The Powerhouse Museum has come out of lockdown seeking to lure the public back with a discreet number of extremely stimulating and thought provoking exhibitions. One of these is identitled GRAPHIC IDENTITIES.
It presents eight designers who were pivotal in shaping visual communication in 20th century Australia which have been drawn from the archives of the Powerhouse collection.
Across the disciplines of textile design, typography, publishing, illustration, print making and spatial design touch all aspects of modern life. These works offer a glimpse into their highly advanced technical skills produced in the pre-digital era.
Influenced by the European avant-garde and modernist movements these artists were prolific and multi-disciplinary in their practice.
Collectively they contributed to the evolution of an Australian visual aesthetic and the professionalisation of the local design industry.
The eight artists on show are Douglas Annand (1903-1976), Frances Burke (1904-1994), Dahl Collings (1909- 1988), Alistair Morrison (1911-1988), Gordon Andrews (1914- 2001), Pieter Huveneers (1925- 2017), Shirley De Vocht (1929-2003), and Arthur Leydin (1932-2010).
This exhibition at the Powerhouse is free to the public.
Article and photos by Ben Apfelbaum
