Talking Baskets

Artist Liz Williamson and craft writer Dr Kevin Murray


Christina Sumner, Principal Curator, Design and Society, Powerhouse Museum

Ararat Basketfest 2012 culminated in a symposium at the Ararat Performing Arts Centre on Saturday 31 March 2012 featuring a line up of Australia's foremost fibre artists and curators. The symposium provides a chance for people with an interest in contemporary fibre art and basketry to experience a day of lively discussion and networking amongst peers. It was great to welcome so many passionate basketmakers and key influences in Australian craft to Ararat.

The centrepiece of the entire program has been the 30th anniversary presentation of Douglas Fuchs' influential fibre art installation Floating Forest, presented in partnership with the Powerhouse Museum, Sydney. It was therefore appropriate that the symposium began with a consideration of Douglas Fuchs' influence on Australian basketry by Christina Sumner, Principal Curator, Design and Society at the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney

Arguably Australia's leading contemporary basketmaker, Virginia Kaiser, was scheduled to speak at the symposium but was unable to attend due to ill health. Virginia was deeply influenced by Douglas Fuchs and her paper was read by her good friend and peer, Wendy Golden. Virginia's 'Memories of Douglas' provided an evocative account of Douglas' visit and of the burgeoning fibre art community of the early 1980s.

The symposium also more broadly explored contemporary fibre art in Australia including the increasingly vital area of Aboriginal basketry. Antoinette Smith, Senior Curator, Indigenous Cultures of Southeastern Australia at Museum Victoria spoke about historic and recent Aboriginal basketry with reference to her museum's collections. In the afternoon, five outstanding artists, Marilyne Nicholls, Maree Brown, Adrienne Kneebone, Bronwyn Razem and Lucy Irvine, spoke about the role of tradition and technique in the creation of contemporary woven forms and shared images of recent work. Kevin Murray written about the symposium on his webpage, Craft Unbound.

The symposium was followed by the official opening of Lucy Irvine’s exhibition, ‘Mapless’ at 5.30pm by Patrick Snelling, Artist and Program Director, Textile Design, School of Fashion and Textiles, RMIT University. Patrick is also the curator of the 1st Tamworth Textile Triennial which features Lucy Irvine's incredible sculpture, 'Continuous Interruptions', which is featured in the triennial's touring exhibition and has recently been acquired by Tamworth Regional Art Gallery. Lucy's exhibition Mapless continues at Ararat Regional Art Gallery until 7 May 2012.

Ararat Basketfest Opens

Ms Jane Burns AM and Mr Joe Helper MP at the opening.


Gallery visitors enjoying 'Floating Forest'

'Floating Forest' is currently on show at Ararat Regional Art Gallery in a 30th anniversary exhibition. The key components from Douglas Fuchs' legendary fibre environment have been loaned from and is presented in partnership with the Powerhouse Museum, Sydney. The exhibition is presented until 1 April 2012, as part of Ararat Basketfest 2012. We were honoured that Jane Burns AM, the founding director of the Crafts Council of Australia was able to visit Ararat to officially open both 'Floating Forest' and Wendy Golden's 'Paired' exhibition (until 19 March) on Friday 17 February 2012.

Douglas Fuchs (1947-86) was an American basket maker who came to Australia on a Craft Council of Australia Fellowship in 1981-82. He arrived in Adelaide in July 1981 and set up a studio at The Jam Factory, where he began working on his ambitious ‘Floating Forest’ installation. Douglas exhibited three versions of ‘Floating Forest: at the Adelaide Festival Centre Gallery from 27 November to 24 December 1981, the Meat Market Craft Centre, Melbourne from 26 January to 28 February 1982 and the Crafts Councils Centre Gallery, Sydney from 1 to 23 May 1982. ‘Floating Forest’ is widely considered a landmark in the development of a contemporary approach to basketry in Australia, and many artists who came to know Douglas speak of the profound impact he had on their lives.

