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PRESS RELEASE

Contact: Iona Rowland

T: 020 3653 0896

E: iona@parkerharris.co.uk

JOURNEYS: AN EXHIBITION OF SCULPTURE

SHONA NUNAN/ MICHAEL CARTWRIGHT/ SOLLAI CARTWRIGHT/

JACOB CARTWRIGHT

6 - 16 June 2018, Australia House, London

By appointment 17 - 29 June 2018

Journeys is an exhibition of sculpture at Australia House, London, which will

see Australian-born Shona Nunan and Michael Francis Cartwright, along with their

sons Sollai and Jacob Cartwright, present their sculptures together for the very

first time. The works, though diverse in terms of materials and aesthetic, are

united by a commentary on, and celebration of life, nature and the universe.

Collectively, they encourage viewers to consider the myriad of journeys that have

informed the sculptures; the journey of the works themselves, from raw material

through to creation; but also the journey of a family of sculptors who have

continued to inspire one another, whilst developing highly idiosyncratic bodies of

work. This exhibition forms part of a year-long programme the Australian High

Commission is delivering to mark the centenary of the opening of Australia House.

Shona Nunan, Bei Wu artist residency studio, Germany

Shona Nunan will be presenting new sculptures cast in bronze, based on her

earlier Guardian and Woman series. Earth Mother, a figurative piece, depicting an

earth-mother and governor of life follows a spiral motif, acknowledging the cycle

of evolving nature. Speaking of the importance of the spiral, the artist said it

unifies us, reminding us of the earth, its cycles and its beginnings...it connects

our diverse cultures through place and being.” Selected works also include two

large Guardian figures, Harvest Figure and Sentinel, the latter, a female form

conceived from the shapes of an ancient sword.

Michael Francis Cartwright will be showing a wide range of sculptures, some

have been modelled, others carved, each exploring ideas around freedom and our

place in the universe. The artist has utilised traditional mediums such as bronze,

marble and sterling silver to create intuitive, organic forms, classic materials

executed with a freshness”, Cartwright says. Amongst the exhibited works are

Moon Dance, a monumental polished bronze figure; Reflection, a sitting bird in

abstract form; Astronomer Looking into The Night Sky, and a new series of

landscape sculptures inspired by Montefegatessi and Prato Fiorito, both close to

the Cartwrights’ studios in Italy.

Michael Cartwright modeling Moon Dance, Fonderia Versiliese, Pietrasanta

Sollai Cartwright learnt carving in Pietrasanta and now produces large scale

works from his outdoor studio in Berlin experiencing Berlin’s “inspirational

creative community” is, for the artist, integral to developing new ideas and

facilitating experimentation. A sensitivity to and understanding of his materials is

also important - the artist said that when carving marble, he seeks a connectivity

with the stone and wants to further explore the relationship between form and

light. For Cartwright, the exhibited works present the journey of a sculpture as

Sollai Cartwright working in his Berlin studio

Jacob Cartwright rasping at his sculpture studio in Pietrasanta

one without end, they evoke a sense of movement and fluidity, intended to

engage artist and viewer alike.

Jacob Cartwright’s practice is improvisatory and often collaborative he riffs

between mediums and practices, from marble and wood to sound and

photography; his intention is to reflect the present and to do now, to be now”. He

says this game of grasping at the essence of creativity, is an ever-shifting

meditation. My resulting pieces are artefacts of my attempts.” The artist will

present his Canoe Lake series at Australia House; each piece underlines the

importance of boats for journeys and navigation, both physical and metaphorical.

The artist said they (boats) have moved our homes, been our homes and taken

us to new ones. They have been our hope for safety or a new life, they have and

continue to be, vessels of dreams.”

Journeys is supported by the Australian High Commission and the Sidney Nolan

Trust. A selection of Sidney Nolan’s paintings, previously exhibited as part of

Unseen at Australia House, London, will be included in the exhibition.

