Deborah Klein

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Deborah Klein at The Art Vault	Bio Exhibition Statement Education Solo Exhibitions Group Exhibtions Awards and Commissions Collections Artwork Printable CV Bio Deborah Klein grew up in the seaside suburb of St. Kilda in Victoria and lived and worked in London for several years during the 1970s. She has held regular solo exhibitions since 1988 and participated in group shows in Australia and overseas. In 1993 Deborah was awarded an Australia Council Studio Residency at the Cite Internationale des Arts in Paris. She was the recipient of a Monash Graduate Scholarship in 1995 and in 1996 she was Education Services Artist in Residence at the National Gallery of Victoria. Other awards include: MLC Acquisitive Art Award (1992, 2005); Australian Printmedia Award, University of Western Sydney, Macarthur (1996, 1997); Acquisitive Award, The Jacaranda Drawing Prize (1996, 1998); Geelong Acquisitive Print Prize (1997); The Grand Prize, Silk Cut Award for Linocut Printmaking (1997); Rena Ellen Jones Memorial Print Award (1997, 1998, 1999); Acquisitive Award, Fleming Muntz Albury Art Prize (2002); Printmaker in Residence, RMIT TAFE, Melbourne (2007) and Small Tapestries, Victorian Tapestry Workshop, Melbourne (2007). In 1996 she was commissioned to illustrate the children’s picture book The Greatest Treasure of Charlemagne the King by Nadia Wheatley (Published by Scholastic Australia, 1997). Other activities of the artist include teaching at RMIT University in the Printmaking Department (2003-2007) and the Drawing Department (2004-2008). In 2008 the Survey Exhibition Deborah Klein - Out of the Past 1995-2007 was launched by Castlemaine Art Gallery and Historical Museum, and toured to the Art Gallery of Ballarat, Warrnambool Art Gallery and Deakin University Art Gallery. Her work is held in numerous public, university and private collections. Deborah is currently based in Melbourne. Website: www.deborahklein.net Back to top Exhibition Statement Introduced Species It’s a real honour and pleasure to be here tonight to open Deborah Klein’s show, Introduced Species. I’d like to thank Julie for the opportunity and to congratulate her and her team which includes Mia and Filomena, as well as volunteers Andrew and Robert and others on what has already been achieved. It’s such a leap of faith to venture into the commercial art world, even more so in a regional centre. I’d like to wish this project continued success and urge those of you here to tell your friends about it, bring new guests to town to it, and more importantly, support it by spending your dollars here as well. I’m going to start tonight by reading one of Deborah’s stories, from the book we are also launching called “There was once…” It’s The Story of the Moth Masks, which is particularly pertinent since the 16 linocuts of the same subject have also been included in the show. The 13 stories from the book combine subversion, humour and a narrative drive that challenges the status quo of old and seeks to redress the subjugated status of women in folklore. One might ask, but what’s the point today? Aren’t women free to do as they please? Surely feminism died when Germaine Greer confessed to taking Hormone Replacement Therapy. In the last 50 years we’ve certainly increased our financial independence, and thus our freedom, through improved education and employment opportunities, but, I think that women carry in their very cells the memories of a lesser life through past generations, and so, what’s valuable about such story telling and the powerful images in this show is the recognition of a past that has sought to degrade, denigrate and obstruct women’s power and potential. This we must never forget. We should not stop telling our children fairytales, but we should balance the story