kids horse I
1994-1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Kids horse II' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Kids horse II
1994-1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Monster' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Monster
1994-1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Marquetry' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Marquetry
1994-1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Saint Gregory I' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Saint Gregory I
1994-1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Saint Gregory II' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Saint Gregory II
1994-1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Saint Gregory III' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Saint Gregory III
1994-96
Gelatin silver print

 

Melbourne gay pride 1994

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Melbourne gay pride' 1994

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Melbourne gay pride
1994
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Body painting, Melbourne gay pride' 1994

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Body painting, Melbourne gay pride
1994
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Body painting, Melbourne gay pride' 1994

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Body painting, Melbourne gay pride
1994
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Body painting, Melbourne gay pride' 1994

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Body painting, Melbourne gay pride
1994
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Body painting, Melbourne gay pride' 1994

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Body painting, Melbourne gay pride
1994
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'James Dean, Melbourne gay pride' 1994

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
James Dean, Melbourne gay pride
1994
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Banquet table, Melbourne gay pride' 1994

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Banquet table, Melbourne gay pride
1994
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Eagle brand, Melbourne gay pride' 1994

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Eagle brand, Melbourne gay pride
1994
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Pentagram, Melbourne gay pride' 1994

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Pentagram, Melbourne gay pride
1994
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Love, Melbourne gay pride' 1994

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Love, Melbourne gay pride
1994
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Dragons wing, Melbourne gay pride' 1994

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Dragons wing, Melbourne gay pride
1994
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Rose Kennedy, Melbourne gay pride' 1994

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Rose Kennedy, Melbourne gay pride
1994
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Om, Melbourne gay pride' 1994

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Om, Melbourne gay pride
1994
Gelatin silver print

 

 

Marcus Bunyan website

Marcus Bunyan black and white archive 1991-1997

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Photographs: ‘Gunner Andrew Rumann embarkation for Singapore, August 1941’ and other WW2 Australian photographs

October 2020

 

Andrew Rumann (Australian, 1905-1974) 'Untitled [Departure from Circular Quay, Sydney for Fremantle and Singapore]' 1941

 

Andrew Rumann (Australian, 1905-1974)
Untitled [Departure from Circular Quay, Sydney for Fremantle and Singapore]
1941
Silver gelatin photograph
5.5 x 5.3cm

 

 

These photographs were given to me in an envelope titled “Gunner Andrew Rumann embarkation for Singapore, August 1941”. I have carefully digitally scanned and cleaned them. The attribution seems correct for the first group of photographs in the posting, Departure from Circular Quay, Sydney for Fremantle and Singapore, but not for the rest. I have located Rumann’s POW record and found several pictures of the ship he would have taken to travel to Singapore.

The other photographs in the posting show Australian armed services personnel (none are American), but there are several anomalies that enable me to say that these are later photographs. Four Australian women personnel stand in front of an American Red Cross sign, and the ARC (or Amcross) did not arrive in Australia until 1942. And in the photograph Transportation Corps US Army BKC*23, the men an women are standing on a US Army transportation barge, unlikely to have been in Australian waters before 1942. Behind them Carley floats hang from their tethers.

As always, what interests me most about these photographs are the details contained within: the casualness of the men waiting at Post Exchange No. 2, with their sandals, singlets and slough hats; the man caught mid-clamber, climbing up into the truck in Taking out the rubbish; the women in dark glasses and hat sheltering her eyes from the sun in BKC*23; the men peering out of the portholes in the same photograph, one with a fag in his mouth.

We can feel the heat emanating from these photographs (it must be summer). All the men are in shorts and topless. In photographs such as Transportation Corps US Army BKC*23 and Embarkation we can admire their lithe bodies, and observe the ubiquitous 1940s mop of curly hair with short back and sides. They were already athletic before departure, but imagine fighting in the stinking hot forests of Burma on Army rations, or ending up in a Japanese prisoner of war camp, with so little meat on the bone to start with. You would be a skeleton before long. Finally, there is one personal sign that you can make out in the crowd seeing off the troops to Singapore from Circular Quay in 1941. “Jim Carr” it reads. Did he survive the war? Who knows.

More than 15,000 Australian soldiers were captured at the fall of Singapore. Of these, more than 7000 would die as prisoners of war, some in transport ships on their way to Japan, sadly torpedoed by Allied submarines. Andrew Rumann survived his trip to Japan as a POW and returned to Australia after the war. He died in 1974 aged 68 years old.

Dr Marcus Bunyan


All photographs have been digitally scanned and cleaned by Marcus Bunyan. Please click on the photographs for a larger version of the image.

 

Gunner Andrew Rumann

Headquarters, Royal Australian Artillery, 8th Division, Australian Imperial Force (AIF)

Service Number – NX26452
Date of birth – 13 Sep 1905
Place of birth – Hungary
Place of enlistment – Paddington NSW
Next of Kin – Rumann, Rena

Malaya, captured at Singapore

Camp: Osaka, Japan

Andrew died in 1974 in Toor, Australia at 68 years old

 

In January 1941 a large component of the Australian Army’s recently raised 8th Division was posted to Malaya. An element of some 6000 men departed Sydney in the liner Queen Mary as part of Convoy US9 on 4 February 1941, arriving in Singapore two weeks later on 18 February. A further 5000 troops in Convoy US11B arrived at Keppel Harbour on 15 August 1941. Under the command of Major General Gordon Bennett, the force initially established its headquarters at Kuala Lumpur. Bennett had urged for specific territorial responsibility for his Division, and this resulted in an area which included Johore and Malacca, coming within his responsibility.

The Australian Army 8th Division in Malaya eventually reached about 15,000 men. An apt description of the commander, Major General Henry (Gordon) Bennett, found in a Veterans’ Affairs publication, (Moremon & Reid 2002) reads:

“A prominent citizen soldier, he had proven himself in World War I to be a fierce fighter and leader, but he was well known for his prickly temperament, argumentative nature and proneness to quarrel. His relations with senior British commanders and staff in Malaya were, at times, strained, as he grappled to maintain control of the Australian troops.”

Bennett’s independent spirit did not fit into the Allied command structure, however his Division generally acquitted themselves well against a seasoned enemy.

Walter Burroughs. “The Naval Evacuation of Singapore – February 1942,” on the Naval Historical Society of Australia website. June 2019 edition of the Naval Historical Review  [Online] Cited 04/09/2020.

Convoy US11B

Convoy US11B

Departed Sydney 29/7/1941 – Arrived Fremantle 6/8/1941
Departed Fremantle 8/8/1941 – Arrived Singapore 15/8/1941

Ships: Johan Van Oldenbarnevelt, Katoomba, HMAS Sydney, Marnix Van St. Aldegonde, HMAS Canberra, Sibajak.

In late July 1941 a convoy was organised to transport 8th Division troops to Singapore. The convoy included three Dutch passenger ships, and escort ships from the Royal Australian Navy.

Summary of Embarkation for Johan van Oldenbarnevelt (HMT FF)

The following troops embarked Johan Van Oldenbarnevelt at Woolloomooloo, Sydney on 29/7/1941 for the voyage to Singapore.

61524 – 8 Division Artillery

29 men arrived including 3 officers, 1 warrant officer, 3 sergeants, 22 corporals and privates.

