Penny Evans is a contemporary Australian Aboriginal artist. She was born in 1966 in Sydney. She mainly works in ceramics but also creates works from mixed media and also produces films.
Penny Evans has received several prestigious awards and distinctions, including the National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Award, People's Choice in 2016, which crystallizes the public's enthusiasm for her work. She was a finalist for the famous Telstra National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Award for two consecutive years, in 2016 and 2017.
The recurring motifs she applies to her ceramics, as well as her characteristic use of the sgraffito technique, recall the Gamilaraay / Gomeroi traditions of engraving on bark, on emu eggs or everyday objects, as well as the practice of floor engraving used in the context of ceremonies, for various communications or even narration. They evoke his cultural heritage and allow him to perpetuate the traditional artistic practices received from his ancestors.
Solo exhibitions:
2018 - Death to a Stereotype , Lismore Regional Gallery, NSW
2017 - YiiY: A Method to Decolonize , Grafton Regional Gallery
2014 - The AB-sorption Method , Lismore regional Gallery, NSW
2010 - Releasing Walka, CoFAspace Gallery Paddington, Sydney
2009 - Souvenir, Barratt Galleries, Alstonville NSW
2008 - Site, Barratt Galleries, Alstonville NSW
Exhibitions:
2018 - Measured Response , National Art School Darlinghurst Sydney, NSW
2018 - Badu Gili , NAIDOC 2018, Screening of work on Sails, Sydney Opera House, NSW
2018 - Death to a Stereotype , Lismore Regional Gallery, NSW
2018 - Sensual Nature , Fremantle Arts Centre, Fremantle, Western Australia
2017 - Balun Gilamahla – River Journey , Weaving Project, NORPA, Lismore City Hall, NSW
2017 - YiiY: A Method to Decolonize , solo exhibition at Grafton Regional Gallery, NSW
2017 - We're Closer Than You Think , Old Lismore Regional Gallery, Lismore NSW
2017 - Walan Yinaagirbang / Strong Women , First Draft, Sydney
2016 - Black Arts Market, Carriageworks, Sydney
2016 - Gold Coast International Ceramic Art Award Exhibition, Gold Coast City Gallery, QLD
2016 - International Exhibition of Contemporary Ceramics, International Academy of Ceramics, Barcelona, Spain
2016 - Sensations: Accessing Collections , Grafton Regional Gallery
2016 - Bootheram Bundjalung , City Hall, Lismore NSW
2015 - CVIAA Exhibition, Grafton Regional Gallery
2015 - Tarnanthi Festival, Art Gallery of South Australia
2015 - Brand X , Campbell Street, Surry Hills, Sydney
2014 - The AB-Sorption Method , solo exhibition, Lismore Regional Gallery, NSW
2014 - Corroboree, Black Art Market, Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney
2014 - Tamworth Textile Triennial, Tamworth Regional Gallery, UTS Gallery Sydney
2014 - NSW Parliament Aboriginal Art Award, Parliament House Sydney
2013 - NSW Parliament Aboriginal Art Award, Parliament House Sydney
2012 - Jugul: Indigenous Artists Book Project Exhibition , Northern Rivers Community Gallery, Ballina NSW
2010 - A Spiritual Journey, Barratt Galleries, Alstonville NSW
2010 - The Hanky Project ; Barratt Galleries, Alstonville NSW
2010 - Lest we Forget, Daily & Quixotic Gallery, Alstonville NSW
2009 - Souvenir, solo exhibition at Barratt Galleries, Alstonville NSW
2009 - NSW Parliament Prize for Aboriginal Artists, Parliament House Sydney
2009 - NPWS Aboriginal Art Award, Northern Rivers Community Gallery
2009 - Lismore Regional Gallery opening of The Olley Shop, Wyrallah Ware Ceramics
2009 - Retrospect Galleries Byron Bay NSW - Publication launch of 'A Special Kind of Vision'
2009 - Art of the Bundjalung Nation Exhibition, City Hall Lismore
2008 - NSW Parliament Prize for Indigenous Artists , Parliament House Sydney
2008 – NPW Aboriginal Art Award Exhibition , Tweed River Regional Gallery
2008 - The Year of the Apology Exhibition, Northern Rivers Community Art Gallery Ballina NSW