Douglas’ Australian residency also enabled a transformation in his own practice, where he exploited his significant knowledge of basketry technique in the pursuit of a freer, more expressive and personal sculptural vision. Sadly ill health affected his ability to pursue this ambitious new direction on his return to the USA. Douglas died in 1986, but key components of ‘Floating Forest’ were acquired by the Powerhouse Museum, Sydney, making it possible to mount a 30th anniversary presentation of ‘Floating Forest’ and celebrate Douglas’ creative legacy.

A number of associated exhibitions accompany the presentation of 'Floating Forest' including 'Baskets for Douglas', featuring four baskets especially made to celebrate Douglas Fuchs' legacy by artists who knew or were influenced by him. The baskets are by Dion Channer, Charlotte Drake-Brockman, Pat Dale and Virginia Kaiser.

Ararat Basketfest - Residential Workshops

Ararat Regional Art Gallery will present Douglas Fuchs’ 'Floating Forest’ from 17 February to 1 April 2012, in partnership with the Powerhouse Museum, Sydney. Douglas Fuchs (1947-86) was an American basket maker who came to Australia on a Craft Council of Australia Fellowship in 1981-82. The result of his residency was 'Floating Forest', a monumental fibre installation, which was presented in Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney and is widely credited with introducing a contemporary approach to basketry in Australia.

ARARAT BASKETFEST 2012 is a series of public programs which will augment 'Floating Forest' and broaden the context in which basketry in Australia can be appreciated, 30 years after Douglas Fuchs’ landmark installation. The program includes: a symposium, children's workshops, artist talks and associated exhibitions. There is also an opportunity for a small number of people to participate in intensive residential workshops led by Wendy Golden and Lucy Irvine.

RESIDENTIAL WORKSHOPS AT ALLANVALE

Residential workshops provide an opportunity to learn from professional makers in an immersive environment. Participants stay at the historic Allanvale Shearers’ Quarters, near Great Western. The fee is $380 (inc. GST) per person, per workshop, which includes the two day workshop, materials, twin-share accommodation (Friday and Saturday nights) and meals, including a special Saturday night dinner. Numbers are limited to 15 people per workshop and payment in advance is required to secure a place.

Wendy Golden 'Random Weave Unravelled' - 18 & 19 February 2012

The various techniques of random weaving will be taught in this two day workshop. You will be provided with dyed and natural rattan to create your own unique shaped basket. When this is formed you will be able to incorporate materials from the environment into the structure. Traditional basket weaving bases will also be shown as this can assist with shaping. While there will be material supplied for this workshop you are welcome to bring your own with which to experiment if you wish. Discussion on the identification, collection and treatment of plant materials from your environment will be included. This is a fun workshop as it provides lots of opportunity to unleash your creativity. Arrive on Friday 17 February 2012 for an artist's talk by Wendy at 5pm and the joint exhibition opening of Wendy's exhibition, Paired: Woven Forms and Floating Forest. Wendy's workshop will begin the following morning in the beautiful Allanvale surroundings.

Lucy Irvine 'Sculptural Weaving' - 24 & 25 March 2012

Over the course of this intensive workshop participants will have the opportunity to experiment with a range of materials including plaster, wire and polythene as well as materials found on site, to weave a series of evocative and thought provoking pieces. Encouraging a sculptural perspective to vessel making and weaving, this workshop offers the time for experienced weavers to develop new approaches to their practice. Equally those with no weaving or sculpting experience may enjoy the space to create without the boundaries defined between craft and art. No prerequisite skills are required. Arrive on Friday 23 March 2012 for Lucy's artist's talk at 6pm and enjoy a drink at a special preview of her exhibition, Mapless.

To receive an enrollment form or further details about these workshops or a brochure for ARARAT BASKETFEST 2012, please contact the gallery by phone on 03 5352 2836 or email: gallery@ararat.vic.gov.au For the ARARAT BASKETFEST 2012 program click here.