Presented by Bronwyn Johnson and Jon Campbell as part of Melbourne Art Book Fair 

Bronwyn Johnson began collecting and devising climate-related expressions as a way of easing her apprehension over the unfolding climate crisis. These expressions focussed on ecological extinction, bushfire, water, heat and the Covid-19 pandemic as friends agreed that ‘a breathing space between disasters would be good’. 

At the height of the summer bushfires in January 2020, Bronwyn gave the list to Artist Jon Campbell with a view to creating a book of text-based prints. Jon re-worked and edited these expressions into 15 artworks which he then sent to designer Aaron Beehre at Ilam Press in Christchurch, New Zealand to weave his magic with the Risograph printer. The result is this A3 sized artist’s book of prints that resembles a large pad. The prints can then be ripped from the book and pinned to the wall if so desired. The printed dust jacket also doubles as a large poster. 

Jon Campbell abstracts these expressions to capture the tone, wit and exhaustion we felt at the end of what has become known as 2019-2020 ‘black summer’ and subsequent Covid-19 lockdown. We were asked to ‘flatten the curve’ and despaired as ‘fossil fools’ led our kids to demonstrate with ‘I’ll be less activist, when you’ll be less shit’. 

In conjunction to this exhibition, Jon Campbell: No Planet B is Campbell’s third publication with Ilam Press and captures narratives of art and activism around the climate emergency through to the pandemic. This publication is an artist book of 15 risograph prints responding to the ‘Black Summer’ bushfires, the Covid-19 pandemic and the climate emergency unfolding before us. Jon Campbell: No Planet B will be launched as part of Melbourne Art Book Fair. For more information visit Launch: Jon Campbell: No Planet B

Artist 

Jon Campbell is a leading Australian contemporary artist, represented by Darren Knight Gallery, Sydney.