(Source: Australian Army War Diary 1/15/14 – District Records Office Eastern Command May – July 1941)

Troopship 32 – Voyage 4

She [JVO] departed Sydney on July 17 and headed for Auckland New Zealand where she arrived on July 21 and departed again on the 22nd. She returned to Sydney arriving on July 25 and departed again on the 29th, sailing via Fremantle to Singapore arriving on August 15. End of Troop voyage 4.

 

Johan van Oldenbarnevelt on the way to Fremantle, 1/8/1941

 

Johan van Oldenbarnevelt on the way to Fremantle, 1/8/1941
Aerial Starboard side view of the Dutch liner Johan van Oldenbarnevelt transporting Australian troops to the Middle East as part of convoy US11B. Note the 4.7 pound gun and 12 pounder AA gun aft
1st August 1941
Australian War Memorial Naval Historical Collection
Public domain

 

Trooper Johan van Oldenbarnevelt is seen departing Wellington New Zealand during Troop Voyage 6 on September 15, 1941

 

Trooper Johan van Oldenbarnevelt is seen departing Wellington New Zealand during Troop Voyage 6 on September 15, 1941 – Note the guns up on the aft section!

 

Andrew Rumann (Australian, 1905-1974) 'Untitled [Departure from Circular Quay, Sydney for Fremantle and Singapore]' 1941

 

Andrew Rumann (Australian, 1905-1974)
Untitled [Departure from Circular Quay, Sydney for Fremantle and Singapore]
1941
Silver gelatin photograph
5.5 x 5.3cm

 

Circular Quay with the Sydney Harbour Trust building at left in the background. The spire is the CQ Fire Station No. 3.

 

Andrew Rumann (Australian, 1905-1974) 'Untitled [Departure from Circular Quay, Sydney for Fremantle and Singapore]' 1941

 

Andrew Rumann (Australian, 1905-1974)
Untitled [Departure from Circular Quay, Sydney for Fremantle and Singapore]
1941
Silver gelatin photograph
5.5 x 5.3cm

 

Andrew Rumann (Australian, 1905-1974) 'Untitled [Departure from Circular Quay, Sydney for Fremantle and Singapore]' 1941 (detail)

 

Andrew Rumann (Australian, 1905-1974)
Untitled [Departure from Circular Quay, Sydney for Fremantle and Singapore] (detail)
1941
Silver gelatin photograph
5.5 x 5.3cm

 

Gunner Andrew Rumann POW entry

 

NX26452 Gunner Andrew Rumann POW entry

 

Anonymous photographer (Australian) 'Untitled [Encampment]' 1942-45

 

Anonymous photographer (Australian)
Untitled [Encampment]
1942-1945
Silver gelatin photograph
5.5 x 5.3cm

 

Anonymous photographer (Australian) 'Untitled [Women standing in front of an American Red Cross sign]' 1942-45

 

Anonymous photographer (Australian)
Untitled [Women standing in front of an American Red Cross sign]
1942-1945
Silver gelatin photograph
5.5 x 5.3cm

 

The American Red Cross (ARC or Amcross) in Australia during WW2 became the largest hotel and restaurant chain in Australia at the time. Amcross was headed by Norman H. Davis with its headquarters in Sydney, NSW. …

Four American women led by Miss Helen Hall arrived in Australia in about late August 1942 to take charge of American Red Cross Service Personnel and to establish new American Red Cross centres and to extend existing centres. Miss Hall was the administrative assistant to the delegate in charge of American Red Cross Service Clubs and Leave Areas in Australia. The other three women were Miss Hannah More Frazer, who was appointed Director of the American Red Cross Service Club in Melbourne in about September 1942; Miss Florice Langley who opened an ARC Service Club in Cairns, in far north Queensland; and Mrs. Anita Woodworth who opened an ARC Service Club in Charters Towers in north Queensland.

 

Anonymous photographer (Australian) 'Untitled [Post Exchange No. 2]' 1942-45

 

Anonymous photographer (Australian)
Untitled [Post Exchange No. 2]
1942-1945
Silver gelatin photograph
5.5 x 5.3cm

 

Anonymous photographer (Australian) 'Untitled [Post Exchange No. 2]' 1942-45 (detail)

 

Anonymous photographer (Australian)
Untitled [Post Exchange No. 2] (detail)
1942-1945
Silver gelatin photograph
5.5 x 5.3cm

 

Anonymous photographer (Australian) 'Untitled [Taking out the rubbish]' 1942-45

 

Anonymous photographer (Australian)
Untitled [Taking out the rubbish]
1942-1945
Silver gelatin photograph
5.5 x 5.3cm

 

Anonymous photographer (Australian) 'Untitled [BKC*23]' 1942-45

 

Anonymous photographer (Australian)
Untitled [BKC*23]
1942-1945
Silver gelatin photograph
5.5 x 5.3cm

 

Anonymous photographer (Australian) 'Untitled [BKC*23]' 1942-45 (detail)

 

Anonymous photographer (Australian)
Untitled [BKC*23] (detail)
1942-1945
Silver gelatin photograph
5.5 x 5.3cm

 

Anonymous photographer (Australian) 'Untitled [Transportation Corps US Army BKC*23]' 1942-45

 

Anonymous photographer (Australian)
Untitled [Transportation Corps US Army BKC*23]
1942-1945
Silver gelatin photograph
5.5 x 5.3cm

 

Mike Peel. 'Carley float' 2018

 

Mike Peel
Carley float
2018
CC-BY-SA-4.0

 

Carley float

The Carley float (sometimes Carley raft) was a form of invertible liferaft designed by American inventor Horace Carley (1838-1918). Supplied mainly to warships, it saw widespread use in a number of navies during peacetime and both World Wars until superseded by more modern rigid or inflatable designs. Carley was awarded a patent in 1903 after establishing the Carley Life Float Company of Philadelphia. …

Simply by casting it over the side, the lightweight Carley float could be launched more rapidly than traditional rigid lifeboat designs, and without the need for specialised hoists. It could be mounted on any convenient surface and survive the battering against the ship’s sides during heavy seas. Unlike the rubber inflatable rafts of the period, it was relatively immune to compromise of its buoyant chambers. Seafarers in it were however completely exposed to the elements, and would suffer accordingly. An inquiry of 1946 reported that many sailors who had succeeded in getting to the safety of Carley floats had nevertheless succumbed to exposure before rescue could be made. The crew of the Canadian minesweeper HMCS Esquimalt, sunk offshore of Nova Scotia in April 1945, lost at least 16 to hypothermia during the six hours in which they awaited rescue. Few of the survivors could still walk.

Despite these shortcomings many seamen did owe their lives to the Carley float. Chinese sailor Poon Lim survived for a record 133 days adrift in the South Atlantic aboard a Carley float after his freighter SS Benlomond was sunk on 23 November 1942. He fashioned fishing gear from components of the raft. He was close to death when discovered off the coast of Brazil on 5 April 1943, but was able to walk ashore unaided.

