DOMINIK MERSCH GALLERY: ANTON PULVIRENTI 'GOOMILAND'

ANTON PULVIRENTI

‘GOOMILAND’

05.06. – 05.07.2014

‘Conifer bedroom 2 (Gina)’ 2013, charcoal on paper, 150cm x 190cm, charcoal, $3,800 ‘Cuniculus (Centaur)’, 2013, charcoal on paper, 200cm x 150cm, $3,900

DOMINIK MERSCH GALLERY is pleased to present Sydney based artist ANTON PULVIRENTI’s exhibition ‘Goomiland’. Pulvirenti’s work is about ways that official history marginalizes alternative historical narrative. His dystopian drawings create alternative historical anecdotes with pertinent themes of migration and internment.

The anamorphic figures that occupy the parallel world ‘Goomiland’ rewrite the artist’s family history in terms of the repressed wartime past of his grandfather. Verging on the provocative, the ink cartoon strips, charcoal portraiture and illusionist trick-art drawings weave narratives that provide a fresh perspective on social and political practices during the war and their subsequent impact on present generations.

A Doctor of Philosophy, Sydney University, Anton Pulvirenti is an artist whose activist tendencies are expressed through skilful draftsmanship. He speaks allegorically through the oldest form of human expression and the foundation of artistic practice drawing.

Artist Statement “My work is about the ways official history marginalizes alternative historical narratives. It creates alternative historical narratives with themes of Italian migration and the internment of Italian naturalized British subjects during World War Two. The anamorphic figures rewrite family history in terms of the repressed wartime history of my grandfather, Angelo Pulvirenti, interned in 1942-44 in South Australia. The ultimate aim of these works is to come to terms with their familial origins.

These charcoal and pencil drawings capture the stillness and alienation of the internment experience whilst alluding to the psychological torment of prison surveillance. My daughter’s body in many of the works is an image of hybridity and otherness. The rabbit symbolizes the innocence of childhood against the rabbit as introduced pest that breeds and multiplies like a plague. The hare represents the fear of the immigrant Other, whom, if not controlled, will overrun the land.

The immigrant is condemned to remain on the margins of contemporary life, dislocated from any sense of being and belonging. The work depicts the erasure of Australia’s treatment of Italians during the war and its subsequent impact on present generations.”

Anton Pulvirenti

‘Starry night 6’, 2014, charcoal on paper, 50cm x 35cm, $950

‘Starry night 8 (dark starry bunny)’, 2014, charcoal on paper, 50cm x 35cm, $950

‘Starry night 9’, 2014, charcoal on paper, 50cm x 35cm, $950

‘Starry night 2’ 2014, charcoal on paper, 42cm x 30cm, $800

Cuniculus 1’, (detail) 2013, charcoal on paper, 154cm x 109cm, $3,500 (opposite)

Terms of sale of all works shown: 10% deposit on reservation. Balance on collection. Prices as of May 2014. All prices listed may change without notice. All prices include GST.

‘Cuniculus 2’, 2013, charcoal on paper, 154cm x 112cm, $3,500 ‘Starry night 7’, 2014, charcoal on paper, 39cm x 39cm, $950 ‘Conifer bedroom 1’, 2014, charcoal on paper, 190cm x 130cm, $3,600 (opposite)

Terms of sale of all works shown: 10% deposit on reservation. Balance on collection. Prices as of June 2014. All prices listed may change without notice. All prices include GST.

Terms of sale of all works shown: 10% deposit on reservation. Balance on collection. Prices as of June 2014. All prices listed may change without notice. All prices include GST.

Terms of sale of all works shown: 10% deposit on reservation. Balance on collection. Prices as of June 2014. All prices listed may change without notice. All prices include GST.

‘Starry night 5’, 2014, charcoal on paper, 30cm x 42cm, $800

Terms of sale of all works shown: 10% deposit on reservation. Balance on collection. Prices as of June 2014. All prices listed may change without notice. All prices include GST.

‘Vulpinius 1’, 2013, charcoal on paper, 112cm x 160cm, $3,500

Terms of sale of all works shown: 10% deposit on reservation. Balance on collection. Prices as of June 2014. All prices listed may change without notice. All prices include GST.

Terms of sale of all works shown: 10% deposit on reservation. Balance on collection. Prices as of June 2014. All prices listed may change without notice. All prices include GST.

‘Starry night 1’, 2014, charcoal on paper, 42cm x 30cm, $800

‘Starry night 2’ 2014, charcoal on paper, 42cm x 30cm, $800

‘Starry night 3’, 2014, charcoal on paper, 30cm x 42cm, $800

‘Starry night 4’ 2014, charcoal on paper, 42cm x 30cm, $800

‘Cuniculus 3’, 2014, charcoal on paper, 87cm x 46cm, $1,600 (opposite)

Terms of sale of all works shown: 10% deposit on reservation. Balance on collection. Prices as of June 2014. All prices listed may change without notice. All prices include GST.

‘Vulpinius 2’, 2014, charcoal on paper, 110cm x 66cm, $2,400

“Mussolini declares war on Britain. Many Italians in Australia are horrified�

“It shall not be long before we are all interned…..”

‘Mussolini’, 2014 Hop in, you’re welcome’, 2014

‘Salvatore’s letter’, 2014

‘Antonio goes back to Sicily’, 2014

‘Mugshots’, 2014

‘The hairdressers’, 2014

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‘The travails of Antonio’, 2014

Cartoon narrative drawings, ink on paper, 60 x 42, $1,200 each

Terms of sale of all works shown: 10% deposit on reservation. Balance on collection. Prices as of June 2014. All prices listed may change without notice. All prices include GST.

