Curating a Collection

The following pages illustrate a selection of works John and Nicole have chosen to pair together while exploring their own curatorial process. In each group, John notes his considerations behind bringing the works and artists together.

BELOW Noel McKenna Harry Melbourne 2015 (from the series Animals I have known), 2015–16 Pencil, pen and ink, wash on paper 30 × 40 cm approx Courtesy of the artist and Darren Knight Gallery, Sydney

OPPOSITE Tony Brooks Wrong n.d. Ink on paper 30 × 20 cm Courtesy of Submit to Love Studios

They do work together. I love them, you just look at them and they tell a story. I keep looking at the dogs’ faces. They are great drawings, simple but lots to think about, they remind me of my dog. I love looking at them.

Tony Brooks

LEFT TO RIGHT Jon Barry Elise 2015 Acrylic paint on paper 50 × 50 cm Courtesy of Submit to Love Studios Ken Done Beach painting I 1999 Acrylic on canvas 122 × 152 cm Courtesy of the artist and The Ken Done Gallery, Sydney John McNaught After Jolomo II 2019 Oil on board 32 × 25 cm Courtesy of Project Ability

The first two work very well together, you can see the sun and sea. That is definitely Tricia (my wife) on the beach with her sunglasses. I think I can see birds in that (Ken Done) painting, birds swooping around, reminds me of seagulls near the shore waiting for chips. I get the feeling of heat off them, lying on the beach, I like the details, the umbrellas, the beach mats. Lochgoilhead is quiet, you can wander about, and nobody annoys you, it gives you freedom.

LEFT TO RIGHT Stephen Staunton The Family n.d. Acrylic paint on paper 60 × 42 cm Courtesy of Submit to Love Studios Anthony Romagnano Snakes Head 2021 Prisma colour and greylead pencil on paper 35 × 50 cm Courtesy the artist and Arts Project Australia, Melbourne Tom Polo Strangers used for scale 2019 Acrylic and Flashe on canvas 213 × 213 cm Courtesy of the artist and Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery, Sydney

The colours go well, the backgrounds too. The first painting looks like people going asleep in bed in hospital. I like the angles, I like his style, cubist style. The second looks like the snakes are going wild. If you look at the background first then you can really see the snakes, they are really good. I wonder what the yellow one is, maybe the big snake. The third is just happy. I like his style, even though it’s abstract you can still see the hands and face. The face is like a mask.

LEFT TO RIGHT Jason Ferry A Face in the Red 2018 Acrylic paint and posca pens on paper 20.5 × 29 cm Courtesy of Submit to Love Studios Ken Whisson Thinking Back 2017–18 Oil on marine plywood 62 × 35 cm Courtesy of the artist’s estate and Niagara Galleries, Melbourne. Photographer, Mark Ashkanasy, Melbourne

John McNaught Self Portrait 2022 Oil on board 30 × 30 cm Courtesy of Project Ability Michael Camakaris Not titled 2014 Acrylic, Prisma colour and greylead pencil on paper 25 × 35 cm Courtesy the artist and Arts Project Australia, Melbourne These look great, I think they all are different characters. I think the first is happy, the second is not happy. I like the way he (Whisson) has drawn the nose. I don’t know if I’m happy with this one. I’m not sure about Michael’s because you can see two sides, two faces and teeth. It’s cracking, it’s hard to know if it’s a man, woman or animal. I like the figure; it looks like it has scales or horns on its head. It is like something from outer space. The background has symbols and a flower.

BELOW Ben Quilty Tribulation 2021 Oil on linen 142.5 × 188 cm Courtesy of the artist and Tolarno Galleries, Melbourne

OPPOSITE Francis Bacon Self Portrait 1975 Oil and dry transfer lettering on canvas 30.5 × 35.5 cm © The Estate of Francis Bacon. All rights reserved, DACS/ Artimage 2022. Photo by Prudence Cuming Associates Ltd

They are a double – same colours, same angles, I get the same feeling of anger. I wonder if he (Ben Quility) has heard of Bacon? I like him (Bacon) because he is unusual. I like his portraits, the faces are real but not real. You need to spend the time looking at the face to know who it is. I painted several portraits in his style.