30th Apr – 1st Aug 2021
Bennett Gallery
From the time of his debut solo exhibition in 1966, Robert Jacks forged a reputation as a leading proponent of abstract art in Australia, and is duly recognised as one of the most important artists of his generation.
Jacks also holds a special place in the history of the Benalla Art Gallery; several pieces by the artist are held in the permanent collection, most notably the painting Compelling vesture no. 4, which was astutely selected by art critic Patrick McCaughey as one of Benalla’s very first acquisitions.
In recognising Jacks’ incredible legacy, Benalla Art Gallery is proud to present Rhythmic Compositions, an exhibition drawn entirely from the estate of the artist through the profound generosity of Julienne Jacks.
Rhythmic Compositions focuses primarily on the artist’s guitar-inspired work of the 1990s and 2000s. All works exude Jacks’ appreciation of music, through both their direct depiction of the guitar, and also the sense of rhythm and structure he was able to impart into each composition. This body of work harks back to earlier Picasso-inspired guitar paintings of the late 1950s and early 1960s, while drawing inspiration from sources such as Miles Davis’ seminal album Sketches of Spain (1960).
Just as Davis’ album is hailed by critics for its progressive fusion of styles, this latter body of work by Jacks brings together the sophisticated language of forms he developed over the course of his career. For Jacks, each composition added to a larger, considered, and evolving catalogue – just as a song does to an album.
The selection of works spans painting, sculpture in various media, artist books, and works on paper, with Jacks’ mastery of space, form, and colour allowing him to draw on many artistic instruments.
Rhythmic Compositions features key works including Guitar woman, tower night (1997) and Changed into a weeping willow (1997) which both featured in the McCaughey Memorial Prize at the NGV, and the latter of which won the Sulman Prize in 1998; and the artist book A Family of Forms (1999), comprising twelve original serigraphs and published by Lyrebird Press.
Curatorial Advisor: Kirsty Grant
