greg mallyon |contemporary art | australia
news greg mallyon contemporary art australia
2024
A great start to 2024 with a trip to Oman and Egypt to explore museums and archaeological sites .Egypt has been subject of previous exhibitions in the 90's and will continue to inspire future works .The Wimmera exhibition concluded at Horsham in February and makes it Melbourne debut in March at Manyung Mt Eliza Gallery .
2023
After a hectic year this one promised to be a bit slower kicking off with a solo exhibition in historic Maldon . STRATUM features landscapes inspired by my region , the goldfields of central Victoria ....very appropriate given I am the descendant of goldminers who came from Oxford and ended up in Yakandandah .
In March I was delighted to be advised I was the winner of the digital category of the 2023 Queenscliff Art Prize
May was time out for a long overdue trip to Rome and Sicily with numerous museums and archaelogical sites providing fuel for future exhibitions .June straight back into action at Sydney's Affordable Art Fair with large crowds and strong interest plus a great feature story in Art Edit magazine .In August I was notified I was a finalist in the 2023 National Capital Art prize for the third time running and another art Fair The Melbourne Affordable Art Fair opening August 31.
November saw my participation again in the Singapore Affordable Art Fair. .as well as a large commission for a Sydney architect .The Omaroo Suite is a site specific collection of works based on The Pittwater/Ku ring gai Chase National park area of Sydney, SEE PROJECTS PAGE
All the while I have steadily worked on a series of paintings inspired by the Wimmera region of Victoria .This solo exhibition concluded a busy year with the opening at Horsham Regional Art Gallery in December ..
2022
A busy year ahead with my open studio during Daylesford's iconic Chillout Festival in March. From June 2-5 I was a feature artist at the Sydney Affordable Art Fair via Manyung Gallery where sales and interest were strong .
On July 28 a pop up exhibition at Owen Dixon Chambers East in the William St law precinct of Melbourne featured small and large works . In August a solo show Terra Australis had a successful launch at Manyung Malvern Gallery To keep the fast pace going I was represented at the Affordable Art Fair Melbourne in September. and my first solo exhibition at Canberra's Aarwun Gallery .In November I will feature at the Singapore Affordable Art Fair ............phew!.
2021
The year began with a great start as my delayed solo exhibition "The Journey " opened at the new Manyung Art and Design space , Mornington ,Victoria .It opened In February (before another covid lockdown ). My new series of digital prints were also well received by selected galleries later in the year . The big news was my selection as finalist in the inaugural National Capital Art Prize in late July . I have been finalist in 9 national art awards over the years .....so always good to be endorsed by peers within your industry.
A new studio assistant ( rescue dog Angus ) arrived to keep me company and developed an interest in chewing brushes and stray paint tubes .A photo shoot for Daylesford Macedon Life resulted in a cover shot and editorial of my studio but sadly the pandemic kept the art loving public at bay !
In October I was thrilled to hear the news that I was winner of the NCAP landscape award and accepted this prize from the ACT Attorney General via an on line.award ceremony .Steady sales throughout the year despite lockdowns resulted in a busy schedule of exhibitions booked for 2022
2020
After a devastating summer of bushfires it looked like a hectic and positive year ahead .I had committed to art fairs in Singapore and New York ,solo exhibitions in Victoria and commencement of the long awaited mural project in Melbourne .A month holiday in Sicily was planned to break up the continual deadlines .By March all had changed with a pandemic enfolding . It was nevertheless a very productive year with long silent months in isolation. My new studio was renovated and painted with an exterior mural. New digital images were inspired by past travel photos and sketch books . In November I found myself critically ill with pneumonia and heart failure and not expected to live ..........a rather dramatic and unexpected end to a year already full of nasty twists and turns !
2019 and before
there have been numerous highlights ,lowlights ,news stories ,successes and missed opportunities in a career that has spanned over 35 years .
Highlights in the past decade included gaining a Masters degree ( UNSW) after quitting full time work as a Sydney gallery dealer . An artist residency in Barcelona ( as part of this degree) followed later by my selection to attend Venice's premier printmaking workshop became lightbulb moments in restoring a career that can be like a roller coaster .
This decision to solely focus on my art practice came after 10 years of working in senior management roles in the printmaking and Aboriginal art industries. They included Managing Director of Port Jackson Press Australia , Manager of Northern Editions at Charles Darwin University and Manager of the award winning Birrung Gallery in Sydney.. In my early career I had worked as coordinator of the Fine Arts department at the Council of Adult Education. and executive officer of the CAE art collection . During this period I also served on The Board of The Victorian Art Council ( 10 years ) and as government education advisor the HM Prison Pentridge ( 3 years ) All of these roles gave me unique exposure to the Australian art world.
While I worked on inspiring projects and exhibitions involving many of Australia's most famous artists it was time to re-invent my own career which had thrived in the 1980's and 90's.. Highlights during that period included my first solo exhibition ( which was in Provence France ) a group exhibition in Rome , a solo exhibition in Zagreb and a touring exhibition through Hamburg, Dortmund and Wurtzburg in Germany . With this international exposure under my belt it was time to focus on my homeland .
Exhibitions at some of Australia's best galleries in Melbourne, Sydney , Brisbane , Hobart and Canberra followed with solo shows in Singapore and Honolulu ..During the 1990's I embarked on a number of exhibitions which incorporated the new medium of computer generated images . A group exhibition at The National Gallery of Victoria was a highlight of this period .
Parallel to this professional experience in the art world I have continued to study both full time and part time to enrich my knowledge of art history and new techniques in creating prints and paintings . .