telling with other stories, like Deborah’s to reiterate and affirm that a person isn’t saved or rescued in life, she has to take responsibility and work out her own best strategy for making her life glisten and sparkle. Thankfully, there’s no stopping Ms Deborah Klein. The breadth and range of her work is mind-boggling. Since completing a Master of Arts degree by Research at Monash University in 1995 she has created works for no less than 13 solo exhibitions and been a part of 30 group exhibitions. Paintings and prints are dominant mediums and women are her protagonists. From her early lino cuts using film noir femme fatales, to using other decorative motifs like the tattoo, lace, embroidery & hair ornaments, to the intriguing, detailed use of hair in various styles, to the inclusion and an affinity with the natural world through the use of moths, buttlerflies and insects, what is not only bewitching to the eye, is also multi-layered and mysterious if we give ourselves time to think more deeply about what all this visual language really means. I wondered what Deborah might be trying to say when she called her show Introduced Species. Generally, an introduced species is alien or non-native to the environment in which it has been found, it can be invasive and harmful to it also. Given Deborah’s inclination to subvert, tease and challenge, I’d rather like to think that she is offering us options for an alternative world, one in which her masked women take over the patriarchal archetypes and present new possibilities for living on earth where there would be no wars, no greed, no hunger, no environmental degradation; just common sense and love replacing fear. Why not? I have to thank Deborah for producing work that has inspired me to have such lofty thoughts and with that said, I’d like to declare Introduced Species officially open. By Donna Carrazza at exhibition opening at The Art Vault. Education 1995-1997 - Master of Arts, (Research), Monash University, Gippsland Campus 1987-1988 - Graduate Diploma, Gippsland Institute of Advanced Education 1982-1984 - Bachelor of Fine Art, Printmaking, Chisholm Institute of Technology, Melbourne Back to top Solo Exhibitions 2008 Deborah Klein: Out of the Past 1995-2007. A Survey Show: Castlemaine Art Gallery and Historical Museum; Art Gallery of Ballarat and Warrnambool Art Gallery and Deakin University Art Gallery, Vic 2007 Forget Me Knots, Charles Nodrum Gallery, Melbourne 2006 Non Portraits, Adele Boag Gallery, Adelaide, SA 2004 Tease, Charles Nodrum Gallery, Melbourne 2003 Recent Paintings and Drawings, Brian Moore Gallery, Sydney 2000 Private Collection, Australian Galleries Works on Paper, Melbourne 1999 Recent Work Australian Galleries, Sydney Recent Prints and Drawings, Solander Gallery, ACT 1998 Recent Prints and Drawings, Australian Galleries, Melbourne Illustrations for The Greatest Treasure of Charlemagne the King, Fremantle Children’s Literature Centre, WA 1997 Drawings and Prints, Solander Gallery, ACT Drawings, Prints, Queen Victoria Building, Melbourne 1996 Recent Prints and Drawings, Australian Galleries, Melbourne 1995 Paintings, Prints, and Drawings, Solander Gallery, ACT 1994 Recent Prints, Swan Hill Gallery of Contemporary Art, Vic Recent Prints, Paintings, and Drawings, Australian Galleries, Melbourne 1993 Prints and Drawings, Solander Gallery, ACT 1992 Prints and Drawings, Australian Galleries, Melbourne 1990 The Pirate Jenny Prints: Addendum Gallery, Fremantle, WA, Warrnambool Regional Gallery, Vic 1989 The Pirate Jenny Prints: Port Jackson Press, Melbourne, Tynte Gallery, Adelaide, SA, AGOG Gallery, ACT, Hamilton and Horsham Regional Galleries, Vic 1988 Linocuts, Port Jackson Press, Melbourne, Vic 1987 Linocuts, Tynte Gallery, Adelaide, SA Back to top Group Exhibitions 2009 The enchanted forest - new gothic storytellers: Latrobe, Swan