vivonne thwaites - cv

Vivonne Thwaites was Visual Arts Director, Adelaide Festival Centre for many years and was the Curator of the School of Art Gallery University of South Australia in 2006. In July/August 2006 she was awarded the University of Sydney Power Studio at Cité Internationale de Arts in Paris and is currently researching a project, funded by Aust Co and GDF, based on the work of Charles Alexandre Lesueur, French artist on the Baudin voyage, for a 2010 project opening at Carnegie Gallery, Hobart April 8, 2010 and touring to Burnie Regional Gallery.

Other curated projects:

2006 Adelaide Bank Festival of Arts project titled Writing a painting, opening on March 1, 2006. This project was funded by Uni SA International, Arts SA, The Australia Council, The Gordon Darling Foundation, the Australia China Council and Asialink. Artists Robin Best and Helen Fuller with Nyukana Baker and Huang Xiuqian. Writers Vivonne Thwaites, Prof Nicholas Jose, John Kean and Mary Eagle.

2006 Tamworth Fibre Textile Biennial. Project title: in the world - toured nationally throughout 2007/08. Artists Beth Hatton, Jean Baptiste Apuatimi (Tiwi), Minymaku artists, Julie Gough, Irmina van Niele, Kay Lawrence, Ilka White, Sandy Elverd, Helen Fuller, Michelle Nikou, Bede Tungatalem, Rosemary Whitehead and many others. Catalogue essay Vivonne Thwaites, Australia Council and Visions of Australia funded.

2004 Holy Holy Holy was funded by Arts SA, The Australia Council’s Visual Arts Board and ATSIAB, The Gordon Darling Foundation, The History Trust and Visions of Australia. Holy Holy Holy was a project of the 2004 Adelaide Festival and toured nationally. This project looked at the impact of Christianity on Indigenous people in Australia through a range of works by contemporary artists and museum and social history material. Artists such as Michael Riley, Linda Syddick Napaltjarri, Darren Siwes, Jarinyanu David Downs, Ian W Abdulla, Irene Mbitjana Entata, Christine McCormack, Trevor Nickolls, Alan Tucker, Harry Wedge, Julie Dowling, Nici Cumpston and James Cochran are included and the writers Marcia Langton, Bill Edwards, Rob Amery, Mary Eagle, Varga Hosseini and Christine Nicholls explore the topic in the accompanying catalogue, Introduction by Vivonne Thwaites. This project was featured in articles in Art Monthly by Nick Waterlow and in Art and Australia by Tracey Lock Weir and was written up twice in The Age with full-page features in each instance.

2001/02 Home is where the heart is, representing twelve Australian artists: Joyce Winsley, Julie Gough, Yvonne Koolmatrie, Nalda Searles, Irene Briant, Jo Crawford and others. Catalogue essays by Vivonne Thwaites, Mary Eagle and Stephanie Radok. Funded by The Centenary of Federation, Arts SA, Arts WA, The Australia Council and Country Arts SA. The catalogue for this project won The Award of Merit/Visual Communication in the Design Body Two Awards, Design Institute of Australia announced in November 2001. The catalogue also won the Graphic Design Award and The Diamond Award at the Australian Institute of Professional Communicators National Serif Awards announced November 2001. This project received major attention in The Australian and Art Monthly. Funded by the Australia Council, Arts SA, the Centenary of Federation and Country Arts SA.

2000 Karra/Karrawirraparri, a project about the significance of the River Red Gum and the role of this tree in the ecosystem of the Murray. The artists Agnes Love, Jo Crawford, Chris De Rosa participated in this project, curated for the Telstra Adelaide Festival 2000 and funded by The Myer Foundation, Arts SA, Trees for Life and The Adelaide Festival Centre Trust. Catalogue essays by Vivonne Thwaites, Eric Rolls, Stephanie Radok, Martin O’Leary. This project was given attention in The Australian Review of Books by Drusilla Modjeska and was featured in The Bulletin. The US journal Ethics and Environment, Indiana University Press requested an article on this project.

1998 Three Views of Kaurna Territory Now curated for the 25th anniversary of the Adelaide Festival Centre with the Indigenous artists Darren Siwes, Nici Cumpston and Agnes Love, funded by The Australia Council and The Adelaide Festival Centre Trust. Catalogue essays by John Kean and Vivonne Thwaites.