Contempora (844.8 KB PDF) - National Gallery of Victoria
Contempora (844.8 KB PDF) - National Gallery of Victoria Contempora (844.8 KB PDF) - National Gallery of Victoria
Aleks Danko was born in Adelaidein 1950 and studied at the SouthAustralian School of Art between1967 and 1970. Since then he hashad 35 solo exhibitions and beenincluded in numerous exhibitions inAustralia and overseas. His work isrepresented in all major state andregional galleries in Australia.When approaching Aleks Danko’slatest installation SONGS OFAUSTRALIA VOLUME 16 –SHHH, GO BACK TO SLEEP (anun-Australian dob-in mix), 2004,we are immediately confrontedby a range of challenging sightsand sounds. As we enter aprotected inner courtyard, we finda black constructed house withsix windows on each side, sittingcomfortably between four highwalls. The walls are covered withmore than a hundred paintingsof small red houses, with handpaintedslogan-like texts on each.The paintings resemble a crossbetween newspaper headlines andpolitical posters. From inside theblack house, light flashes on andoff and the pre-recorded voice ofAustralia’s voiceover ‘king’ RobbieMcGregor reads each visual text ina smooth, comforting voice.SONGS OF AUSTRALIAVOLUME 16 is the culminationof a cycle of work completed byAleks Danko between 1996 and2004, and is also the culminationof his two-year ContemporaFellowship at the NationalGallery of Victoria. The work isunashamedly political and, likethe Volumes which preceded it,draws our attention to some ofthe most important political, socialand cultural issues of our times,including immigration, terrorism,reconciliation and environmentalconcerns. Each issue is presentedthrough a variety of everydaysymbols (the suburban house inparticular) and with a healthy doseof irony, wit, satire and pun.Danko’s previous work in thisseries has included installations,site-specific projects, live artinterventions, public commissionsand collaborative art. The presentexhibit embodies the disciplinesof sculpture, architecture,painting, drawing and theatre.Danko is involved in the designand construction of all of theseaspects and yet respects thegreater technical knowledge ofcertain experts needed to finalisethe project, such as carpenters,electricians and curators. Heenjoys the politics of collaborativework, and was thus a perfectchoice for the ContemporaFellowship, which requires aworking dialogue to exist betweenthe artist and other Gallery experts.
Danko believes that the presentContempora Fellowship is moredemocratic than the former systemof one cash prize, and is alsomore productive for all partiesconcerned. Ideally he would like tosee a system of art awards whichgive artists a choice of engagingin a variety of work-relatedplacements like industrial settingsand university faculties.Installation art became popular inthe early 1970s in Australia withthe influence of such Americanartists as Jim Dine and ClaesOldenburg and via the spirit ofKurt Schwitters (a greatmanipulator of texts), MarcelDuchamp and the Dadaists ofthe Cabaret Voltaire. Danko talksof being inspired by these artistsin particular, and by a similaranarchistic trend in British comedywhich included such televisionshows as The Frost Report andMonty Python’s Flying Circus.Finally, it is important to rememberthat Danko was born of migrantparents who came to Australia asrefugees from war-torn Europein 1948. In many ways he grewup in two cultures from the verybeginning of his life. References tohis childhood in suburban Adelaideare found in much of his work,reflecting some of the similaritiesand differences between thesocial and political landscapeof Australia then and now. Hisbackground could also be seenas a major reason for his ongoingcommitment to a questioning formof political art.TEXTGraham Parkerin discussion with Aleks DankoIMAGESONGS OF AUSTRALIAVOLUME 16: SHHH,GO BACK TO SLEEP(an un-Australian dob-in mix)2003ink and pencil on paper, stainedplywood, sound recording,lighting, acrylic, vinylinstallation, dimensions variable
- Page 3 and 4: In 1996 the Victorian Governmentest
- Page 5: her design for The fern garden,1998
- Page 9: Winning the Contempora5 prizehas ha
Danko believes that the present<strong>Contempora</strong> Fellowship is moredemocratic than the former system<strong>of</strong> one cash prize, and is alsomore productive for all partiesconcerned. Ideally he would like tosee a system <strong>of</strong> art awards whichgive artists a choice <strong>of</strong> engagingin a variety <strong>of</strong> work-relatedplacements like industrial settingsand university faculties.Installation art became popular inthe early 1970s in Australia withthe influence <strong>of</strong> such Americanartists as Jim Dine and ClaesOldenburg and via the spirit <strong>of</strong>Kurt Schwitters (a greatmanipulator <strong>of</strong> texts), MarcelDuchamp and the Dadaists <strong>of</strong>the Cabaret Voltaire. Danko talks<strong>of</strong> being inspired by these artistsin particular, and by a similaranarchistic trend in British comedywhich included such televisionshows as The Frost Report andMonty Python’s Flying Circus.Finally, it is important to rememberthat Danko was born <strong>of</strong> migrantparents who came to Australia asrefugees from war-torn Europein 1948. In many ways he grewup in two cultures from the verybeginning <strong>of</strong> his life. References tohis childhood in suburban Adelaideare found in much <strong>of</strong> his work,reflecting some <strong>of</strong> the similaritiesand differences between thesocial and political landscape<strong>of</strong> Australia then and now. Hisbackground could also be seenas a major reason for his ongoingcommitment to a questioning form<strong>of</strong> political art.TEXTGraham Parkerin discussion with Aleks DankoIMAGESONGS OF AUSTRALIAVOLUME 16: SHHH,GO BACK TO SLEEP(an un-Australian dob-in mix)2003ink and pencil on paper, stainedplywood, sound recording,lighting, acrylic, vinylinstallation, dimensions variable
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