Though its occupant did not survive, a shrapnel-ridden Carley float carried the body of an unknown man to land on Christmas Island in February 1942. The sun-bleached corpse had evidently spent a lengthy period at sea, though to this day it remains unknown from where the sailor had come. It has long been suspected that the body was that of a sailor from HMAS Sydney, which was lost with all hands under mysterious circumstances off the coast of Australia on 19 November 1941. A second Carley float, more confidently believed to be from Sydney, was recovered drifting 300 km off the Australian coast one week after the ship sank. It had been badly damaged by shellfire, but was empty. The float is now displayed at the HMAS Sydney exhibit of the Australian War Memorial, Canberra.

Text from the Wikipedia website

 

Anonymous photographer (Australian) 'Untitled [Transportation Corps US Army BKC*23]' 1942-45 (detail)

 

Anonymous photographer (Australian)
Untitled [Transportation Corps US Army BKC*23] (detail)
1942-1945
Silver gelatin photograph
5.5 x 5.3cm

 

Anonymous photographer (Australian) 'Untitled [Embarkation]' 1942-45

 

Anonymous photographer (Australian)
Untitled [Embarkation]
1942-1945
Silver gelatin photograph
5.5 x 5.3cm

 

Anonymous photographer (Australian) 'Untitled [Embarkation]' 1942-45 (detail)

 

Anonymous photographer (Australian)
Untitled [Embarkation] (detail)
1942-1945
Silver gelatin photograph
5.5 x 5.3cm

 

 

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Marcus Bunyan black and white archive: ‘Sleep/Wound’, 1995-1996

May 2019

*PLEASE NOTE THIS POSTING CONTAINS ART PHOTOGRAPHS OF MALE NUDITY – IF YOU DO NOT LIKE PLEASE DO NOT LOOK, FAIR WARNING HAS BEEN GIVEN*

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958) 'Untitled' 1995-96 From the series 'Sleep/Wound'

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Untitled
1995-1996
From the series Sleep/Wound
Gelatin silver print

 

 

Time is but the stream I go a-fishing in. I drink at it;
but while I drink, I see the sandy bottom and detect
how shallow it is. Its thin current slides away, but
eternity remains. I would drink deeper; fish in the sky,
whose bottom is pebbly with stars.


Thoreau, Walden

 

 

The series Sleep/Wound appeared in my solo exhibition titled The Cleft in Words, The Words As Flesh, at Stop 22 Gallery, St Kilda, Melbourne in 1996.

The series consists of ethereal, intimate photographs of my partner and myself in sleep positions, taken on infra-red film, the only time I ever used such film. I was fascinated (and still am) with the positions of the body in space, and how it moves in different environments.

The second part of the series are photographs of a performance, that of the cutting of my partners back. Paul and I held a dance party at a house on Punt Road in South Yarra where our friend Woody (David J. Wood of Bent Metal fame) was being evicted. The party, naturally enough called Eviction, was held to raise money for HIV/AIDS. Paul and I decorated the house, painting large, colourful kundalini symbols such as snakes and mandalas on the walls. In one room, painted with the seven colours of the main chakras, and to ambient music connected to earth, spirit and cosmos – I cut my partners back. Half the people fled, but the other half recognised the powerful spiritual connection that was happening in the performance (remember at this time, blood in terms of being gay, was tainted because of HIV/AIDS infection). I then smeared Paul’s blood on the walls of the house with my hands, crossing the boundary of the taboo by touching a bodily fluid whist acknowledging something that is essential to human life.

After packing up all the equipment from the party, we both headed to the Tasty nightclub (if any of you remember the Tasty raid) to have a good dance, with the blood still drying on Paul’s back. People were shocked at seeing his cut back. When we got back home at 6am in the morning I took out my trusty Mamiya RZ67 and took these beautiful photographs of one of the most connected, spiritual experiences of my life.

My thankx go to Paul as always for being my muse and partner without whom these experiences and photographs would never have been possible.

Dr Marcus Bunyan

 

I am scanning my negatives made during the years 1991-1997 to preserve them in the form of an online archive as a process of active memory, so that the images are not lost forever. These photographs were images of my life and imagination at the time of their making, the ideas I was thinking about and the people and things that surrounded me.

All images © Marcus Bunyan. Please click the photographs for a larger version of the image. Please remember these are just straight scans of the prints, all full frame, no cropping !

Photographs are available from this series for purchase. As a guide, a vintage 8″ x 10″ silver gelatin print costs $700 plus tracked and insured shipping. For more information please see my Store web page.

 

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958) 'Untitled' 1995-96 From the series 'Sleep/Wound'

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Untitled
1995-1996
From the series Sleep/Wound
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958) 'Untitled' 1995-96 From the series 'Sleep/Wound'

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Untitled
1995-1996
From the series Sleep/Wound
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958) 'Untitled' 1995-96 From the series 'Sleep/Wound'

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Untitled
1995-1996
From the series Sleep/Wound
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958) 'Untitled' 1995-96 From the series 'Sleep/Wound'

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Untitled
1995-1996
From the series Sleep/Wound
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958) 'Untitled' 1995-96 From the series 'Sleep/Wound'

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Untitled
1995-1996
From the series Sleep/Wound
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958) 'Untitled' 1995-96 From the series 'Sleep/Wound'

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Untitled
1995-1996
From the series Sleep/Wound
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958) 'Untitled' 1995-96 From the series 'Sleep/Wound'

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Untitled
1995-1996
From the series Sleep/Wound
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958) 'Untitled' 1995-96 From the series 'Sleep/Wound'

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Untitled
1995-1996
From the series Sleep/Wound
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958) 'Untitled' 1995-96 From the series 'Sleep/Wound'

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Untitled
1995-1996
From the series Sleep/Wound
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958) 'Untitled' 1995-96 From the series 'Sleep/Wound'

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Untitled
1995-1996
From the series Sleep/Wound
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958) 'Untitled' 1995-96 From the series 'Sleep/Wound'

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Untitled
1995-1996
From the series Sleep/Wound
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958) 'Untitled' 1995-96 From the series 'Sleep/Wound'

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Untitled
1995-1996
From the series Sleep/Wound
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958) 'Untitled' 1995-96 From the series 'Sleep/Wound'

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Untitled
1995-1996
From the series Sleep/Wound
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958) 'Untitled' 1995-96 From the series 'Sleep/Wound'

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Untitled
1995-1996
From the series Sleep/Wound
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958) 'Untitled' 1995-96 From the series 'Sleep/Wound'

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Untitled
1995-1996
From the series Sleep/Wound
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958) 'Untitled' 1995-96 From the series 'Sleep/Wound'

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Untitled
1995-1996
From the series Sleep/Wound
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958) 'Untitled' 1995-96 From the series 'Sleep/Wound'

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Untitled
1995-1996
From the series Sleep/Wound
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958) 'Untitled' 1995-96 From the series 'Sleep/Wound'

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Untitled
1995-1996
From the series Sleep/Wound
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958) 'Untitled' 1995-96 From the series 'Sleep/Wound'

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Untitled
1995-1996
From the series Sleep/Wound
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958) 'Untitled' 1995-96 From the series 'Sleep/Wound'

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Untitled
1995-1996
From the series Sleep/Wound
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958) 'Untitled' 1995-96 From the series 'Sleep/Wound'

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Untitled
1995-1996
From the series Sleep/Wound
Gelatin silver print

 

 

Marcus Bunyan black and white archive 1991-1997

Marcus Bunyan website

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Putting it out there!