Terms of sale of all works shown: 10% deposit on reservation. Balance on collection. Prices as of May 2014. All prices listed may change without notice. All prices include GST.

“Gina’s past doesn’t shield her from political reality of the present”

“…..When would he see them again?”

‘Antonio goes back to Sicily’, 2014 ‘Amity on harbour small’, 2014

‘Antonio farms the land’, 2014 ‘Chase out the British’, 2014

‘Poland’, 2014 ‘Gina thinking about Sicily’, 2014

Comic book narrative drawings, ink on paper, 60 x 42, $1,200 each

Terms of sale of all works shown: 10% deposit on reservation. Balance on collection. Prices as of June 2014. All prices listed may change without notice. All prices include GST.

Terms of sale of all works shown: 10% deposit on reservation. Balance on collection. Prices as of May 2014. All prices listed may change without notice. All prices include GST.

‘Cuniculus 5’, 2013, charcoal on paper, 150cm x 50cm, $2,800

Terms of sale of all works shown: 10% deposit on reservation. Balance on collection. Prices as of June 2014. All prices listed may change without notice. All prices include GST.

‘Cuniculus 4’ 2013, chalk on paper, 110cm x 110cm, $2,900

Terms of sale of all works shown: 10% deposit on reservation. Balance on collection. Prices as of June 2014. All prices listed may change without notice. All prices include GST.

Terms of sale of all works shown: 10% deposit on reservation. Balance on collection. Prices as of June 2014. All prices listed may change without notice. All prices include GST.

‘Goomiland’ printed books , soft cover, ed of 40, $80 each ‘Goomiland’ printed books, hard cover, ed of 40, $600 ‘Goomiland’ comic books, $20 each

Terms of sale of all works shown: 10% deposit on reservation. Balance on collection. Prices as of June 2014. All prices listed may change without notice. All prices include GST.

Wartime Internment: Family, Memory and History Anton Pulvirenti A thesis submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Painting Department University of Sydney 2013

Abstract This thesis invesEgates the warEme internment of my paternal grandfather Angelo PulvirenE, interned in Australia during the Second World War. It invesEgates his internment in three ways. Firstly, Angelo’s internment is explored in the context of the ‘state of excepEon’ invoked at the Eme by the authoriEes. The state of excepEon, a legal term describing a sovereign’s ability to override public law in the interests of naEonal security and/or public safety, is the means by which his internment is represented in the studio works. Secondly, the thesis incorporates nineteenth century pictorial Symbolism to manifest the excepEon in the studio works. And lastly, the thesis applies the excepEon to the amnesia of the Australian War Memorial regarding the warEme internments, which has become the official version of warEme internment. The studio works construct a new narraEve of internment from the official version in terms of familial content and the silence regarding Angelo’s internment. The studio works occupy the space between the official version of internment and Angelo’s life narraEve during the war. Thus, both the thesis and studio work challenge the official version of internment. The work of Rea Tajiri, Katsushige Nakahashi, Max Klinger, Kandinsky and Gerhard Richter are important on the levels of formal manipulaEon, myth, symbology and memory. On the theoreEcal level, Giorgio Agamben, Carl SchmiY, Michel Foucault and Jacques Rancière are the main points of contact.

ANTON PULVIRENTI Born 1973 Brisbane Education 2014 Doctor of Philosophy, Sydney University 2001 BVA (Hons) Painting, Australian National University 1995 Julian Ashton Art School 1991-7 Private life drawing classes with David Paulson Solo Exhibitions 2014 Goomiland, DOMINIK MERSCH GALLERY 2012 Peregrine, Salerno Gallery, Sydney 2011 Lagomorpha, Salerno Gallery 2008 Paintings, Sydney Antique Centre 2007 Night thoughts, Gallery 482, Brisbane 2007 Loveday, Mori Gallery, Sydney 2006 Less Dangerous than democracy, Mori Gallery, Sydney 2003 Ajumma, Sol Gallery, Daegu, Korea 2002 Close to our Hearts, Alliance Francaise, Canberra Group Exhibitions.

2009 Minding Animals, The lockup, Newcastle 2008 Callan Park, Mori Gallery, Sydney 2006 Exhibition of protest, Kurnell Peninsula, Sydney 2006 Fundraiser for freedom, Mori Gallery, Sydney 2006 Picture this, ANU Alumni, CSA Gallery, Canberra 2000-5 Artists on Norton Art Prize, Parliament House, Sydney 2004 1st Contemporary Art Exhibition, Trapani, Italia 2002 Snap, CSA Gallery, Canberra 2001 Hatched, PICA, Perth 2001 Lift Off, Graduating Show , CSA Gallery, Canberra 1998 Redlands Art Prize, Brisbane 1997 Churchie Art Show, Brisbane 1992 Rebels without a course, Fireworks Gallery, Brisbane

Prizes and scholarships

2008 Scholarship to University of Sydney 2007 Chalk the Walk Champion Pavement ArEst Chalk Award 2005 ArEsts on Norton Art Prize 2000 Canberra School of Art drawing prize 1995 Lexus art prize 1994 Scholarship at Julian Ashton Art school

Residencies

2004 Residency in Trapani, Sicily, studying Sicilian PainEng with Felice Scire

Selected Ar5cles

2002 ExhibiEon Review, Canberra Emes, July 24, 2002 2002 David Sequeira ExhibiEon catalogue ‘close to our hearts’