Notes to editors

Title: Journeys: Shona Nunan/ Michael Cartwright/ Sollai Cartwright/

Jacob Cartwright

Dates: 6 16 June 2018 & 17 29 June 2018 by appointment only

Address: Strand, London WC2B 4LA

Opening Times: Mon-Fri from 9am-5pm

Admission: Free

Nearest Tube: Temple or Charing Cross

Website: nunan-cartwright.com

Twitter/Instagram: @NunanCartwright/ @nunan.cartwright.art

Artist Biographies

Shona Nunan has been a practicing artist for over 35 years and works from her studios

in Tuscany, Italy and Provence, France. Artist residencies include Cill Rialaig Ireland;

Mas des Graviers, Provence and Bei Wu in Germany. She has exhibited widely throughout

her career and is represented by Sandra Walters, Hong Kong; Mossgreen Gallery,

Australia and Kuan’s Living in Taiwan and China. Recent commissions include two major

Guardian figures for Swires, Hong Kong; a memorial piece for a collector (produced in

collaboration with Michael Cartwright); and two commissioned sculptures for Bei Wu

Sculpture Park in Germany. www.nunan-cartwright.com

Michael Francis Cartwright works from his studios in Tuscany, Italy and Provence,

France, both shared with artist (and partner) Shona Nunan. He first began painting in his

father’s studio in Australia and in 1980 worked as studio assistant to Stuart Ross,

previously assistant to Henry Moore. The artist went on to learn marble carving in

Carrara, Italy and upon returning to Australia exhibited extensively in New South Wales

and Victoria. He was also active in and elected Director of the Artist Group Castlemaine

inc. Artist residencies include Mas des Graviers, France; Cill Rialaig, Ireland; Port

Moresby University, PNG; CIS, Hong Kong; Yew Cheung Foundation, Hong Kong and Bei

Wu Sculpture Park, Germany. Since 1994, Cartwright has been represented in both Hong

Kong and Singapore, exhibiting across China, Thailand, Hong Kong and Singapore. His

works are the subject of both private and public collections, with major commissions in

Singapore, China, Hong Kong, Australia, and France. www.nunan-cartwright.com

Sollai Cartwright lives and works in Berlin, Germany. He studied marble carving in

Pietrasanta, Italy and has undertaken artist residencies in Ireland, Germany and

Australia. He shows biannually with MARS Gallery, Australia and will be exhibiting new

work in the 2018 Hong Kong Art Fair, Art Central, Hong Kong. He has shown previously at

La Rondine Gallery, Italy and in 2016 unveiled a major installation entitled Ula, produced

specifically for the inauguration of Bei Wu Sculpture Park. The artist’s work is held in

collections worldwide. www.sollai.com

Jacob Cartwright works from his studio in Pietrasanta, Tuscany and has held

residiencies at Saari, Finland, Bei Wu, Germany and Le Rouret, France. He studied at the

Victorian College of the Arts, Australia and has exhibited in Italy, Brussels, Barcelona,

Finland, Germany and Hong Kong. Major exhibitions include the 2017 Biennale di

Sanccino; Cremona; La Rondine Gallery, Tuscany and Bei Wu Sculpture Park’s inaugural

group show, for which the artist produced site-specific sound sculpture, The Quiet. In

2013, he founded both the Koski Collective - a collaborative, improvisational,

performance art group, and the Bagni di Lucca Art Festival. www.jacobcartwright.com

Partners

The Sidney Nolan Trust

Sidney Nolan’s legacy in the UK is a charitable trust, which is developing the land and

buildings of The Rodd that Sidney purchased into a unique resource for artists and

musicians worldwide. The Trust is a safe non-confrontational space that provides

opportunities for self-discovery for young people from neighbouring wards of the West

Midlands conurbation. At The Rodd young people are free, even for a very short period,

from peer pressures, relationship pressures, housing pressures, family pressures and the

pressure of failure to experience latent and undiscovered talents; experiences that can

be truly life changing and through which they can discover a new ways to make

themselves heard. www.sidneynolantrust.org

The Australian High Commission, London

The Australian High Commission in London is the diplomatic mission of Australia in

the United Kingdom. It is located at Australia House, a Grade II listed building.

Opened by King George V on 3 August 1918, Australia House is the home of Australia's

first diplomatic post overseas and is the longest continuously occupied diplomatic

mission in the United Kingdom. In 2018 the Australian High Commission celebrates 100

years of Australia House. uk.embassy.gov.au

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