November 2019

 

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Untitled' from the series '(How I) Wish You Were Here' 2020

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Untitled from the series (How I) Wish You Were Here
2020
Colour photograph
© Marcus Bunyan

 

 

Dear friends of Art Blart. A call for help!

Just putting this out there in the ether of the cosmos because you never know, its spirit might hear you.

I am looking for a research fellowship or postdoc work in photography anywhere in the world.

I have been working at Faculty of Arts at the University of Melbourne for years, 4 days a week making websites. This is because of my bipolar and anxiety disorder. It has been a job to get me through the tough times. But after my recent photographic research trip to Europe, I realise that I need more stimulus – to fully concentrate on photography at an elite level. To research and write a book on photography.

In 2021 I will have been an artist for 30 years and my first writings date from 1998. I have been writing Art Blart now for 10 years… a lot of research and writing for this cultural memory archive, perhaps used as the basis for a book on the spirit of photography in the 21st century. But I am open to any research project. I have to do something to be able to immerse myself fully in photography.

If you have any ideas or knowledge of friends with connections please let me know at bunyanth@netspace.net.au.

Thank you!

Marcus

 

New work

All photographs are from a new body of art work I am working on for 2020, provisionally titled ‘(How I) Wish You Were Here’, taken during my recent European research trip. These are difficult photographs to understand but please take the time (critical in looking at photographs) to feel them.

My mentor and friend Ian Lobb said: “This is the most difficult work to organise yet. There is something to see in every picture – but it is so subtle – not everyone will see it, but it is for people who look at pictures a lot. MG0028 (the yellow entrance with stone pillars) is lovely – the entrance painted a warm sickish colour, a sort of terrible colour aesthetically – and the cropping is just a little brutal: what is it really showing at this camera to subject distance?

But it all works brilliantly, and they are all like that – there are subtle things that can’t be traced: i.e. are they the photographer: or are they the camera or are they just inevitable in this world? It is a type of anti-spirituality meets spirituality… and any number of other meeting points.”

And my friend Elizabeth Gertsakis said: “Spatial as well as surface tactile. Fascinated randomness. The human figure appears as a singular frozen device. Post-apocalyptic as well.”

I said: the spirit has left the earth, the body; something NQR. Eventually, the whole purpose of the series is not to tell the viewer where they are in the world, just give little clues as the viewer moves through time and space… something that photography is very good at: disrupting time and space.

Marcus


Please click on the photographs for a larger version of the image.

 

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Untitled' from the series '(How I) Wish You Were Here' 2020

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Untitled from the series (How I) Wish You Were Here
2020
Colour photograph
© Marcus Bunyan

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Untitled' from the series '(How I) Wish You Were Here' 2020

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Untitled from the series (How I) Wish You Were Here
2020
Colour photograph
© Marcus Bunyan

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Untitled' from the series '(How I) Wish You Were Here' 2020

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Untitled from the series (How I) Wish You Were Here
2020
Colour photograph
© Marcus Bunyan

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Untitled' from the series '(How I) Wish You Were Here' 2020

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Untitled from the series (How I) Wish You Were Here
2020
Colour photograph
© Marcus Bunyan

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Untitled' from the series '(How I) Wish You Were Here' 2020

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Untitled from the series (How I) Wish You Were Here
2020
Colour photograph
© Marcus Bunyan

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Untitled' from the series '(How I) Wish You Were Here' 2020

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Untitled from the series (How I) Wish You Were Here
2020
Colour photograph
© Marcus Bunyan

 

 

Marcus Bunyan writings

Marcus Bunyan website

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Joyce Evans celebration

May 2019

Where: Monash Gallery of Art, Wheelers Hill
When: Monday 20th May 2019, 6-9pm

 

Joyce Evans photographer celebration… I hope many of you can attend.

A celebration of Joyce and her contribution to art, photography, women’s status, mentorship and philanthropy. At least 30 of her prints will be displayed. Celebrants will talk and recall in their own words experiences with Joyce and her passions. The event will be recorded and made available for non-attendees. Snacks and drinks will be available.

A truly remarkable human being.

Marcus

 

 

If we can find out what we are… that is the artist. This goes to the core element of your being, and the core element of your enquiry remains the same.

If the core part of your life is the search for the truth then that becomes a core part of your identity for the rest of your life. It becomes embedded in your soul.


Joyce Evans

 

 

Michael Silver (Australian) 'Joyce Evans' Nd

 

Michael Silver (Australian)
Joyce Evans
Nd

 

 

Monash Gallery of Art
860 Ferntree Gully Road, Wheelers Hill
Victoria 3150 Australia
Phone: + 61 3 8544 0500

Opening hours:
Tue – Fri: 10am – 5pm
Sat – Sun: 10pm – 4pm
Mon/public holidays: closed

Monash Gallery of Art website

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Marcus Bunyan black and white archive: ‘Mask’, 1995-1996

April 2019

*PLEASE NOTE THIS POSTING CONTAINS ART PHOTOGRAPHS OF MALE NUDITY – IF YOU DO NOT LIKE PLEASE DO NOT LOOK, FAIR WARNING HAS BEEN GIVEN*

 

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Paul (Dildo I)' 1995-1996 from the series 'Mask'

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Paul (Dildo I)
1995-1996
From the series Mask
Gelatin silver print

 

 

This series of photographs is of my partner, my lover, my best friend and my muse for twelve and a half years. We had such fun with life, pushing the boundaries at every opportunity. It was a privilege to be able to photograph him in every situation that we thought about, to capture the creativity of spirit and being, of existence.

There are many photographs of this handsome, intelligent man that I took – a deep collaboration that I will never have again in my lifetime. The photographs that emerged from our relationship remind me of those that Alfred Stieglitz took of Georgia O’Keeffe – strong images based on trust and intimacy.

To Paul, I am proud of the photographs we took together and I am eternally grateful for our love, relationship and exploration of body, mind and spirit. Thank you.

Marcus

 

I am scanning my negatives made during the years 1991-1997 to preserve them in the form of an online archive as a process of active memory, so that the images are not lost forever. These photographs were images of my life and imagination at the time of their making, the ideas I was thinking about and the people and things that surrounded me.

All images © Marcus Bunyan. Please click the photographs for a larger version of the image. Please remember these are just straight scans of the prints, all full frame, no cropping !

Photographs are available from this series for purchase. As a guide, a vintage 8″ x 10″ silver gelatin print costs $700 plus tracked and insured shipping. For more information please see my Store web page.

