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Artist Statement

settevoltecieco (in praise of darkness)
the art vault
mildura
may-june 2010

this project was conceived as a tribute to the life-work of jorge luis borges (1899 – 1986), argentinian writer, critic and poet.
borges began to lose his sight at an early age so that through the majority of his life all of his activities were conducted in the absence of sightedness.
his book of poems titled ‘in praise of darkness’ was the last he wrote.
fragments of poems from this book constituted the content of both the lithographs and the monoprints.
the seven editions of lithographs and monoprints were made by using pen and lithographic ink; through this process i was blindfolded with a woollen cloth* as filomena coppola read the lines from the borges poems that make up each of the seven images.
the lithographs were printed by john loane and the monoprints by filomena coppola; throughout the intense process of making and printing john and i were generously and expertly assisted by filomena.
i would like to thank julie chambers for the generosity of the art vault’s residency program; john loane for his masterful command of the thousand mysteries of lithography and for his patient and insightful responses to my tentative explorations of the project’s potential; filomena coppola for her expert organisational skills, her mastery of various printing processes and her unflagging generosity in supporting other artists’ projects.
I would also like to thank filomena for graciously agreeing to open this exhibition.

domenico de clario

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Solo Exhibitions           

2009
Eyton Road, multimedia performance, La Mama, Melbourne
memory palace (machine-for-contacting-the-dead), Murray-Darling Palimpsest, Mildura, installation and all-night piano performance, Cottee’s Factory, Mildura
triestement (more-is u-thrill-o), painting installation, text and sound CD, piano performance, John Buckley Gallery, Melbourne

2008
memoriam, all-night improvised keyboard performance and light installation, shearing shed, Tallarook, Victoria
line drawing, all-night improvised keyboard performance and light installation, UNISA Gallery, Adelaide 2008 suono, segno, sonno, sogno, blindfolded keyboard performance, UNISA Gallery, Adelaide
the meaning of flowers, all night collaborative sound performance and light installation, VCA School of Music, VCA, Melbourne
hide, installation/performance, MARS Gallery, Melbourne
the cabinet of dr caligari, collaborative sound performance and video screening with ‘the donkey’s tail’, Faculty of Art and Design, Monash University, Melbourne
seven songs, performance/installation, The Toff in Town Nightclub, Melbourne
vehicle, site-specific light installation, Helen/Herbert Streets, Northcote, Melbourne

2007
that time, installation/text, Arc One Gallery, Melbourne
the colours of odradek, sound performance/installation, Faculty Gallery, Monash University
the book of questions, sound performance, la sebastiana, Valparaiso, Chile
meditations on seven sensitive men, sound performance, CARNI, Melbourne
a tertiary world, video performances, installation and texts, MARS Gallery, Melbourne
the book of questions, sound performance/installation, Fremantle Arts Centre, Fremantle

2006
twenty-two paintings (breathing for biagio walking), Arc One Gallery, Melbourne
towards morning (for n.s.), site-specific all night sound performance, East Point Gun Turret, Darwin, commissioned by 24-Hour Art, Darwin
the round-ball game, collaborative all-night sound performance, spectrum project space, Perth

2005
cares of a family man (philomela and odradek) Adam Art Gallery, Wellington N.Z.
rice and celery (tonglen) Perth Institute for Contemporary Arts, Perth
a second simplicity Australian Centre for Contemporary Art, Melbourne
seven live horses from uqbar Breadbox, Perth
philomela Perth Institute for Contemporary Art, Perth
co-dependent arising NRLA, Midland Railway Workshops, Perth
the universe as a mirror Artspace, Sydney
seven times thank you paintings/text Arc One Gallery, Melbourne

2004
live performance Club Zho, Perth with Burnt Friedman/Hayden Chisholm
seven times thank you, paintings/text Goddard de Fiddes Gallery, Perth
home on the range performance at the breadbox perth
prosthetic head performance with stelarc, lindsay vickery, cat hope, PICA Perth
random selection; pattern, order and chaos Holmes a’Court Gallery, Perth

