Survey 8: Ivan Durrant

‘Art, to me, is the invention of visual material that previously didn’t exist in the context I put it. My reasons for making Art are aligned with those of a philosopher. He may put facts or words down that help us see what he wishes us to see more clearly. Art deals not with words but visual images. The visual images do not merely replace words, but do things which words cannot do. It is rather like someone explaining an event they saw and at the end of the explanation saying “but you had to be there”. It is this realisation of a separate visual language, and exploring and developing it in reference to making statemetns about today’s world, with which I am concerned. It is also important that the statements make a meaningful contribution, i.e. they are best said (seen) than not said. To invent I need complete freedom of thought divorced from any rules. This is relatively easy for me as I have no formal training in art, therefore no rules to break. Art of course does not have to fit my definition to be art as it would be me then making rules. Without rules artists can break open new barriers of expression endlessly.’

Ivan Durrant, April 1979

The NGV’s Survey exhibition series ran from 1978 to 1981. Each exhibition featured the work of a prominent contemporary Australian artist. Sixteen artists had a Survey exhibition at the NGV.

Source: Ivan Durrant, artist’s statement in Survey 8: Ivan Durrant, exhibition brochure.