 

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958) 'Mask I' 1995-1996 from the series 'Mask'

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Mask I
1995-1996
From the series Mask
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958) 'Mask II' 1995-1996 from the series 'Mask'

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Mask II
1995-1996
From the series Mask
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958) 'Paul (Horse bit)' 1995-1996 from the series 'Mask'

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Paul (Horse bit)
1995-1996
From the series Mask
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958) 'Paul (Boots)' 1995-1996 from the series 'Mask'

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Paul (Boots)
1995-1996
From the series Mask
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958) 'Balance I' 1995-1996 from the series 'Mask'

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Balance I
1995-1996
From the series Mask
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958) 'Mask III' 1995-1996 from the series 'Mask'

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Mask III
1995-1996
From the series Mask
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958) 'Paul (Dildo II)' 1995-1996 from the series 'Mask'

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Paul (Dildo II)
1995-1996
From the series Mask
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958) 'Paul (Blind)' 1995-1996 from the series 'Mask'

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Paul (Blind)
1995-1996
From the series Mask
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958) 'Balance II' 1995-1996 from the series 'Mask'

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Balance II
1995-1996
From the series Mask
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958) 'Balance III' 1995-1996 from the series 'Mask'

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Balance III
1995-1996
From the series Mask
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958) 'Balance IV' 1995-1996 from the series 'Mask'

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Balance IV
1995-1996
From the series Mask
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958) 'Paul (Dildo III)' 1995-1996 from the series 'Mask'

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Paul (Dildo III)
1995-1996
From the series Mask
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958) 'Paul (Hands on hips)' 1995-1996 from the series 'Mask'

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Paul (Hands on hips)
1995-1996
From the series Mask
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958) 'Paul (Blind)' 1995-1996 from the series 'Mask'

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Paul (Blind)
1995-1996
From the series Mask
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958) 'Paul (Hands on hips)' 1995-1996 from the series 'Mask'

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Paul (Hands on hips)
1995-1996
From the series Mask
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958) 'Saliva I' 1995-1996 from the series 'Mask'

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Saliva I
1995-1996
From the series Mask
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958) 'Saliva II' 1995-1996 from the series 'Mask'

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Saliva II
1995-1996
From the series Mask
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958) 'Paul (Hands behind back)' 1995-1996 from the series 'Mask'

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Paul (Hands behind back)
1995-1996
From the series Mask
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958) 'Mask IV' 1995-1996 from the series 'Mask'

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Mask IV
1995-1996
From the series Mask
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958) 'Paul (Boots and mask)' 1995-1996 from the series 'Mask'

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Paul (Boots and mask)
1995-1996
From the series Mask
Gelatin silver print

 

 

Marcus Bunyan website

Marcus Bunyan black and white archive 1991-1997

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Photographs: Marcus Bunyan. ‘Oblique’ 2019

March 2019

 

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958) 'Untitled' 2019 From the series 'Oblique'

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Untitled
2019
From the series Oblique
Digital colour photograph

 

 

Here is a body of work shot mainly from moving taxi windows in Bangkok and surrounds, interspersed with still, Zen-like images.

With the moving images, you have to anticipate by a couple of seconds the movement of the taxi and the release of the shutter so you have no idea what the image will actually be. Your sense of previsualisation is completed on feel and instinct. You trust the world to provide the image which you are looking for. I enjoy them, they give me pleasure and contentment in their creation.

 

Oblique

In terms of defining the concept of the oblique we can say that: “The oblique is fundamentally interested in how a body physically experiences a space.”

In this case, both physically and spiritually.

The series investigates the concept through images of movement and stillness, fleeting glimpses of urban life intertwined with Zen-like images. The series is constructed not as a sequence, but as a “volume” where there is no beginning, no middle and no end. It is like a jewel that can be turned around and looked at from different perspectives, where no one perspective is the correct interpretation. Each volume has its own validity, its own uniqueness.

The images can also be read as a protest against death – no beginning, no middle, no end – where everything is connected to everything else. As Goethe observes in his Conversations with Eckermarm (5 June 1825):

“In nature we never see anything isolated, but everything in connection with something else which is before it, beside it, under it, and over it.”

Dr Marcus Bunyan


66 images
© Marcus Bunyan

Please note: the series is best viewed on a desktop computer with a large screen. Please click on the photographs to see a larger version of the image.

PLEASE VIEW THE WHOLE SERIES ON MY WEBSITE

Photographs are available from this series for purchase. As a guide, a digital colour 16″ x 20″ costs $1000 plus tracked and insured shipping. For more information please see my Store web page.

 

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958) 'Oblique' series 2019

 

The 66 images of Oblique (2019). Please click on the photograph to see a larger version of the work

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958) 'Untitled' 2019 From the series 'Oblique'

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Untitled
2019
From the series Oblique
Digital colour photograph

 

 

Marcus Bunyan website

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Review: ‘Clement Meadmore: The art of mid-century design’ at the Ian Potter Museum of Art, Melbourne

Exhibition dates: 20th November, 2018 – 24th March, 2019

Curators: Dean Keep and Jeromie Maver

 

Clement Meadmore (Australian, 1929-2005) 'Reclining chair' 1953 from the exhibition 'Clement Meadmore: The art of mid-century design' at the Ian Potter Museum of Art, Melbourne, Nov 2018 - March 2019

 

Clement Meadmore (Australian, 1929-2005)
Reclining chair
1953
Steel, cotton cord, rubber
Private collection

 

 

I have always loved the ordered forms, the elegiac simplicity of Clement Meadmore’s designs. Therefore, I very much looked forward to seeing this exhibition. Unfortunately, the installation left me feeling a little alienated both towards the objects themselves but more importantly, the artist and designer.

Simply put, the installation of the works was too clinical and cold, the designs either raised on white boxes or enclosed in metal frames… or both. If their presentation was to engender the idea that this was “art” – the art of mid-century design – by placing them in a “white cube”, isolating them from their functional context (in modernist homes, cafés and restaurants), then I was not buying what the exhibition was selling. The metal frames reminded me of the frame that surrounds some of Francis Bacon’s painting series, Study after Velázquez’s Portrait of Pope Innocent X (1946-mid-1960s), making this viewer want to scream at the museum control evidenced here.

The use of black and white walls didn’t help. In a jazz age (Meadmore was the most ardent admirer of jazz music) of music, colour and movement, and when Meadmore painted one of the interiors of his café in bold primary colours, the use of such bland colours seemed puzzling. Both I and my esteemed friend Joyce Evans, who knew Meadmore in New York and often went to the jazz clubs with him there, felt that the exhibition failed to capture the spirit of the artist, his wonderful personality – or the spirit of the age. The closest that the exhibition comes to that spirit, that sense of joie de vivre after the privations of the Second World War, are not works by Meadmore at all, but paintings that appeared on the wall of the Legend Expresso and Milk Bar interior c. 1956 by Leonard French titled The Legend of Sinbad the Sailor (1956, below). Here is a cacophony of sound, colour and movement redolent of the era.

Other things rankle. The importance of his contribution to the changing nature of the Melbourne art scene, and the Australian art scene in general, cannot be underestimated. Joyce Evans said to me that, as director of Gallery A, Meadmore’s influence on the direction of contemporary art in Melbourne was incredible, his influence in this sphere much more important than any of the designs he ever made. Other than a brief paragraph of wall text (below), there is little investigation into this aspect of Meadmore’s career in Australia. This is not the thrust of this exhibition as shown by its title, but to ignore his curatorial influence on contemporary art in Melbourne is, I believe, a mistake.

Further, while his groundbreaking designs are now presented as “art” – the hypothesis for the exhibition – at the time Meadmore’s sculpture was his art, his passion; his furniture and lighting was his business. What he did to pay the bills. Two facts are pertinent here: the fact that Meadmore did move to New York in 1963 to achieve international prominence as a sculptor, and the fact that after he moved to America he never made another chair. It says a lot about where his passion really lay.