2003
floating land, Noosa Regional Gallery project, Tewantin, Queensland
the householders’s concern Tasmanian Conservatorium of Music, Hobart
plea to my mother West Australian Academy of Performing Arts, Perth
seven beauties Spectrum Project Space, Perth on learning to be dead Quaranup Quarantine Centre, Albany, Western Australia
borges e io’ Link, Bologna, Italy
eleven sons Albany wind farm, Albany, W.A.
the blue room and the coloured room Spectrum Project Space, Perth
the householder’s concern Kurb Gallery, Perth

2002
amplification circle Adelaide churches, Adelaide Festival of Arts, Adelaide
spectrum at spectrum Spectrum Project Space, Perth
church with Eugene Carchesio Spectrum Project Space, Perth
collaborative sound performance with Eugene Carchesio at Bellas Gallery, Brisbane
tonglen (the infinite lawn) Artspace, Sydney
a project with Janine Antoni and Paul Ramirez, Jonas Atlantic Center for the Arts,
Florida, United States of America.
borges and I Midland Railway Workshop, Perth
edipo Hotel 6151, Perth
december 12 raga (rain) Velvet Lounge, Perth

2001
the infinite lawn Deer Acres, Acadia, Maine, U.S.A.
pietre parlanti’ Corte del Teatro Malibran, Venice, Italy.
detritus Belconnen Landfill, Canberra
a calvinian architecture Northcote, Melbourne

2000
the albino gorilla Southbank, Brisbane, for Monochromes.
il prato infinito Via Croce 3 Gorizia, Italy
rice and celery; or the pronunciation of commas Biblioteca Statale Isontina, Gorizia, Italy
the seed-bed of desire Museum of Contemporary Art, Salvador, Brazil
Haft Peikar Mass Gallery, Melbourne
tongleN (7 conversazioni with les estrellas Wattari-Um Museum, Tokyo,
7 invisible conversations between Marco Polo and Kublai Khan, Venice Carnevale, Venice Italy tongleN (7 2000 conversazioni with les estrellas) Artspace, Sydney

1999
tongleN (conversazioni with les estrellas) Herring Island Sculpture Park, Melbourne
tongleN (13 conversazioni with les estrellas) Liverpool Biennale, Liverpool, UK, 2000
tongleN (conversazioni with les estrellas) Silpakorn Arts Centre, Silpakorn University, Bangkok , Breathe This 1999 Salvador de Bahia, Brazil Salvador Museum of Contemporary Art, Salvador
Seedbed of desire About Studios, Bangkok
Silpakorn Arts Centre, Silpakorn University, Bangkok

1998
Billabong Formulas Michael Milburn Gallery, Brisbane
Eudoria Linienstrasse Gallery, Berlin,
Love Songs for Lost Sheep Melbourne
Construction in Process VI: The Bridge Living Museum of the West Melbourne
Construction in Process, VI: The Bridge Polly Woodside (Eufemia, Melbourne
My Own Particular Anxiety (Eudosia) Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney
The awakening Govett-Brewster Gallery New Plymouth New Zealand

1997
Songs for the Unborn Mori Gallery, Sydney
Hourglass (Possible Laudomias) Mori Gallery, Sydney
The Meadow of the Low Sage, Haus-am-Waldsee, Berlin, Germany
the diver’s clothes lying empty: Domenico de Clario: A Survey 1966 - 1996, Monash University Gallery, Melbourne
Advantage of Seven, Squash performance, Monash University Sports Centre, Melbourne

1996
KATEDRL 141 West 22nd Street, New York
KATEDRL (Cathedral), Mori Gallery, Sydney
KATEDRL (apokalypsis: 1993 - 1996Michael Wardell Gallery
The Second Simplicity Australian Centre for Contemporary Art, Melbourne

