Greg JOHNS

Landings

5 - 18 October 2010

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  Horizon Figure 2010, corten steel, 240 x 464 x 100 cm

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  Land Mandala 2010, corten steel, 159 x 157 x 130 cm

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  Monument to Mulga Bill & Neighbour 2010, corten steel, 195 x 80 x 50 cm

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  Dry Country Mandala 2009, mild steel, 45 x 65 x 9.5 cm

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  Mentor (the Old Mob) maquette 2008-2009, corten steel (99 pieces assembled by hand), 240 x 115 x 57 cm

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  Emerging-Merging Figure 2010, corten steel, 117 x 96 x 40 cm

About the Exhibition

Greg Johns' sculpture has developed and evolved dramatically over the last thirty years. His work consciously reaches out to 'big picture' themes, but the viewing platform has been constructed amongst Australia's flora and fauna. Johns reads beneath the surface of the Australian landscape. Visual elements of the landscape ignite feelings to inspire work, but it is that which cannot be seen, beneath the surface which produces the forms that are of interest to him. Johns investigates the psychological side of landscape, where interior and exterior are connected, both having a role to play.

CONNECTING TO THE LAND

A a sculptor working in this great landscape, I remain perplexed by how little sculpture produced in Australia reflects this place. We are perhaps locked into our cities and computers; as well as being overloaded by the international. This was a factor I considered in deciding to acquire a rural property at Palmer, in the rain shadow country of the Adelaide Hills. I have been revegetating 403 acres of sheep country there, placing sculptures which engage this archetypal Australian landscape. The intention is to create a sculpture landscape, in contrast to a sculpture park. This has been taking place, steadily, over the past seven years. It is a twenty year project.

My reading of the Australian landscape is both visual, and a felt, beneath-the-surface approach. As I have said before, it is perhaps deep beneath our thin soils where the significant stories lie, in the extremely old subterranean levels. There is much to be learnt about this place, for those prepared to sit quietly and listen. Greg Johns

BIOGRAPHY

Greg Johns was born in Adelaide, South Australia. He trained at the South Australian School of Art and graduated with a Diploma of Fine Arts. He has been working as a full-time sculptor since 1978. Johns is a member of New York Sculptors' Guild, the International Sculptor Centre and a committee member of Collaborations (Linking Art and Architecture 1990-1994).

Greg has participated in numerous solo and group exhibitions in Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Hong Kong, England and the United States. In 1997 he was awarded an Australia Council Grant to develop new studio work. In 2001 he received the Stonnington Landscaping Award for his artwork 'Origin' and in 2004 he was recipient of the Waterhouse Prize for Sculpture. In 2005 he was a selected finalist in the Helen Lempriere Sculpture Prize, Werribee Park, Victoria.

Greg Johns has received numerous public and private commissions for his sculptures including, Crown Casino, Southbank, Melbourne; Australian National University, Canberra; Bell Memorial Garden, Adelaide and Chadstone Shopping Centre, Melbourne. His work is represented in many high profile public, corporate and private collections in Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Singapore, Bahrain, Channel Islands, England and the United States.