Looking beyond all of these comments, it was absolutely fantastic to see the ordered forms, the simple functionality and elegant design of Meadmore’s objects, with his use of basic, everyday materials such as steel rod and cord to make his now iconic designs. Two things stood out for me. The ingenious sculptural steel base that enables the Calyx lamps to rest in two positions; and the most beautiful and sophisticated design and construction of the structure under a coffee table. The exhibition is worth visiting just to see these two design elements alone. But the work that most captures the spirit of the man better than anything else in this exhibition, and not the “art” on a pedestal, is that of a small welded steel and brass sculpture called The Trumpeter from 1957 (below). This is the man, the artist, in all his effervescence and gregariousness. It’s a pity the exhibition didn’t capture this spirit.

Dr Marcus Bunyan


Many thankx to the Ian Potter Museum of Art for allowing me to publish the photographs in the posting. All installation photographs © Marcus Bunyan and the Ian Potter Museum of Art. Please click on the photographs for a larger version of the image.

 

 

“Space should reveal itself to the wandering eye. Furniture should enhance a feeling of space by its non-obstructing presence.”


Clement Meadmore

 

 

Gallery 1

Installation view of the exhibition 'Clement Meadmore: The art of mid-century design' at the Ian Potter Museum of Art, Melbourne

Installation view of the exhibition 'Clement Meadmore: The art of mid-century design' at the Ian Potter Museum of Art, Melbourne

Installation view of the exhibition 'Clement Meadmore: The art of mid-century design' at the Ian Potter Museum of Art, Melbourne

Installation view of the exhibition 'Clement Meadmore: The art of mid-century design' at the Ian Potter Museum of Art, Melbourne

 

Installation views of Gallery 1 of the exhibition Clement Meadmore: The art of mid-century design at the Ian Potter Museum of Art, Melbourne
Photos: Marcus Bunyan

 

 

Clement Meadmore: The art of mid-century design is the first major survey to focus on the industrial design practice of one of Australia’s most internationally successful artists. Curated by Dean Keep and Jeromie Maver, the exhibition charts the evolution of Clement Meadmore’s design aesthetic in the 1950s and early 60s, before he shifted his focus to sculpture, and highlights the role Meadmore played alongside Australia’s most innovative and progressive designers of the mid-century period.

The exhibition sheds light on a time when mid-century tastemakers sought to shape post-war Melbourne into a thriving and cosmopolitan city that, through the intersection of art, design and architecture, embodied the ideals and principles of the modernist aesthetic. Meadmore’s first furniture design, a steel rod and corded dining chair created in 1951, became an instant hit, catching the attention of the highly influential modernist architect Robin Boyd and receiving the Good Design Award from the Society of Interior Designers of Australia (SIDA). The chair would later form part of the iconic thirteen-piece series known as the Meadmore Originals.

For just over a decade, Meadmore produced a small range of innovative furniture and lighting designs, popular with architects, artists and designers of the period. The ground-breaking modern homes designed by architects such as Robin Boyd, Neil Clerehan and Peter McIntyre were not complete without Meadmore furniture or lighting, often placed alongside pieces by Frances Burke, Grant Featherston, Fred Lowen and Douglas Snelling. Meadmore’s furniture and designs were regularly featured in journals such as Australian Home Beautiful and Architecture and Arts, and sold at Marion Hall Best’s showrooms in Sydney and Frances Burke’s New Design store in Melbourne.

In 1955, prior to the 1956 Melbourne Olympics, Meadmore was commissioned by Ion Nicolades to design the interiors of the Legend Espresso and Milk Bar and the Teahouse, both in Melbourne. Drawing upon international modernism and a new-found passion for Italian culture, the Legend Espresso and Milk Bar is arguably one of Meadmore’s greatest achievements and became a touchstone for many young creatives in 1950s Melbourne.

In the latter part of the 1950s, Meadmore’s attention increasingly shifted to his sculptural practice and the gallery scene, whilst maintaining his industrial design practice. He would also play a pivotal role in establishing and managing Max Hutchinson’s Gallery A. Known as the Little Bauhaus, the gallery championed non-figurative art and industrial design, with Meadmore responsible for designing the gallery’s line of contract furniture.

The result of 10 years research, Clement Meadmore: The art of mid-century design presents many pieces for the first time, alongside newly discovered Meadmore designs. The exhibition also presents a rare opportunity to see original furniture and lighting designed by Meadmore for the modernist interiors of the Legend Espresso and Milk Bar and the Teahouse. The iconic designs in this exhibition – including chairs, tables, light fixtures, and graphics – are enlivened by archival images and documents, alongside interviews with the artist’s family and colleagues connected to the Melbourne art, jazz and design scenes of the 1950s. Clement Meadmore: The art of mid-century design showcases Meadmore’s rich design practice and shines a light on the important cultural shifts that shaped mid-century Melbourne.

Anonymous text from the Ian Potter Museum of Art website [Online] Cited 10/02/2019. No longer available online

 

Clement Meadmore (Australian, 1929-2005) 'Glass top coffee table' 1952 from the exhibition 'Clement Meadmore: The art of mid-century design' at the Ian Potter Museum of Art, Melbourne, Nov 2018 - March 2019

 

Clement Meadmore (Australian, 1929-2005)
Glass top coffee table
1952
Steel, glass, rubber
Harris/Atkins Collection

 

Installation view of the exhibition 'Clement Meadmore: The art of mid-century design' at the Ian Potter Museum of Art, Melbourne

 

Installation view of Gallery 1 of the exhibition Clement Meadmore: The art of mid-century design at the Ian Potter Museum of Art, Melbourne
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

Clement Meadmore (Australian, 1929-2005) 'Corded armchair' 1952

 

Clement Meadmore (Australian, 1929-2005)
Corded armchair
1952
Steel, cotton cord, hardwood, rubber
Private collection

 

Installation view of the exhibition 'Clement Meadmore: The art of mid-century design' at the Ian Potter Museum of Art, Melbourne

Installation view of the exhibition 'Clement Meadmore: The art of mid-century design' at the Ian Potter Museum of Art, Melbourne

 

Installation views of Gallery 1 of the exhibition Clement Meadmore: The art of mid-century design at the Ian Potter Museum of Art, Melbourne
Photos: Marcus Bunyan

 

GALLERY 2

Installation view of the exhibition 'Clement Meadmore: The art of mid-century design' at the Ian Potter Museum of Art, Melbourne

Installation view of the exhibition 'Clement Meadmore: The art of mid-century design' at the Ian Potter Museum of Art, Melbourne

Installation view of the exhibition 'Clement Meadmore: The art of mid-century design' at the Ian Potter Museum of Art, Melbourne

 

Installation views of Gallery 2 of the exhibition Clement Meadmore: The art of mid-century design at the Ian Potter Museum of Art, Melbourne
Photos: Marcus Bunyan

 

Clement Meadmore (Australian, 1929-2005) 'Three-legged plywood chair' 1955

 

Clement Meadmore (Australian, 1929-2005)
Three-legged plywood chair
1955
Painted steel, plywood, rubber
Harris/Atkins Collection

 

Installation view of the exhibition 'Clement Meadmore: The art of mid-century design' at the Ian Potter Museum of Art, Melbourne
On the wall at rear is Erica McGilchrist (1926-2014) Frigidity from the series Moods 1954 and Clement Meadmore’s custom made frame. Pen and ink on paper; steel rod and hardwood (frame) Heide Museum of Modern Art, gift of Erica McGilchrist
Installation view of the exhibition 'Clement Meadmore: The art of mid-century design' at the Ian Potter Museum of Art, Melbourne

 

Installation views of Gallery 2 of the exhibition Clement Meadmore: The art of mid-century design at the Ian Potter Museum of Art, Melbourne
Photos: Marcus Bunyan

 

Calyx Lighting

The Calyx lighting range takes design cues from Meadmore’s interest in international modernism, and represents an important shift in his practice. A distinctive feature of the Calyx range is the ingenious sculptural steel base, that enables the lamp to rest in two positions.

