As explained in The Guardian article, “Picture of health: going to art galleries can improve wellbeing”, a study led by King’s College London reveals viewing original works of art can relieve stress, cut heart disease risk and boost immune system. Researchers found that levels of the stress hormone cortisol fell by an average of 22% among those viewing original art, compared with just 8% looking at reproductions. This unique and original study provides compelling evidence that viewing art in a gallery is good for you and helps to further our understanding of its fundamental benefits. In essence, art doesn’t just move us emotionally – it calms the body too.
Join us at the Gallery to celebrate with artist Helen S. Tiernan at the opening of her new exhibition Two Views: As Above, So Below to be officially opened by Rosemary Forde, Visual Arts and Cultural Development Officer, Bass Shire Council.
Helen Tiernan’s new exhibition presents us with different rhythms of the same song. She is an artist eager to impart key messages through her practice, anchored in both her indigenous and European heritage, the experiences and culture equally from her life and her studies of art history. Her artwork is layered, imbued with a meld of indigenous and western learnings and understandings. At its heart, is story-telling, from Aboriginal songlines to western classics and her message is centrally about land, sea and sky – the totality – and about people, identity and place.
The layering of meaning throughout Tiernan’s opus give her paintings a pulsating quality. These recent whale paintings encapsulate her recent environmental concerns, particularly the pollution of sea country, including noise pollution. The bands across these canvases are representative of this sonic sound pollution; but are also echo waves of communication and indigenous songlines of journey – different rhythms of the same song.
We are delighted to host Penelope Jackson and Monash University Press to launch the publication Unseen: Art and Crime in Australia on Wednesday 19 November at 6pm at the Gallery.
Join the author Penelope Jackson in conversation with Hilary Thurlow discussing Unseen, a riveting look at art thefts, fakes, forgeries, vandalism, ‘disappeared works’ and more.
A growing appreciation for the painters of Utopia has seen a rise in the number of exhibitions showcasing their artwork, including Classics from the Golden Age of Utopia at the S.H. Ervin Gallery in Sydney, with paintings by Emily Kngwarreye, Gloria Petyarre and and Ada Bird Petyarre along with other peers from Utopia (showing until 14 September) and the recent exhibition of Emily’s artworks at the National Gallery of Australia, and now showing at the Tate Gallery, London. The National Museum of Australia mounted a retrospective of Emily Kngwarreye back in 2008 which also travelled to Japan.
Please find links below to a series of reviews for your interest and we welcome your visit to Lauraine Diggins Fine Art throughout September to view a selection of paintings by leading artists from Utopia. Preview the exhibition here.
JOHN MCDONALD – Tate exhibition: Emily in London – not a new TV series, but an historic moment for Australian art. For the very first time, Tate Modern is hosting a solo exhibition by an artist from the former colony. Inevitably, the artist is Emily Kame Kngwarreye – “that old lady” from a tiny community in the very heart of Australia, who passed away in 1996 but left a reputation that has continued to expand across the planet. Artists such as Sidney Nolan, Arthur Boyd and Fred Williams may feature in the Tate’s collections, but no Australian has previously been the subject of a survey at its flagship gallery, Tate Modern, which is currently celebrating its 25th birthday. https://www.everythingthe.com/p/emily-kam-kngwarray?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=email-restack-comment&r=4cgyu3&triedRedirect=true
JOHN MCDONALD – NGA exhibition: There can be no doubt about the exceptional talent of “that old lady”, as she is described by her relatives. The best of her work is simply breathtaking. One marvels at Emily’s ability to switch effortlessly between styles, her self-confidence, the speed and vigour with which she applied the paint. All the detailed studies of her homeland in Central Australia, all the minute discussions of her motifs such as the yam and the emu, cannot explain her natural ability. If the rest of the world is clamouring to see more of Emily, it’s because there’s nobody like her. https://www.johnmcdonald.net.au/2023/emily-kam-kngwarray/
Showing throughout September at Lauraine Diggins Fine Art, a selection of paintings by artist from Utopia including Emily Kam Kngwarreye; Gloria Petyarr; Nancy Petyarr; Kathleen Petyerre; Angelina Ngal; Kathleen Ngal; Poly Ngal; Greenie Purvis Petyarr, Cowboy Loy Pwerl; Elizabeth Kunoth Kngwarray; Genevieve Kemarr Loy. With the global interest in Emily Kngwarreye including an exhibition at Tate Modern, it is timely to celebrate leading artists from Utopia and their elegant artworks. Characterised by a harmonious balance of colour, a beautiful sense of movement and intricate mark making across the canvas, many of these paintings exhibited are on a grand scale, suggestive of the vast country some 350kms north east of Alice Springs that is depicted. These are representations of Country; of ceremony; of cultural relevance touching on initiation, food, flora, fauna and each artist’s relationship with Country.
Lauraine Diggins Fine Art is pleased to again bring a selection of paintings, works on paper, sculpture and ceramics to show at The Sydney Fair at the Kensington Room, Randwick Racecourse. Open Friday 30 May 10am – 6pm, Saturday 31 May 10am – 6pm and Sunday 1 June 10am – 5pm.
Please contact us for a complimentary ticket and enjoy over 50 dealers showcasing art, furniture, jewellery, fashion, decorative arts and more.
Our exhibition of paintings by Guanting Li continues at the Gallery in Melbourne and will be finishing on Friday 6 June. A selection are on display at The Sydney Fair.
Elizabeth Kunoth Kngwarray travelled to Sydney with fellow artist Genevieve Kemarr Loy to view her painting hanging as a Finalist in the Wynne Prize at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney. We’re delighted to announce she has also been named a Finalist in this year’s Hadley’s Art Prize in Hobart.
To view artworks by Elizabeth Kunoth Kngwarray, please see our stockroom or contact us.
Lauraine Diggins Fine Art extends our warm wishes to all for a happy and safe festive season. We thank everyone who continues to support the Gallery and it has been a privilege to present the exhibition of artworks by Hilda Rix Nicholas. We have enjoyed meeting and speaking with many of you at art fairs in Melbourne and Sydney and look forward to bringing an ongoing selection of Australian art to you in the new year.
The Gallery will close for the extended summer break from Thursday 21 December and reopen Tuesday 30 January 2024. The best contact is via email during this time: ausart@diggins.com.au
Image: Stephen Bowers Camouflage Plate Adelaide Rosella 2023 earthenware with underglaze decoration and clear glaze, diam: 33.5 cm
