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The Impossibility of Nature Shona Wilson
 
Shona Wilson 30 September - 25 October 2014
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" ...most life on earth is invisible Shona Wilson’s latest body of work celebrates the wondrous adaptively, the hidden resilience and the ‘impossible’ creativity of nature. Microscopic marine structures (planktons and diatoms) have provided the imagery and muse for much of her recent work. Scientific studies revealing how plastic has infiltrated these life forms, brings to bear questions around how we affect and morph the natural world at its deepest and ‘unseen’ levels. Wilson plays with this evolving story clambering up and down the food chain to tell a futuristic tale of hybridity. She delightfully describes, questions and addresses our ongoing synthesis with the natural world. The beauty of her intricate assemblages belies a fractured fairytale of the consequences of our interactions with the environment but the results are of hope rather than despair. Working with natural found material for the past 20 years has revealed more to me about the imaginative resilience of nature than it’s destruction.
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“If nature has taught us anything it is that the impossible is probable” - Ilyas Kassam
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Tineidae Discomedusae Plasticae with [detail right] processed found plastics & natural materials 60x60x8cm 4
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above: Periphylla Plasticae with [detail right] processed found plastics & natural materials 60x60x8cm 6
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above: Nudibranchia Plasticae with [detail right] processed found plastics & natural materials 45x45x8cm 8
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above: Crustatoriae Plasticae [detail right] processed found plastics & natural materials 45x45x8cm 10
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above: Siphonophorae Plasticae [detail right] processed found plastics & natural materials 60x60x8cm 12
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above: Rotariae Plasticae [detail right] processed found plastics & natural materials 45x45x8cm 14
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right: Actiniae Floriae Plasticae -cast resin & processed found natural materials [dimensions variable]
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right: Spiritus Plasticae #1 cast resin & processed found natural materials 135x50x17cm
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right: Spiritus Plasticae #2 cast resin & processed found natural materials 150x25x17cm 20
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above: Crustacae Plasticae [detail right] processed found plastics & natural materials 45x45x8cm 22
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above: Stomatopodiatomae Plasticaedetail [detail right] processed found plastics & natural materials 60x60x8cm 24
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above: Diphasia-Porpema Plasticae [detail right] processed found plastics & natural materials 60x60x8cm 26
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above: Ophiodeolariae Plasticaedetail [detail right] processed found plastics & natural materials 28
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right: Medusae Plasticae- processed found plastics & natural materials 90x50x45cm 30
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right: Heirloom- processed found plastics & natural materials 150x150x6cm 32
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Studies 2002-2003 1991-2000 1998 1988-1990 1987
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Surface Treatment- Ceramics, Northern Beaches TAFE Sydney Part-time studies in Ceramics, Randwick TAFE, National Art School, Sydney Part-time study in jewellery/metalwork, Sydney Collage of the Arts Bachelor of Visual Arts - Sculpture Major, Sydney College of the Arts Part-time studies in Sculpture, Printmaking and Life-drawing, NAS
Solo Exhibitions 2013 Plastiscenic Mossgreen Gallery, Melbourne 2012 Plastiscenic – Future Remains King Street Gallery on William, Sydney A Ripple Effect Noosa Travelling Scholarship Exhibition, Noosa Regional Gallery, Qld 2011 Interlaced Mossgreen Gallery 2009 Macroscope King Street Gallery on William 2008 Paradise Found Mossgreen Gallery, Melbourne 2007 Array Michael Nagy Fine Art, Sydney 2006 Align Mossgreen Gallery 2005 Re – Kindle [Survey show] Manly Art Gallery and Museum, Sydney 2003 New Work Michael Nagy Fine Art 2002 New Work Gallery 101, Melbourne 2000 New Work Michael Nagy Fine Art 1998 New Work Michael Nagy Fine Art 1997 Recent Work Federation Zen Artefact Gallery, Clovelly, Sydney 1996 Recent Work Federation Zen Artefact Gallery 1994 The Solar-Powered Bat-Pack Festival of the Winds, Bondi, Sydney
