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This wonderful, fascinating book is a large coffee table one, of medium thickness and it is divided into twenty chapters and begins with a Gadigal people’s welcome, the Arts Minister’s forward, and an introduction by the current Director. At the back is a list of various National Art School heads, heads of departments, Fellows, the Board of Directors etc, acknowledgements and an index. Each chapter is titled and has footnotes/references at the end.

The book, linked to the exhibition that was held in September/October last year, is roughly divided into two halves chronologically, and on the inside front cover is a timeline of the first one hundred years, on the back takes readers from 1922 to now. It is fabulously illustrated, the detailed research is amazing, and written in an easy to read style by Deborah Beck, with contributions as well by Jacqui Taffel, Jennifer Byrne and Lorraine Kypiotis .

We are taken from convict gaol to art school and the National Art School is now the longest running independent art school in Australia. The luminaries who were incarcerated when it was a gaol ( including Henry Lawson and top journalists and men who became State Premiers ) or visited, taught and/or were students is glittering ( eg Katherine Hepburn, Sir Robert Helpmann, John Bell, Martin Sharp, ‘ Reg Mombassa’, Brett and Wendy Whitely, Peter Weir, Mel Gibson, John Olsen, John Coburn, Lloyd Rees, Cate Blanchett, Colin Lanceley ….to name just a few. Another major VIP visitor was the illustrious Japanese potter Shoji Hamada , who fashioned a series of pots in front of a swarming, very attentive audience.

From the late 1960’s – 1990’s both my parents taught at  what was then called Alexander Mackie and then the  College of Fine Arts- and I attended summer schools on site before completing my art teaching degree at UNSW .

The first half of the book recounts the site’s early history – how as Darlinghurst Gaol it was designed by NSW Colonial Architect Mortimer Lewis  in the 1820’s and built by enforced convict labour, opening in 1841. The brutal gaol life is discussed and we learn of the bushrangers imprisoned (eg Captain Moonlite, Ben Hall and Captain Thunderbolt, not forgetting Jacky Jacky and female bushranger Jessie Hickman). There’s also Jimmy Governor, the Aboriginal bushranger, whose tragic story formed the basis for Tom Kenneally’s novel, The Chant of Jimmy Blacksmith (1972), and Fred Schepisi’s movie of 1978.

The notorious underworld figure Kate Leigh also had a stint at the gaol. The horrific treatment of prisoners (leg irons, whipping, solitary confinement, straight jackets, padded cells, mouth gags etc) is detailed as are some of the gruesome hangings. We also learn of some escapes and the sad, romantic story of a lost letter from convict times recently rediscovered. John Cecil Read, Darlinghurst Gaol governor from 1861-1889 collected a scrapbook of original paintings and drawings by prisoners which are discussed.

There’s also the story of Henry Bertrand, “the demon dentist of Wynyard Square”, who murdered his mistress’s husband and barely escaped being hung. Instead, Bertrand developed his artistic skills and sculpted, and made music, becoming the teacher  and mentor of Frank Pearson, (AKA. Captain Starlight), who would reveal substantial talent as a painter.

The gaol was closed in 1914, because of the war, and used as a detention centre, then in 1922, after officially transferring to the Education department,  the site re-opened as part of East Sydney Technical College with the arts department becoming the National Art School in 1926.

We follow the history of the NAS over the past 100 years where individual expression and ideas are supported; noting its influential academic staff, life models, commercial and graphic designers, sculptors, painters, ceramicists, photographers, textile artists, neglected women artists and the scintillating legacy of its many alumni, which includes many of Australia’s most prominent artists.

Beck traces how various courses changed and developed with the ambitious overseeing of such inspiring lecturers as Rayner Hoff (1894-1937), Godfrey Miller and John Passmore.  The emphasis on drawing has guaranteed an undeniable quality, even in our current era when art is hampered by politics and theoretical preoccupations.;

The history of the Cell Block Theatre is also outlined with the Artist’s Balls, many theatrical performances and concerts as well as the protest marches and struggles to preserve the NAS. Many well known musicians originally studied to be artists at the NAS, including the entire membership of the band, ‘Mental as Anything’.

We read of the major fire damage in the mid 1980’s and the devastating hail storm of 1999. The spooky atmosphere at night is mentioned, some claiming to have seen ghosts. We read anecdotes of people being locked in overnight, and interactions with security guards. While Covid has greatly affected the NAS, we learn that it is now on the State Significant Organisation list like the MCA and Carriageworks. In 2022 the NAS hosted part of the Sydney Biennale. We also read of the creation of the Corona Quilt and the sense of community and support. Long may the NAS continue.

https://nas.edu.au/product/captivate-stories-from-the-national-art-school-and-darlinghurst-gaol/

https://nas.edu.au/product/captivate-stories-from-the-national-art-school-and-darlinghurst-gaol/