1995
Instructions for the Other Self Michael Wardell Gallery, Melbourne,
Seven-ness at various sites, Melbourne
From the Opaque Michael Wardell Gallery, Melbourne
Who Says Words With My Mouth? Michael Wardell Gallery, Melbourne
Who Says Words With My Mouth? University of Western Australia, Music School, Perth
From the Opaque (Solstice) Thread Waxing Space, New York, 1994
Solstice: The Seventh Loneliness, Auburn Uniting Church, Hawthorn
From the Opaque, Summer Solstice Princes Pier, Melbourne

1993
Components of an Expression Machine 342 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy; 35 Smith Street, Fitzroy Bradken 1993 Foundry, Pascoe Vale:
The Trees: Visible, Invisible, Indivisible Australian Centre for Contemporary Art, Australian Sculpture Triennial, Melbourne
Afterward (from a tower) 25 Helen Street, Northcote
Elemental Landscapes Murdoch Court, National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne

1992
A Message from the Emperor ADA Basement, Fitzroy, Melbourne
Eleven Sons Mori Gallery, Sydney:
Eleven Sons Ian Potter Gallery, University of Melbourne Museum of Art:
Eleven So Muranushi Lederman, New York

1991
Machine for Contacting the Dead, Installation Institute of Modern Art, Brisbane
Memory Palace Cable House, Melbourne
The Mendicant of Naples and Other Stories(Work from New York) Mori Gallery, Sydney
Memory Palace Dooley Le Cappellaine Gallery, New York, U.S.A.
The Next Village Muranushi - Lederman, New York, U.S.A.
Excursion into the Mountains 252 LaFayette, New York, U.S.A.
Cathedral 252 LaFayette, New York, U.S.A

1990
Uncertainty Principle: Recent Work Powell Street Gallery, Melbourne:
Memory Palace: Recent Work, Installation Mori Gallery, Sydney
Machine for Contacting the Dead, Installation Wollongong City Gallery, Wollongong

1989
Paintings Macquarie Galleries, Sydney
Installation Popular Front, Coolaroo
Recent Work Powell Street Gallery, Melbourne

1988
Inaugurative Exhibition: Painting Survey 1968 – 1988 Qdos Gallery, Lorne,
Drawing Survey 1968 – 1988 Macquarie Galleries, Sydney
Tabula Rasa: Paintings Powell Street Gallery, Melbourne

1987
Paintings Macquarie Galleries, Sydney Macquarie Galleries, Sydney

1986
Paintings Macquarie Galleries, Sydney
Piano Performance and Installation Australian Centre for Contemporary Art (ACCA), Melbourne
Paintings Powell Street Gallery, Melbourne

1985
Paintings Galleria Lillo, Venice, Italy
Piano Performance, Il Paretaio, Pisa, Italy
Paintings Macquarie Galleries, Sydney
Drawings Powell Street Gallery, Melbourne

1984
United Artists, Melbourne
Galleria Lillo, Venice, Italy
Il Paretaio, Pisa, Italy

1983
Pinacotheca, Melbourne

1982
Piano Performance, Open Stage, Melbourne State College

1981
Pinacotheca, Melbourne
Anzart, 7-day Piano Performance: In Seven Keys, Christchurch, New Zealand
Anzart, Performance: Advantage of Seven, Squash Court #1, Christchurch Sports Centre

1980
Experimental Art Foundation, Adelaide
Piano Performance, La Mama, Melbourne
Elder Park, Adelaide Festival of the Arts (Piano Performance), Adelaide

