On show from 24 October - 9 November, this exhibition celebrates the rich history and bright future of the George Paton Gallery through a curated exhibition and suite of public programs.
Mickey Allen, Vivienne Binns, Janet Burchill, Moorina Bonini, Sophie Cassar, Trent Crawford, Grace Culley, Nicholas Currie, The Donkey's Tail, Essendon Airport, Ebony Hickey, Olivia Koh, Maria Kozic, Spencer Lai, Sam Petersen, Tina Stefanou, Alex Selenitsch, John Young
Duration: 24 October - 9 November 2024
Opening Celebration: 5-7pm Thursday 24 October
The George Paton Gallery, part of the University of Melbourne’s Student Union, has been a pivotal space in Australia’s contemporary art scene since the 1970s. Renowned for as a genesis point for some of Australia’s most well-known artists, writers and curators, the gallery has a rich history of fostering experimentation, new media, and innovative artistic practices. For 50 years the George Paton Gallery has played a crucial role in championing progressive art movements, encouraged new media such as video and performance art and provided a forum for ideas, debate and innovation. The gallery continues to be a vibrant platform for emerging art and ideas, presenting a dynamic program of student artwork each year to diverse publics.
The Possibilities Are Immense: Fifty Years of the George Paton Gallery celebrates the rich history and bright future of the George Paton Gallery through a curated exhibition and suite of educational and participatory public programs. The exhibition will feature artworks and archival materials that span the half-century of the gallery's operations, celebrating the contributions made by successive generations of experimental artists, arts workers, art historians, students and academics. The exhibition takes its title from an exhibition presented in 1973, under the directorship of Kiffy Rubbo, The Possibilities Are Immense - A Participatory Exhibition. This new exhibition reflects on the gallery's important impact on Australian art history, its ongoing commitment to fostering innovative emerging artistic practices, and its contemporary pedagogical responsibility as part of the Student Union at the University of Melbourne.
Vivienne Binns' work appears courtesy of Sutton Gallery; Janet Burchill, Maria Kozic, and Spencer Lai's work appears courtesy of Neon Parc; and Trent Crawford's work appears courtesy of Animal House Fine Arts.