Aura: Repetition, Reproduction, and the Mark of the Artist – Ben Rak

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Aura: Repetition, Reproduction, and the Mark of the Artist is  a curatorial project I have been working on for the past year. The exhibition opens on Friday, July 21st at 6pm at Manly Art Gallery & Museum.

An exhibition of ten Australian artists, who use the perceived shortcomings of printmaking, to confound the viewer’s expectations of the medium and re-ignite the aura of the mechanically reproduced artwork. See wall-based prints, installations, sculpture and video from Alison Alder, Anna Kristensen, Ben Rak, Erica Seccombe, Gary Carsley, Judy Watson, Michael Kempson, Milan Milojevic, Samuel Tupou and Tony Curran.

Exhibition catalogue availble with essays by Ben Rak, Glenn Barkley & Tim Gregory
Opening:
Fri 21 July 2017, 6 – 8pm
Manly Art Gallery & Museum

Exhibition dates:
14 July – 3 Sep 2017

Artist talks:
Sun 30 July, 3 – 4:30pm

Manly Library Artists Book Award 2017

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Image  from Bronwyn Rees’ “Country”, acquired during Manly Library Artists’ Book Award 2015.

Any artists’ book created within the past two years is eligible for entry to the Manly Library Artists’ Book Award 2017.

The award is acquisitive. Works will be selected and judged by Ben Rak and Dr Michael Hedger.

Ben Rak is an artist and independent curator holding a BFA in printmaking and a MFA from the UNSW Art & Design. He is co-founder and director of Throwdown Press, lectures at the University of New South Wales Art & Design, and whose work explores the relationships between cultural symbols and consumer culture.

Dr Michael Hedger is the Director Manly Art Gallery and Museum. Dr Hedger has long been an arts advocate, with previous incarnations as Director of the Campbelltown Arts Centre, Education Officer at the Newcastle Region Art and, art critic for The Newcastle Herald. He has a PhD from the UNSW Art & Design with a thesis on Land Art in the United States.

Important Dates

  • Closing date for entry: 5pm Friday 10 February 2017
  • Successful entrants notified by: 5pm Friday 24 February 2017
  • Selected works to be received between: Monday 27 February and Friday 17 March 2017
  • Opening & announcement of acquisitions: 6.00pm Thursday 30 March 2017 at Warringah Art Space 105 Abbott Rd, North Curl Curl NSW
  • Exhibition dates: Friday 31 March to Sunday 2 April, followed by a travelling exhibition of acquired works to Northern Beaches Council Libraries
  • Works to be collected from Manly Library or returned as instructed: between Tuesday 4 April Friday 28 April [excluding Public Holidays]

More information here.

Ben Rak Exhibition at Manly Art Gallery.

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Opening Friday 28th October until December 4th.

Artists talk Sunday November 6th at 3pm.

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This new body of work draws together processes and ideas from his cross-disciplinary art practice to reveal a considered search for ‘authenticity’ in Rak’s work. While seemingly minimalist, the work has gravitas, made possible through a deep conceptual engagement with technique and the refinement and articulation of his core creative interests.

Through the artwork, Ben Rak plays with the notion of a hierarchy and chronology of painting over printmaking; in this case, which comes first, the painting or the print? He also plays with the idea that the artist’s ‘mark-making’ is intellectually based instead of incidental or accidental. Rak directly challenges the audience to consider the intention of the artist and to examine what is contained and conveyed through the work.

Print Symposium at Grafton.

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1 Day Print Symposium 2016-bookinginfo-only
Some great talks by significant artists @ Grafton Regional Gallery

Come along & join Rona Green, Ben Rak & G.W.Bot for a stimulating day of talks Saturday, 19th March, 9am-2pm.As the co-ordinator I can tell you now that this variety in style, practice and approach will be thought provoking.

Cost is $45 with morning tea & lunch provided.
Ring the gallery on 02 66423177