Using low-cost materials, readily available from local suppliers, the lamps required no welding and were designed to be easily manufactured and assembled in the workshop. Aluminium shades were hand-painted in a range of matt enamel colours, then baked in a beehive kiln in the backyard of Meadmore’s Burwood Road shop. All components were cut to size by Meadmore for quick assembly: the shade was easily fixed to the metal bracket using two metal pins and tap washers, then with the addition of a length of electrical flex, the finished product was ready or sale. The Calyx range was featured at the Anderson’s Furniture stand (also designed by Meadmore) at the Homes Exhibition in 1954.

Wall text from the exhibition

 

Clement Meadmore Calyx lighting design detail

Installation view of Gallery 2 of the exhibition Clement Meadmore: The art of mid-century design at the Ian Potter Museum of Art, Melbourne showing Calyx lighting design detail
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

Clement Meadmore (Australian, 1929-2005) 'Calyx desk lamp' 1954

 

Clement Meadmore (Australian, 1929-2005)
Calyx desk lamp
1954
Steel, enamel paint on aluminium
Private collection

 

Clement Meadmore (Australian, 1929-2005) 'Calyx pendant lamp' 1954

 

Clement Meadmore (Australian, 1929-2005)
Calyx pendant lamp
1954
Steel, enamel paint on aluminium, steel
Harris/Atkins Collection

 

Installation view of the exhibition 'Clement Meadmore: The art of mid-century design' at the Ian Potter Museum of Art, Melbourne

Installation view of the exhibition 'Clement Meadmore: The art of mid-century design' at the Ian Potter Museum of Art, Melbourne

 

Installation views of Gallery 2 the exhibition Clement Meadmore: The art of mid-century design at the Ian Potter Museum of Art, Melbourne
Photos: Marcus Bunyan

 

 

The work of Clement Meadmore (1929-2005), one of Australia’s most innovative and progressive designers from the mid-century period, will be on display at the Ian Potter Museum of Art from 20 November. This will be the first major survey of the influential industrial design work Meadmore undertook in Australia, before he moved to New York in 1963 and achieved international prominence as a sculptor.

The exhibition focuses on the crossover of art, design and architecture, featuring Meadmore’s iconic designs including chairs, tables and light fixtures. Rare archival images and documents, and interviews with the artist’s family and colleagues connected to the Melbourne art, jazz and design scenes of the 1950s will be on display alongside sculptures and structures.

Curated by Dean Keep and Jeromie Maver, the exhibition shines a light on Meadmore’s rich design practice and the important cultural shifts that shaped mid-century Melbourne. The display charts the evolution of the artist’s design aesthetic in the 1950s and early 1960s, cementing the role he played with the Australian design scene of this time.

Curator Dean Keep said, “The exhibition is an important retrospective showing a snapshot of time when mid-century tastemakers sought to turn Melbourne into a thriving and cosmopolitan city.”

It was in 1951 that Meadmore designed his first piece of furniture; a steel rod and corded dining chair which would form part of the iconic thirteen-piece series known as Meadmore Originals. This chair design became an instant hit, catching the attention of the highly influential modernist architect Robin Boyd.

For the next ten years, Meadmore produced a range of innovative furniture and lighting designs, popular with architects, artists and designers of the period. The ground-breaking modern homes designed by architects such as Robin Boyd, Neil Clerehan and Peter McIntyre were not complete without Meadmore furniture.

In the mid-1950s, Meadmore was commissioned to design the interiors of the Legend Espresso and Milk Bar in Melbourne, opening for the 1956 Melbourne Olympics. Before shifting towards sculpture in the late 1950s, Meadmore’s designs were regularly featured in popular lifestyle magazines and sold in designer department stores in Sydney and Melbourne.

Clement Meadmore: The art of mid-century design is on at Ian Potter Museum of Art, The University of Melbourne from 20 November 2018 to 3 March 2019.

This project has been assisted by a State Library Victoria Creative Fellowship.

Press release from the Ian Potter Museum of Art

 

GALLERY 3

Installation view of the exhibition 'Clement Meadmore: The art of mid-century design' at the Ian Potter Museum of Art, Melbourne

Installation view of the exhibition 'Clement Meadmore: The art of mid-century design' at the Ian Potter Museum of Art, Melbourne

Installation view of the exhibition 'Clement Meadmore: The art of mid-century design' at the Ian Potter Museum of Art, Melbourne

Installation view of the exhibition 'Clement Meadmore: The art of mid-century design' at the Ian Potter Museum of Art, Melbourne

 

Installation views of Gallery 3 of the exhibition Clement Meadmore: The art of mid-century design at the Ian Potter Museum of Art, Melbourne
Photos: Marcus Bunyan

 

Clement Meadmore (Australian, 1929-2005) 'Model for a six-hundered foot skyscraper' 1978

 

Clement Meadmore (Australian, 1929-2005)
Model for a six-hundered foot skyscraper
1978
Wood, gesso and paint
Collection of Rosalind Meadmore
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

Installation view of the exhibition 'Clement Meadmore: The art of mid-century design' at the Ian Potter Museum of Art, Melbourne

Installation view of the exhibition 'Clement Meadmore: The art of mid-century design' at the Ian Potter Museum of Art, Melbourne

 

Installation views of Gallery 3 of the exhibition Clement Meadmore: The art of mid-century design at the Ian Potter Museum of Art, Melbourne
Photos: Marcus Bunyan

 

Michael Hirst

The three tables presented here pose interesting questions about the business and design arrangements between Clement Meadmore and Michael Hirst, and ambiguous boundaries between authorship and attribution in some of the Hirst manufactured furniture.

The two tiled occasional tables, traditionally attributed to Hirst, were both made by Clement Meadmore and were presented by he designer as gifts to the Dallwitz family in Adelaide. Meadmore considered the tables as prototypes for a new design, sharing with the Dallwitz family his process of making them: first, the glass tiles were laid out to form a pattern, then affixed to adhesive paper and turned upside down. A square structure could then be built around them to hold the wet plaster or cement until it had set hard.

The Dining Table (c. 1959) manufactured by Hirst, was originally owned by the Rippin family, friends of both Hirst and Meadmore. Ailsa Rippin maintained throughout her life that the table was designed by Meadmore, an assertion supported by the aesthetic and structural similarities it shares with a coffee table Meadmore designed for Violet Dulieu and with one of his earliest welded sculptures (c. 1954).