Hill and Dubbo Regional Galleries, Western Plains Cultural Centre, Tweed River Art Gallery, NSW The 2008 Jacaranda Drawing Award: University of the Sunshine Coast, Redcliffe, Gympi, Mosman, Coffs Harbour and Latrobe Regional Galleries Maroondah City Council Art Collection, Maroondahartgallery, Vic Women, Art and Society, Swan Hill Regional Art Gallery ….a thousand words, Tweed River Art Gallery, NSW Recent Acquisitions from the Deakin University Art Collection, Deakin University Art Gallery, Burwood Campus CPM National Print Awards, Tweed River Art Gallery, NSW I saw and heard of none like me, C3 contemporary art space, Melbourne 2008 Tallis Foundation 2008 National Works On Paper, Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery Vic The Enchanted Forest – New Gothic Storytellers: Geelong, Bendigo, Shepparton, Morwell and Swan Hill Regional Galleries The 2008 Alice Prize, Alice Springs Art Foundation, NT Double, Wagga Wagga Art Gallery, NSW 2007 Come Hither – Interpretations of the Boudoir, Wagga Wagga Art Gallery, NSW Artists Ink: Printmaking from the Warrnambool Art Gallery Collection, 1970-2001; Warrnambool Art Vallery Vic Dominique Segan Drawing Prize, Old Castlemaine Gaol, Vic 2006 Jacaranda Drawing Award (continuing): Port Macquarrie, Hastings, Tamworth Regional Galleries, NSW, University of the Sunshine Coast, Qld, Ken Done Gallery, NSW, Redcliffe,; Stanthorpe, and Redland Regional Galleries, Qld Marks and Motifs – Prints from the PCA Collection (continuing) Toowoomba and Wagga Wagga Regional Galleries, NSW, RMIT Gallery, Melbourne, Artspace Gallery, NSW, Perc Tucker Regional Gallery, Townsville, Qld 2006 place made (touring) Albury Regional Art Gallery, Vic Swan Hill Print and Drawing Acquisitive Award, Swan Hill Regional Gallery Marks and Motifs, Prints from the PCA Collection (touring) QUT Art Museum, Gladstone Regional Art Gallery & Museum Jacaranda Drawing Award (touring) Grafton Regional Gallery, NSW, Port Macquarie & Hastings Regional Galleries Impressions 2006, Australian Print Workshop, Melbourne 2005 Shane Jones and Deborah Klein, Penny School Gallery, Maldon, Vic The Robert Jacks Drawing Prize, Bendigo Art Gallery, Vic The Dominique Segan Drawing Prize, Castlemaine, Vic 2004 place made, National Gallery of Australia, ACT People in a Landscape, Manningham Art Gallery, Vic Impressions, Australian Print Workshop, Melbourne The Robert Jacks Drawing Prize, Bendigo Art Gallery, Vic National Works on Paper, Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery, Vic Recent Acquisitions, Australian National Gallery, Canberra 2003 Common Thread (touring): Maroondah Art Gallery, Vic, University of Ballarat, Vic, Latrobe University, Bendigo, Vic 2002 People in a Landscape: Contemporary Australian Prints, touring: Philippines, Taiwan, China, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Germany, Russia, Switzerland, and Turkey Common Thread, Mass Gallery Melbourne, then touring to Castlemaine, Swan Hill and Gippsland Regional Galleries Miniare, Montreal International Print Biennale, Canada The Dobell Prize for Drawing, Art Gallery of New South Wales The Painted Fold, Charles Nodrum Gallery, Melbourne 2001 Allure: The Feminine in Print Maroondah Art Gallery, Vic 2000 Works on Paper, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea Australia- Korea Exchange Exhibition of Prints, RMIT Gallery, Storey Hall, Melbourne 1999 Luna Park and the Art of Mass Delirium, Museum of Modern Art at Heidi, Vic Back to top Awards and Commissions (selected) 2009 Artist in Residence, The Art Vault, Mildura, Vic 2007 Small Tapestries, Victorian Tapestry Workshop, Vic 2006/07 Printmaker in Residence, RMIT TAFE, Melbourne 2005 MLC Acquisitive Award, MLC Melbourne 2003 Artist in Residence, St. Vincent’s Hospital, Melbourne Campus 2002 Fleming Muntz Albury Art Prize, Albury Regional