1979
Pinacotheca, Melbourne

1978
Pinacotheca, Melbourne

1977
Pinacotheca, Melbourne
Organ Factory, Clifton Hill (Piano Performance)

1976
Experimental Art Foundation, Adelaide
Pinacotheca, Melbourne

1975
National Gallery of Victoria, Artist's Artists Pinacotheca, Melbourne
Pinacotheca, Melbourne

1974
Pinacotheca, Melbourne

1973
Pinacotheca, Melbourne

1972
Osborne & Polak, Melbourne

1971
Osborne & Polak, Melbourne

1970
Strines Gallery, Melbourne

1969
St. Peter's Hall, East Melbourne (Sculpture, Paintings & Prints)
Hamilton Regional Art Gallery

1968
Salone Annunciata, Milan, Italy 1968
Casa Santi, Urbino, Italy

1966
Athenaeum Gallery, Melbourne

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Group Exhibitions

2008
The Contemporary Collage : Australian collage and assemblage, John Buckley Gallery, Melbourne
in praise of blandness, Monash University Faculty Gallery, Melbourne (curator and participant)
line drawing, University of South Australia Gallery, Adelaide
drawn encounters, Wimbledon School of Art Gallery, University of the Arts, London

2007
Stranger Geography, Palazzo Vaj, Prato, Italy
An Answer For The Parts Only Itinerant Parts Can Fathom, Victoria Park Gallery, Melbourne
odradek, series of sound performances, Monash University Faculty Gallery, Melbourne (curator and participant)

2006
21st Century Modern 2006 Adelaide Biennial of Australian Art, A.G.S.A. Adelaide

2004
geometer 2 Monash University, Melbourne

2003
ersilia a light installation made of found material for
this was the future a review of Australian sculpture, Heide Museum of Contemporary Art, Melbourne
geometer 1 Monash University, Melbourne

2002
7 solo performances Adelaide Festival of the Arts, Adelaide

2000-2001
Monochromes, Queensland University of Art Gallery, Artspace and Southbank, Brisbane

2000
La Quietudine de Terra, (The Quiet in the Land), Museum of Contemporary Art, Salvador

1999-2000
Ways of Seeing, Regional Galleries throughout Australia

1999
Word, Museum of Modern Art, Sydney
Installation & video, Liverpool Biennale of Contemporary Art, Liverpool, UK,
Water Festival Piano Performance, Moomba Festival, Melbourne

1998
The Quiet In the Land: Everday Life, Contemporary Art and the Shakers, Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston, USA

1997-98
McCaughey Invitation Prize, National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne

1997
Australian Works on Paper, Galerie Titanium, Athens, Greece
On Dialogue, Haus-Am-Waudsee, Berlin
The Quiet in the Land: Everyday Life, Contemporary Art and the Shakers, Portland Museum of Art, Maine, USA

1996
Blast, Thread Waxing Space, New York, March
Inaugural Group Show, Michael Wardell Gallery, Melbourne
The Cauldron - Fusion of the 5 Elements with Liza Lim, Deborah Kayser, Chris Lockhart Smith, Kirsten Boerema, Carl Rosman.
The Quiet in the Land: Everyday Life, Contemporary Art and the Shakers, Shaker Village, Maine, U.S.A
The Cauldron - Fusion of the 5 Elements, with Liza Lim. Institute of Modern Art, Fortitude Valley, Brisbane,

1995
Bardo Thos' Grol,with Liza Lum and performed by members of Elision Contemporary Music Ensemble, Perth
Seven-ness, with Judith Wright, IMA, Brisbane
Our Parent's Children, National Gallery of Victoria, Access Gallery, Melbourne

1994
Contemporary Australian Drawing, National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Recent Acquisitions, Monash University Gallery, Melbourne
Afterward: From a Tower(with Liza Lim) Auburn Uniting Church, Hawthorn
Bardo Thos' Grol, Hillside Auto Dismantlers & Summerland Demolitions,
Lismore, with Liza Lim, and performed by members of Elision Contemporary Music Ensemble,
600,000 Hours (Mortality), Experimental Art Foundation, Adelaide
Reliquary, Contemporary Music and Circuitry, Theatreworks, St. Kilda

