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ELWYN LYNN 1917 - 1997
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Elwyn ‘Jack’ Lynn (1917-97) was born in Canowindra
near Orange, studied at the University Of Sydney, and was self-taught as an
artist. He was a schoolmaster in Sydney Secondary schools until 1968 became a
prominent advocate of the art of his time through the Contemporary Art
Society and as editor of its Broadsheet and was appointed Curator of the Power Gallery of
Contemporary Art at Sydney University from 1969 to 1983, where he built up an
international collection now within Sydney’s Museum Of Contemporary Art. Lynn
was a prolific writer, as art critic at the Australian for many years, and as
author of several books on artists including Sidney Nolan.
Elwyn Lynn In His Studio 1991 Photographer Michael Lawrence
He first went overseas in 1958, and it was in the
Spanish Pavilion at the Venice Biennale that he discovered an artist
successfully creating ‘matter’ paintings that he had been attempting. Antoni
Tapies in particular was a revelation, in his use of texture to build works
that were iconic, timeless and redolent of Spain. Fellow Spaniards Rafael
Canogar, Manuel Millers and Antonio Saura also impressed, as did the German
texture artist such as Emil Schumacher and Bernard Schultz. Lynn discovered
that PVA was the magic ingredient and took a whole can back to Australia. He
was then able to develop his own version of the genre creating effects
inspired by elements in the landscape of his native, often parched land.
Cloud Burst and Burnt Land and Australia are fine and typical
examples of his practice. The former possibly emerges from the deeply etched
memories of growing up in the bush where conditions veered from deluge to
drought. The sense of the title is cleverly embraced in both the
construction, choreography and colouring of the work. Lynn’s ‘Australia’ has
none of the hubris of Baz Luhman’s recent similarly titled manifestation,
encapsulating instead a wry and understated national awareness, emblematic of
the acute difficulties of imposing any bureaucratic system, postal or other,
on a harsh untamed land.
Nick Waterlow OAM Director, Ivan Dougherty Gallery |
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ELWYN LYNN
1917 - 1997
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1917
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Born Canowindra NSW
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1938-41
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BA Dip ED University Of Sydney & Sydney Teachers
College Began painting in the mid-forties. No formal training.
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1942-68
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Taught in NSW Schools – English & History
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1955-69
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Editor of Contemporary Art Society (CAS) Broadsheet
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1963
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Art critic Sunday Mirror
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1963-68
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President of the Contemporary Art Society of
Australia (NSW Branch)
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1964-65
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Art critic The Australian
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1964-65
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Art critic The Bulletin
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1969
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Art critic The Nation
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1969-73
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Curator Power Gallery of Contemporary Art Power
Institute of Fine Arts
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1973, 75, 77
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Australian Correspondent Manifestation Biennale et Internationale des
Jeunes Artistes Paris
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1975-81
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Advisor to Ljublijana Print Biennale Yugoslavia
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1975
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Awarded Membership of the Order of Australia
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1976-80
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Chairman of the Visual Arts Board
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1977
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Prepared script for ABC film ‘Sidney Nolan at Sixty’
directed by Brian Adams with commentary by Lord (Kenneth) Clark
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1983
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Art Critic The Weekend Australian
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1989
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Honorary Doctor of Letters University of Sydney
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1991
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Retrospective Exhibition (1958-90) AGNSW Sydney that
toured to Wagga & Bathurst Regional Galleries
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1993
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Selected Paintings Exhibition in Elwyn Lynn
Conference Room College of Fine Arts (COFA) University of NSW
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1994
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Emeritus Award Australia Council
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1997
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Died in Sydney (January)
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SOLO
EXHIBITIONS
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2010
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Charles Nodrum Gallery, Melbourne
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2009
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Robin Gibson Gallery, Sydney
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2007
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Charles Nodrum Gallery, Melbourne
Robin Gibson Gallery, Sydney
Milk Factory Gallery, Bowral
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Since 1958 Elwyn Lynn has had over 50 solo exhibitions
in Sydney, Newcastle, Brisbane, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth & Cologne
Germany
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GROUP
EXHIBITIONS
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Since 1947 Elwyn Lynn has participated in over 150
group exhibitions in Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom, Brazil, Indonesia,
Poland & Germany
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PRIZES
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1988
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Wynne Prize AGNSW
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1987
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University Of NSW Purchase Prize
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1985
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Wynne Prize AGNSW
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1983
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Trustees’ Watercolour Prize AGNSW
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1982
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Awarded atelier at Cite Internationale des Arts Paris
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1980
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Trustees’ Watercolour Prize AGNSW
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1976
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Festival of Fisher’s Ghost Prize, Campbelltown
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1966
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Robin Hood Prize
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1965
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RAS Modern prize & Sidney Myer Charity Trust
Prize
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1964
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Rockdale & Wollongong Prizes
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1963
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Muswellbrook, Wollongong & Young Prizes
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1962
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Wagga Wagga & Campbelltown Prizes
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1961
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Marrickville Prize
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1957
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Blake, Bathurst & Mosman Prizes
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COLLECTIONS
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National Gallery of Australia
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Art Gallery Of NSW
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Queensland Art Gallery
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Art Gallery of South Australia
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Tasmanian Museum & Art Gallery
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Art Gallery of Western Australia
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Queen Victoria Museum & Art Gallery
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Museum & Art Gallery of the Northern Territory
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Museum of Contemporary Art Sydney
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War Memorial, Canberra
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Auckland Art Gallery New Zealand
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National Gallery of Malaysia
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Araluen Art Centre Alice Springs
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Bathurst Regional Gallery
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Bendigo Regional Gallery
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Broken Hill City Art Gallery
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Heidi Park & Art Gallery Melbourne
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Penrith Regional Art Gallery
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Maitland City Art Gallery
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Mosman Art Gallery
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Muswellbrook Regional Art Gallery
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Newcastle Regional Art Gallery
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Orange Regional Art Gallery
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Wollongong City Gallery
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Griffith University
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Edith Cowan University
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COFA University Of NSW
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Monash University
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University of Newcastle
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University of NSW
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University of Western Australia
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Charles Sturt University
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National Bank of Australia Collections
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BHP Collection
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Australian & International Private Collections
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