Wall text from the exhibition

 

Installation view of the exhibition 'Clement Meadmore: The art of mid-century design' at the Ian Potter Museum of Art, Melbourne

 

Installation views of Gallery 3 the exhibition Clement Meadmore: The art of mid-century design at the Ian Potter Museum of Art, Melbourne
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

GALLERY 4

Installation view of the exhibition 'Clement Meadmore: The art of mid-century design' at the Ian Potter Museum of Art, Melbourne
At left: Clement Meadmore. Door handle (from Thomas’ music store) c. 1959 welded steel Collection of Ken Neale
At right: Clement Meadmore. Untitled c. 1962 welded steel Private collection, Melbourne
Installation view of the exhibition 'Clement Meadmore: The art of mid-century design' at the Ian Potter Museum of Art, Melbourne

Installation view of the exhibition 'Clement Meadmore: The art of mid-century design' at the Ian Potter Museum of Art, Melbourne

Installation view of the exhibition 'Clement Meadmore: The art of mid-century design' at the Ian Potter Museum of Art, Melbourne

 

Installation views of Gallery 3 the exhibition Clement Meadmore: The art of mid-century design at the Ian Potter Museum of Art, Melbourne
Photos: Marcus Bunyan

 

Clement Meadmore (Australian, 1929-2005) 'The Trumpeter' 1957 (installation view)

 

Clement Meadmore (Australian, 1929-2005)
The Trumpeter (installation view)
1957
Welded steel, brass
Private collection, Canberra
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

Installation views of Gallery 4 the exhibition Clement Meadmore: The art of mid-century design at the Ian Potter Museum of Art, Melbourne
Photos: Marcus Bunyan

 

GALLERY 5

Installation view of the exhibition 'Clement Meadmore: The art of mid-century design' at the Ian Potter Museum of Art, Melbourne

Installation view of the exhibition 'Clement Meadmore: The art of mid-century design' at the Ian Potter Museum of Art, Melbourne
Photograph at rear is of the Teahouse interior c. 1958
Installation view of the exhibition 'Clement Meadmore: The art of mid-century design' at the Ian Potter Museum of Art, Melbourne
Artefacts relating to the Legend Expresso and Milk Bar including building application (1955), menu book and cups and saucers
Installation view of the exhibition 'Clement Meadmore: The art of mid-century design' at the Ian Potter Museum of Art, Melbourne

Installation view of the exhibition 'Clement Meadmore: The art of mid-century design' at the Ian Potter Museum of Art, Melbourne showing photograph at rear is of the Legend Expresso and Milk Bar interior c. 1956, 239 Bourke Street, Melbourne Victoria, with Leonard French's painting 'The Legend of Sinbad the Sailor' (1956) on the wall behind the counter

 

Photograph at rear is of the Legend Expresso and Milk Bar interior c. 1956, 239 Bourke Street, Melbourne Victoria, with Leonard French’s painting The Legend of Sinbad the Sailor (1956, below) on the wall behind the counter. Courtesy of I. A. Nicolades and L. French. Credit: Leonard Janiszewski and Effy Alexakis. In Their Own Image: Greek-Australians; and chair for Legend Expresso and Milk Bar c. 1956, steel, brass, Collection of Mr John and Ms Dora Dallwitz

 

Installation views of Gallery 5 of the exhibition Clement Meadmore: The art of mid-century design at the Ian Potter Museum of Art, Melbourne
Photos: Marcus Bunyan

 

Café culture: the Legend and the Tea House

A time of great cultural shifts, the 1950s saw Melbourne evolve into a multi-cultural city enriched by the contributions of post-war migrants. The introduction of European café culture at this time had an enduring influence on the character of the city, as did the preparations for the 1956 Olympic Games, which prompted a major program of rebuilding and revitalisation, providing Clement Meadmore with the opportunity to create two of the most imaginative and original interiors in Melbourne.

Ion Nicolades was one of many business owners to remodel their premises in anticipation of the number of visitors soon to descend upon the city. Owner of the Anglo-American Café, a Melbourne institution which had operated on the same site since 1904, Nicolades approached Meadmore with the idea of transforming his business into a contemporary café, renamed the Legend Expresso and Milk Bar. Located in the heart of the city on Bourke Street, the space was divided by an internal wall, with the café to the left, and milk bar to the right – and ideal mix that would capitalise on its proximity to nearby offices and cinemas.

Noted on the plans as the ‘superintending architect’, Meadmore designed every aspect of the Legend, from structural elements through to interior design. From the stools, tables and steel rod chairs, through to the black metal pendant lights. Meadmore crafted an interior that embodied a playful mix of European modernism and contemporary styling. The refurbished Legend quickly became a hub for the young art and design crowd.

Nicolades soon commissioned Meadmore for a second project, the Tea House (also known as the T House). In contrast to the Italophile interiors of the Legend, this project blended British culture and Asian aesthetics with motifs from the botanical world. Meadmore’s subtle inclusion of visual metaphors can be seen in the shape of the chair backs, which reference tea leaves, and in the shape of his lighting: an allusion to the hats worn by plantation workers who picked the tea [see last installation photograph below]. Meadmore’s passion for geometry informed both the design and spatial arrangement of the interior and furnishings, creating a striking display of ordered forms. The rows of simple steel rod tables and chairs, enveloped by curtained walls that draw the eye deep into the room, demonstrate his ability to minimise visual weight and create a sense of light and space.

Wall text from the exhibition

 

Installation view of the exhibition 'Clement Meadmore: The art of mid-century design' at the Ian Potter Museum of Art, Melbourne

Leonard French (Australian, 1928-2017) 'The Legend of Sinbad the Sailor' 1956 (installation view)

 

Leonard French (Australian, 1928-2017)
The Legend of Sinbad the Sailor (installation view)
1956
Duco and enamel on board
La Trobe University Art Collection
Donated under the Australian Government Cultural Gifts Program by Mr Ion Nicolades 1999
Photos: Marcus Bunyan

 

Gallery A

Gallery A was an art gallery in Melbourne’s Flinders Lane, established in 1959 by Max Hutchinson and Clement Meadmore, who took the role of gallery director. The inaugural exhibition included work b the Italian abstract expressionist Franco Meneguzzo (Italian, b. 1924), who Meadmore had met in Milan six years earlier, alongside a group of Australia abstract painters, such as Meadmore’s housemate Peter Upward (Australian, 1932-1983). In a climate of conservatism within the Australian art scene, Gallery A was unapologetically progressive, showcasing non-figurative and abstract art alongside design. An exhibition featuring the work of Ludwig Hirschfield-Mack (1893-1965, German 1893-1939, arrived Australia 1940) in 1961 helped earn Gallery A the title of ‘Little Bauhaus’. In keeping with the Bauhaus principle of bridging the gap between art and industry, Gallery A’s activities extended beyond the exhibition of art and design to the production of a range of furniture, designed by Meadmore and manufactured by Hutchison’s company Adroit Manufacturing. Described as ‘contract furniture’, these designs were intended for commercial projects and were advertised in the gallery’s brochures.

Wall text from the exhibition

 

Installation view of the exhibition 'Clement Meadmore: The art of mid-century design' at the Ian Potter Museum of Art, Melbourne

 

Installation views of Gallery 5 the exhibition Clement Meadmore: The art of mid-century design at the Ian Potter Museum of Art, Melbourne
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

 

The Ian Potter Museum of Art The University of Melbourne, Corner Swanston Street and Masson Road Parkville, Victoria 3010

Opening hours: Tuesday – Saturday 11am – 5pm

The Ian Potter Museum of Art website

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