1993
Sight Regained: Ivan Dougherty Gallery, University of New South Wales, Sydney
Death: Ivan Dougherty Gallery, University of New South Wales, Sydney
Please Allow Me to Introduce Myself Video Installation: Contemporary Centre for Photography, Melbourne
Luminaries: Monash University Gallery, Melbourne
City Screens - Projections on City Buildings: Melbourne International Festival
Collective Space, Monash University Gallery, Melbourne

1992
Angelic Space, a commemoration of Piero Della Francesca's 500th birthday: Monash University Gallery, Melbourne
Next Wave Festival: Melbourne, International Installation Survey
Sweet Life: Dooley Le Cappellaine Gallery, New York, U.S.A.
Blast: Mori Gallery, Sydney
Rediscovery, Australian Artists in Europe 1981 - 1991: Seville, Spain; Paris; Amsterdam; Berlin
Psychosoma: Plimsoll Gallery, University of Tasmania, Hobart
Sight Regained: Westpace Gallery, Victorian Arts Centre, Melbourne
The Phallus and its Functions: Ivan Dougherty Gallery, University of New South Wales, Sydney

1991
Off the Wall, In the Air - A Seventies Selection: Australian Centre for Contemporary Art, Melbourne
Chicago International Art Fair: Chicago, U.S.A.
90% Space 90 Degrees: Dooley Le Cappellaine Gallery, New York, U.S.A.
House of Value: Blum-Helman, New York, U.S.A.
Microcosm: Garry Anderson, Sydney
Rules - For - Drawing: Mori Gallery, Sydney
Architecture of Light: Mori Gallery, Sydney
Liberation: Deutscher Brunswick Street, Melbourne

1989
New Work: Powell Street Gallery, Melbourne
Scotchmans Hills Invitation Prize, Geelong Art Gallery, Geelong
Inner Visions - 5 Contemporary Printmakers: Australian Printmaking Council, Melbourne
Ten to Ten - Works on Paper: Powell Street Gallery, Melbourne

1988
Four Painters: Macquarie Galleries, Sydney

1989
Strangways to Yandoit: Installation at Girgis & Klym Gallery, Melbourne

1987
Works on Paper: Powell Street Gallery, Melbourne
Invitation Drawing Prize: Heide Park Gallery, Melbourne

1986
New Work: Powell Street Gallery, Melbourne
Australijana - Contemporary Australian Painting: National Gallery ofYugoslavia, Belgrade, Yugoslavia

1985
Current Australian Art: Galleria Lillo, Venice, Italy
Isolaustralia - 13 Australian Artists: Fondazione Bevilacqua, La Masa, Venice, Italy

1982
Pinacotheca at Watters: Watters Gallery, Sydney
Preston to Phillip: Reconaissance Gallery, Melbourne

1981
La Mama Performance Festival, Melbourne
Australian Sculpture Triennial: Phillip Institute of Technology & La Trobe University, Melbourne
Self-Portrait, Self-Image: Curated by Janine Burke: National Gallery of Victoria

1979
Informal Sculpture: Melbourne University
Boxes: Ewing Gallery, Melbourne University

1978
Mildura Sculpture Triennial, Mildura
Lost and Found: Ewing Gallery, Melbourne University
Caltex Invitation Prize: Ballarat Art Gallery
Curated: Drawing; Some Definitions: Ewing and George Paton Galleries, Melbourne University
Curated: East Coast Drawing: Institute of Modern Art, Brisbane

1975
Mildura Sculpture Triennial, Mildura
Artist's Artists: National Gallery of Victoria
Sculpture 75, Canberra

1974
Contemporary Outdoor Sculpture, Melbourne University

1973
Mildura Sculpture Triennial, Mildura
Contemporary Australian Paintings Cairnmillar Institute, Georges Gallery, Melbourne
Corio Invitation Prize: Geelong Art Gallery
Minni Crouch Invitation Prize: Ballarat Art Gallery
Concepture: Ballarat Art Gallery

1972
Australian Graphics: toured South America, Israel & Europe
Contemporary Australian Painting & Sculpture, toured New Zealand

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