Gallery, NSW 2001 Arts Victoria Touring Victoria Grant (with Shane Jones and Catherine Pilgrim) for Common Thread 1999 Rena Ellen Jones Memorial Print Award Warrnambool, Vic St. Kilda Festival Postcard Show Awards: Postcard Show Award, Dogs Bar Award, St. Kilda Art Supplies Award 1998 Rena Ellen Jones Memorial Print Award Acquisitive Prize, Jacaranda Drawing Prize, Grafton Regional Gallery, NSW Best Work on Paper, Shell Art Prize, Williamstown Vic Print Council of Australia Member Print Edition Print edition commissioned for Nurses Care Awards, Victoria University, Melbourne 1997 Grand Prize, Silk Cut Award for Linocut Prints Rena Ellen Jones Memorial Print Award Australian Printmedia Award, University of Western Sydney Macarthur (Special Category of Works on Matrix Other than Paper) 1996 Artist in Residence, National Gallery of Victoria Acquisitive Award, Jacaranda Drawing Prize, Grafton Regional Gallery, NSW Australian Printmedia Award, University of Western Sydney Macarthur (Open Category) Highly Commended, Silk Cut Award for Linocut Prints (acquired) 1995-96 Monash Graduate Scholarship, Monash University, Vic 1995 Print Edition, Monash University, Gippsland Campus Highly Commended, Silk Cut Award for Linocut Prints (acquired) 1993 Australia Council Visual Arts Board Residency: Cite Internationale des Arts, Paris Back to top Collections Albury Regional Gallery, NSW Art Gallery of South Australia, SA Artbank The Arts Centre, Vic Australian Print Workshop, Vic Balcatta High School, WA Ballarat Art Gallery, Vic Bathurst Regional Art Gallery, NSW Bendigo Art Gallery, Vic Biggin and Scott, Vic Brisbane College of Advanced Education, Qld Camberwell Anglican Girls Grammar School, Vic Camberwell Grammar School, Vic Castlemaine Museum and Historical Museum Vic Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, NSW City of Banyule, Vic City of Footscray, Vic City of Fremantle, Vic City of St. Kilda, Vic City of Whitehorse, Vic Clontart Beach State High School, Qld Comalco, Vic Council of Adult Education, Vic Deakin University, Vic Deans Art Collection, Vic Devonport Gallery and Arts Centre, Tas Duroloid Pty. Ltd. (Australia and Amsterdam) Education Services at National Gallery of Victoria, Vic Euroa Secondary College, Vic Geelong Art Gallery, Vic Genezzano Girls School, Vic Global Arts Link, Qld Gold Coast City Art Gallery, Qld Grafton Regional Gallery, NSW Hamilton Regional Art Gallery, Vic Kooweerup Secondary College, Vic Latrobe Regional Gallery, Vic Latrobe University Art Museum, Vic LaTrobe University, Bendigo, Vic Maroondah Art Gallery, Vic Melbourne College of Advanced Education, Vic Methodist Ladies College, Vic Monash University ( Gippsland Campus) Vic Monash University (Caulfield Campus) Vic Mullimbimby State High School, Vic National Gallery of Australia, ACT Norwood High School, Vic OTC, Vic Penleigh and Essendon Grammar School, Vic Presbyterian Ladies College, Vic Print Council of Australia, Vic Private Collections in Australia and overseas Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery, Tas Queensland Art Gallery Qld, Fremantle Arts Centre WA Queensland University of Technology, Qld Sale Regional Gallery, Vic Shire of Diamond Valley, Vic Shire of Strathbogie, Vic St. Michaels Grammar School, Vic St. Vincent’s Hospital, Melbourne State Library of Victoria (Latrobe Picture Collection), Vic Sunraysia Institute of TAFE, Vic Swan Hill Regional Art Gallery of Contemporary Art, Vic Tintern CEGS, Melbourne Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery, Qld Tweed River Art Gallery, NSW University of Ballarat, Vic University of Tasmania, Hobart University of Western Sydney, Macarthur, NSW Upwey High School, Vic Wangaratta College of Advanced Education, Vic Warrnambool Regional Art Gallery, Vic Wesley College, Vic. 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