Kate Scardifield, Canis Major (Wind Instrument), 2019/2020. Photo: Robin Hearfield. Courtesy: the artist and Artbank, NSW
Artbank Sydney presents 20/20: Shared Visions, 40 years of Contemporary Australian Art, opened by the Minister for Communications, Cyber Safety and the Arts, the Hon Paul Fletcher MP.
20/20: Shared Visions celebrates Artbank’s 40-year history and its significant collection of Australian contemporary art, telling the story of Australians and their art from 1980 to 2020. The exhibition presents 20 pairs of works that highlight the relationships between works in the Artbank collection, and illustrate the wonderfully diverse landscape of Australian contemporary art.
Minister Fletcher said the exhibition offers a chance to reflect on the successes of this unique Australian Government program and to look towards the next 40 years of championing the creativity and skill of Australian contemporary artists. “Since 1980, Artbank has supported over 4,000 Australian artists through the acquisition of their work and has built one of the most significant and accessible collections of contemporary Australian art,” Minister Fletcher said.
Also launching as part of this celebration, Artbank will present a new acquisition by artist Kate Scardifield. Canis Major (Wind Instrument), 2019/20, will take over the 14 metre tower entry to Artbank’s Waterloo showroom. This new addition to the Artbank collection celebrates the important role Artbank has played in supporting emerging Australian contemporary artists and the dynamic and diverse landscape of the Australian arts sector.
To mark Artbank’s 40th anniversary, it has also commissioned its very first augmented reality (AR) artwork. Thom Roberts in collaboration with Studio A will launch a new work based on his interpretation of the Artbank collection. The artwork, activated by a unique QR Code will feature in 20/20: Shared Visions as well as a limited edition Artbank tote bag to celebrate the 40th anniversary year.
20/20: Shared Visions is presented with an accompanying catalogue in print and digital form. The catalogue pairs contributors from across Artbank’s 40 year history, and is both a celebration of Artbank’s strong collaborative past as well as an exciting look into the future of Australia’s leasing collection.
Exhibition Opens: 20 November 2020
Exhibition Closes: 30 March 2021