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Selected Group Exhibitions 2014 One from None Newcastle Regional Gallery, NSW Efflorescent Gouldburn Regional Gallery, Goldburn NSW 2013 Mentors: Inspirational Women Grace Cossington Smith Gallery, Abbotsleigh, Sydney Living Data- Science and Art Talks – Ultimo Science Festival UTS, Sydney SEE Public Art Event Manly Cove Sydney, curated by Kendal henry and Eramboo Artist Environment 2011-13 Heirloom LOVELACE-International Lace Award [Curator-Lindie Ward] Powerhouse Museum, Sydney 2012 A Verdant Heart King Street Gallery on William 2011 Make Lace not War Powerhouse Museum, Sydney A Verdant Heart, Hawkesbury Regional Gallery, NSW 2010 Abstract Nature Samstag Museum of Art, Adelaide Stanthorpe Regional Gallery Art Prize, Stanthorpe Regional Gallery, NSW 2009 The Artist and the Northern Beaches Manly Art Gallery and Museum 2008 Compositions King Street Gallery on William 2005 Inaugural Exhibition-Stable Launch Mossgreen Gallery, Melbourne NOW – contemporary Australian artists Mossgreen Gallery 34
Selected Group Exhibitions constr
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2004 2003 2001 1998 1997 1994 1993 1993 1992 1991
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Blake Prize finalist exhibition, Sydney University, Sydney Second Life –New Life Manly Art Gallery and Museum Waterhouse Natural History Art Prize, South Australian Museum, Ad Extinction Denied Volvo Gallery, Sydney Colony Sculpture By The Sea Coastal Cliff Walk, Bondi-Tamarama Cluster Sculpture By The Sea, Coastal Cliff Walk Air-Pocket Entis Eidos Eco-Design Foundation, Sydney Batmania The Water City of Wax, Associated Project of the 5TH Australian Sculpture Triennial, Yarra River, Melbourne Batmania-Cities First Draft West Gallery, Sydney Socket First Draft West Gallery Osmosis Airspace Gallery, Sydney
Commissions, Residencies & Awards 2010 Art Omi Residency, Omi International Arts Center, New York Winner, Travelling Scholarship, Noosa Regional Gallery, Qld 2001 Public space sculpture, Arthouse Hotel, Sydney
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Collections Artbank, Australia Arthouse Hotel, Sydney Macquarie Bank, Australia Manly Art Gallery & Museum, Sydney Shepparton Regional Gallery, Victoria Smorgan Family Collection, Melbourne Stanthorpe Regional Art Gallery, Qld Tamworth Regional Gallery, NSW
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Shona Wilson in her studio, Mid-North Coast, NSW
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Bibliography 2012 2010-11 2009
2008 2006
2005 2004 2003 2002
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2000 1998
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Holzi, Lisa: ‘Found-The Art of Recycling,’ Walker Books Llewellyn, Cherry: ‘A show a must,’ Noosa News Osborne, Margot: Abstract Nature Exhibition catalogue, pp40-41 Rackman, Melinda: ‘Decoding dataspheres: Abstract Nature at Samstag,’ Art Monthly Australia, Dec-Feb, pp 46-49 Radok, Stephanie: ‘Abstract Nature,’ Reviews-Artlink, Vol 30 No 4, Dec 10, p96 Clement, Tracey: ‘Shona Wilson: Macroscope,’ Artguide Australia, Nov/Dec, pp28-29 Dwyer, Lynne: The Planner-Spectrum –Sydney Morning Herald, Nov 14-15, p24 Adams, Kate: ‘Shona Wilson,’ Artist Profile Magazine, Issue 09/2009, pp116-117 Keens, Leta: ‘Under the Microscope,’ Belle Magazine, Oct/Nov 2009 p62 Stretton, Rowena: ‘Shona Wilson,’ Mercedes Magazine, Jan, p30 Shona Wilson: Macroscope Catalogue, published King Street Studios P/L Osborne, Margot: ’Australian Beauty,’ Artlink Magazine, Volume 28, No2, pp24-29 Pearson, Helen (ed): Celebrate Art Series: Looking at Buildings in Contemporary Art, Integrated Education Ltd Publishing, Sydney pp5-10 Shona Wilson: Paradise Found Catalogue, published by Mossgreen Gallery Macgillicuddy, Bridie: ‘Salvage and Detritus,’ Craft Art, Issue 64 Horton, Shelley [producer]: Sunday Arts Program Documentary, Sunday Arts, ABC TV ‘Australia’s Most Collectable Artists,’ Australian Art Collector, Full List-Iss 35 Keenan, Cath: The Hot Seat- Spectrum-Sydney Morning Herald Mullholland, Henry: Review on ABC Radio 702 McDonald, John: ‘Warm the Spirit, tickle the eye,’ Review- Spectrum-Sydney Morning Herald, Aug 20, p28 Waller, Richard: ‘The Shore Thing,’ Vogue Living May/June Hoban, Sue: ‘Natural approach to creativity,’ The Manly Daily, Mar 11 Profile on Shona Wilson, The Manly Daily, Mar 11 Weiss, Karen: ‘Shona Wilson’s Other Pathways: Ceramics,’ Art and Perception No. 47 2002 Israel, Glenis: Artwise 2, Visual Arts 7-10, NSW Educational Textbook Produced by Wendy Boynton: ’Profile – Shona Wilson,’ Sunday Program, ABC TV Gallery Section-Art In Australia, Vol 38 No 4, p602 Generation Next – Shona Wilson, Belle Magazine Profile-Shona Wilson, Object Magazine – No 1