2008 - Barratt Galleries Alstonville NSW
2007 - Grafton Regional Gallery NPW Aboriginal Art Award
2002 - Boomalli Aboriginal Arts Cooperative Ltd “CommUnity”, A Post Naidoc Exhibition Sydney
2001 - Sydney Opera House – The Studio Foyer “Freedom Ride 2001″ Exhibition
2001 - Walkabout Indigenous Art Gallery Sydney
2001 - Gondwana Indigenous Art Gallery, Alice Springs
2000 - Munich International Crafts Fair, Germany
1999 - Australian Craft Show Sydney
1999 - Munich International Crafts Fair , Germany
1998 - Australian Craft Show Sydney
1997-2001 - Gavala Aboriginal and Cultural Center Sydney “Gamilaroi Ceramics Collection”
1997 - Casula Powerhouse Arts Center Sydney “Home Brand” Contemporary Australian Ceramics
1994-2002 - Chowk Newtown Sydney
1994 - Craftspace Sydney
1993-1994 - Bare Gallery Newtown Sydney
1990 - Sydney College of Arts Graduate Show “Postpartum”
Awards and Residences, anthology:
2017 - 34th Telstra National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Award Finalist
2017 - Revelation, Fremantle Arts Centre, Western Australia
2016 - Winner of the National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Award Peoples Choice
2016 - Finalist, Gold Coast International Ceramic Art Award
2016 - 33rd Telstra National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Award Finalist
2016 - Winner of the Australia Council for the Arts Fellowship
2015 - Winner, Clarence Valley Indigenous Art Award
2013 - Winner of the NSW Regional Indigenous Art Fund
2012 - Artist residency, Bangalow Primary School, NSW (20 week residency)
2012 - Jugul, Indigenous Artists Book Project Northern Rivers Community Gallery
2010 - Residency, CoFA Printmaking Department Paddington Sydney
2010 - Parliament of NSW Aboriginal Art Award Finalist
2009 - Winner of the Clarence Valley Indigenous Art Award Encouragement Award Grafton Regional Gallery
2009 - Winner of the Parliament of NSW Aboriginal Art Prize Professional Development Award
2009 - 1st Prize - NPWS Aboriginal Art Award
2009 – Artist Residency , Northern Rivers Community Gallery
2008 - Parliament of NSW Aboriginal Art Award Finalist
Publications:
2018 - Journal of Australian Ceramics, cover and article, April
2017 - Art Collector, issue 82, October-December, Telstra NATSIAA Awards – Pick of the Crop
2017 - SL – State Library NSW Magazine for Members, Spring 2017 – Artist Books – new acquisitions
2017 - Art Collector, issue 80, April-June
2017 - The Journal of Australian Ceramics, Vol 56 No 1, April
2016 - Yarombil
2016 - Terra Art, Revista Ceramica Contemporania, Barcelona, Spain
2016 - The Australian Journal of Ceramics
2015 - C-File International Ceramics News & Review Journal published by Garth Cark
2014 - The Ab-sorption Method, How I see Myself, Essay by Djon Mundine OAM
2012 - Oxfam Calendar & Card Project
2012 - Cover for Journal of Indigenous Policy, Issue 13, Sydney University Press
2011 - Oxfam Card & Calendar Project
2011 - Cover for the Business Council of Australia Annual Review
2009 - ' A Special Kind of Vision ' – an Arts Northern Rivers publication showcasing contemporary Aboriginal art from the Northern Rivers region
2008 – The Journal of Australian Ceramics , Issue 47/2, Gallery Section
2001 - Sydney Morning Herald Article “Freedom Ride Artist Profile”
Institutional collections:
2018 - Shepparton Art Museum (SAM), Victoria
2016 - Gold Coast City Gallery Ceramics Collection
2016 - State Library of NSW Mitchell Library Collection
2015 - Grafton Regional Gallery
2014 - Tamworth Regional Gallery
2013 - State Library of Victoria, Rare Books Collection
2012 - State Library of Queensland Artist Book Collection
2011 - Manly Regional Gallery
2010 - National Gallery of Australia
2009 - Grafton Regional Gallery
Movies:
2014 - The AB-sorption Method, short film, duration: 8 min 40 sec
2013 - The Girls of Goonellabah, short film , duration: 14 min
Image caption:
Penny Evans
© photo courtesy Neshko Garch