Obsessed: Compelled to make
L-R Leopard vase, Rabbit vase & Phoenix vase, 2018
An Australian Design Centre touring exhibition
Exhibition tour venues and dates
Australian Design Centre, Sydney 8 February to 24 March 2018
Cairns Regional Gallery, QLD 15 April to 17 June 2018
Lake Macquarie City Art Gallery, NSW 8 December to 3 February 2019
Artspace Mackay, QLD 22 February to 12 May 2019
Glasshouse Port Macquarie, NSW 27 September to 1 December 2019
Blue Mountains Cultural Centre, NSW 7 December to 19 January 2019
Tamworth Regional Gallery, NSW 1 February to 16 March 2020
Lismore Regional Gallery, NSW 27 March to 29 May 2020
JamFactory, SA 25 September to 22 November 2020
Alcoa Mandurah Art Centre, WA 14 December 2020 to 24 January 2021
Ararat Regional Gallery, VIC 20 May to 15 August 2021
Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre, NSW 28 August to 10 October 2021
Obsessed: Compelled to make presents the work of 14 artists from across Australia, delving beyond the finished object, beyond the personality of the maker, into the fundamental conceptual framework of their creations. We look at the complexities of their materials and processes, the realities of their day-to-day studio routine and unravel what compels each maker to create over the course of their personal career – Why this technique or material? Why that concept? How does the mind of a maker work?
This exhibition explores the act of making through the framework of obsession – how it consumes us, carrying us along in its wake, colouring every aspect of our lives. With these professional artists, it is their obsessions, and all the associated angst, failures, breakthroughs and milestones, that feeds their productivity and to deliver exceptional outcomes.
Artist: Gabriella Bisetto | Lorraine Connelly-Northey | Honor Freeman, | Jon Goulder | Kath Inglis | Laura McCusker | Elliat Rich and James B Young (Elbowrkshp) | Kate Rohde | Oliver Smith | Vipoo Srivilasa | Tjunkaya Tapaya | Louise Weaver | Liz Williamson.
Obsessed: Compelled to makeis an Australian Design Centre of ADC on Tour exhibition touring to 12 venues across Australia, accompanied by a series of films and a full-length catalogue.
Curators: Lisa Cahill and Penny Craswell
Exhibition design: Stephen Goddard
Catalogue design: Michael Donohue
Filmmaker and photography: Angus Lee Forbes
Additional photography:Jules Boag, Peter Whyte
Poet: Sarah Rice
Curatorial Research and Development: Lisa Cahill and Jo Higgins
Obsessed: Compelled to make catalogue, edited by Lisa Cahill and Penny Craswell, published by Australian Design Centre is available through Object Shop and touring venues.
Obsessed: Compelled to make was researched and developed under a Visions of Australia research grant and is ADC’s major national touring exhibition for 2018-2021 with the tour also supported by the Federal Government’s Visions of Australia program.
Catalogue supported by Gordon Darling Foundation.
Poetry commission supported by Red Room Poetry.