John Wolseley<br/>
born England 1938, arrived Australia 1976<br/>
<em>After the fire – Spiny-cheeked honeyeaters at Lake Monibeong</em> 2011<br/>
watercolour, charcoal and graphite on paper<br/>
150.0 x 128 cm<br/>
Private collection<br/>
© John Wolseley/Licensed by Viscopy, Sydney

John Wolseley

Heartlands and Headwaters

Free entry

The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia, Fed Square

Level 2

11 Apr 15 – 20 Sep 15

Over the past four years John Wolseley has explored the wetlands of Australia in a major series of new works commissioned by Sir Roderick Carnegie. In this series of monumentally-scaled works on paper, the artist celebrates the variety and unique nature of water forms in Australia. The mangrove swamps in Roebuck Bay (W.A.), the flood plains of Garanalli in the Northern Territory, the Finke River in the Simpson Desert and the sphagnum swamps of Skullbone Plains in Tasmania are just some of the sites detailed in these impressive works. The different geographical features and unique plant and animal forms of these wetlands are depicted in the finely worked drawing and rich watercolour washes that characterise Wolseley’s work. Many also combine collage elements and markings made “in collaboration” with the natural environment. Through this way of working, which includes burying works and drawing with carbonized wood found in the bush, the artist subverts traditional approaches to the depiction of landscape. These works celebrate the beauty of the Australian wilderness and encourage an understanding of the significance and environmental fragility of these remote and little-known sites.

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John WOLSELEY
Regeneration after fire – the seeders and the sprouters, Mallee (2009-2011)
watercolour, charcoal, pencil and pigment
152.2 x 256.7 cm irreg. (image and sheet)
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Gift of Sir Roderick Carnegie in memory of his wife Carmen through the Australian Government’s Cultural Gifts Program, 2016
2016.940
© John Wolseley/Licensed by Copyright Agency, Australia
John WOLSELEY
From Siberia to Roebuck Bay – the godwits reach the mangrove swamps, WA (2012)
watercolour over pencil, charcoal, coloured chalk and masking out
151.9 x 199.0 cm irreg. (image and sheet)
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Gift of Sir Roderick Carnegie in memory of his wife Carmen through the Australian Government’s Cultural Gifts Program, 2016
2016.945
© John Wolseley/Licensed by Copyright Agency, Australia
John WOLSELEY
Natural history of swamps III, heron in swamp – Loy Yang Power Station (2009-2010); 2010 {dated}
watercolour, pencil, ink, black chalk, scratching out and leaf
114.0 x 176.0 cm (framed)
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Gift of Sir Roderick Carnegie in memory of his wife Carmen through the Australian Government’s Cultural Gifts Program, 2016
2016.937
© John Wolseley/Licensed by Copyright Agency, Australia
John WOLSELEY
After fire – spiny-cheeked honeyeaters at Lake Monibeong (2009-2011); 2011 {dated}
watercolour, charcoal, pencil, gouache and brown chalk
151.7 x 128.9 cm (image and sheet)
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Gift of Sir Roderick Carnegie in memory of his wife Carmen through the Australian Government’s Cultural Gifts Program, 2016
2016.938
© John Wolseley/Licensed by Copyright Agency, Australia
John WOLSELEY
History of the Whipstick Forest with ephemeral swamps and gold bearing reefs (2011)
watercolour, charcoal and pencil on 2 sheets
(a-b) 233.5 x 286.6 cm (overall)
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Gift of Sir Roderick Carnegie in memory of his wife Carmen through the Australian Government’s Cultural Gifts Program, 2016
2016.942.a-b
© John Wolseley/Licensed by Copyright Agency, Australia
John WOLSELEY
Cycles of fire and water – Lake Tyrrell, Victoria (2011-2012)
watercolour, charcoal, pencil, sponging, scratching and masking out on 2 sheets
(a-b) 154.0 x 610.0 cm (overall)
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Gift of Sir Roderick Carnegie in memory of his wife Carmen through the Australian Government’s Cultural Gifts Program, 2016
2016.943.a-b
© John Wolseley/Licensed by Copyright Agency, Australia
John WOLSELEY
A Daly River creek, NT (2012)
watercolour, pastel, pencil, charcoal, gouache, ink, yellow pencil and collage of woodcut and linocut on Japanese paper
(a-c) 152.0 x 602.0 cm irreg. (overall)
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Gift of Sir Roderick Carnegie in memory of his wife Carmen through the Australian Government’s Cultural Gifts Program, 2016
2016.944.a-c
© John Wolseley/Licensed by Copyright Agency, Australia
John WOLSELEY
From the edge of the great floodplains of Garrangari and Garrangalli, NT (2012-2014); 2014 {dated}
pencil, charcoal, black and brown chalk, watercolour, coloured pencil, coloured pastel, frottage and collages of linocut, wood relief printed in black and brown ink, watercolour, charcoal and coloured pencil over pencil and pen and ink on Japanese and wove paper
155.5 x 961.7 cm irreg. (image and sheet)
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Gift of Sir Roderick Carnegie in memory of his wife Carmen through the Australian Government’s Cultural Gifts Program, 2016
2016.948
© John Wolseley/Licensed by Copyright Agency, Australia
John WOLSELEY
Natural history of a sphagnum bog, Lake Ina, Tasmania 2013
watercolour, pencil, pen and ink and sphagnum on 8 sheets
(a-h) 155.6 x 407.6 cm (overall)
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Gift of Sir Roderick Carnegie in memory of his wife Carmen through the Australian Government’s Cultural Gifts Program, 2016
2016.949.a-h
© John Wolseley/Licensed by Copyright Agency, Australia
John WOLSELEY
Natural history of a sphagnum bog, Lake Ina, Tasmania 2013
watercolour, pencil, pen and ink and sphagnum on 8 sheets
(a-h) 155.6 x 407.6 cm (overall)
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Gift of Sir Roderick Carnegie in memory of his wife Carmen through the Australian Government’s Cultural Gifts Program, 2016
2016.949.a-h
© John Wolseley/Licensed by Copyright Agency, Australia
John WOLSELEY
Murray-Sunset refugia with 14 ventifacts (2008-2010); 2010 {dated}
carbonised wood, watercolour and graphite on 15 sheets of paper
pencil, watercolour and charcoal on 15 sheets
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Gift of Sir Roderick Carnegie in memory of his wife Carmen through the Australian Government’s Cultural Gifts Program, 2016
2016.953.a-o
© John Wolseley/Licensed by Copyright Agency, Australia

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