Deviate | Araluen Collection

Deviate – to depart from an established course

This exhibition primarily draws from the Araluen Art Collection and considers artists who push the boundaries – depart from an established course – to challenge traditional art-making techniques and enable new outcomes to emerge. The artists captivate us with their diverse processes that lead to artworks that are innovative and original, feature bold colour or mark-making, integrate new materials, or themes. In addition to outstanding works from Araluen’s Collection this exhibition features five significant Western Desert paintings, on loan from the National Gallery of Australia through the sharing the national collection initiative, that capture the groundswell of this movement born at Papunya.

Paintings by Western Arrernte artist Albert Namatjira are spread throughout the exhibition to highlight the artist’s diverse practice, skill, knowledge of Country and influence – something that continues today. Billy Benn Purrurle is also featured with works that are part of a substantial recent acquisition of some 88 paintings spanning the artist’s oeuvre. Benn is an important artist of Central Australia whose first paintings emerged in the late 1990s leading to the establishment of Bindi Mwerre Anthurre Artists in 2000 to support his painting endeavours. This critical artist studio has achieved incredible momentum to support Aboriginal artists living with a disability in their artistic endeavours in Mparntwe/Alice Springs.

The Araluen Art Collection harnesses many incredible creative moments, art movements and art prizes and is significant in Australia and the world. This exhibition explores one element and demonstrates the capacity of artists to be endlessly creative regardless of their inspiration. Spanning many decades, genres and subjects, these artworks are thought-provoking and unique, and the artist’s challenge us to engage fully with their artistic deviations and brilliance.

Featured Artwork: Robert Andrew White wash over the burn 2017. Winner of the 2018 Alice Prize