I curated an exhibition at the Hawthorn Art Gallery in 1979 as a proposal for establishment of a exhibition space for art films, film art, and artists. It ran for two weeks, I bought the wine and cheese, the projector, U-matic and paid for some telecine transfers. Jim Clayden, Michael Lee and Jonas Balsaitis all went along with the idea, Jim brought his Ad Hoc ‘band’ friends, musician Chris Knowles and artist David Wadelton, to play one evening.

The idea was that there were always videotapes by the artists being displayed, that visitors could watch during day visits, and there were screenings at night and weekends. It was a grand space and we rattled around in it. Anything similar we decided needed a custom space, friendly, coffee. Would it pay for itself? Maybe if there were artwork sales and standard commissions, entry fees.That’d take the fun out wouldn’t it?

 

WEDNESDAY, 23rd August:
Exhibition open 1.00pm,
Videotapes available for viewing. Screening 8.00pm.
Programme One: Balsaitis and Lee .
Balsaitis’ “Processed Process.”
Short early films by Michael Lee “National
Geographic” “Black Fungus”

FRIDAY 25th
Gallery open in afternoon,
Videotapes available for viewing. Screening 8.00pm.
Programme Two: Balsaitis’ “Space Time Structures” and Lee “Mystical Rose”

SATURDAY 26th
Exhibition opens 3.00pm.
Screening of films by Film and TV students at Swinburne College.
Closes 5.00pm.

WEDNESDAY, 30th:
Exhibition open 1.00pm,
Videotapes available for viewing. Screening at 8.00pm.
Corinne and Arthur Cantrill’s “At Uluru”.

SATURDAY, 2nd September: Gallery open 2.00pm.
Special programme of videotapes. I played my Pre-Raphaelite tape.
Closes 5.00pm.

TUESDAY, 5th:
Exhibition opens 7.00pm.
Again with Wine and Cheese
and Opening Night music by James Clayden, Chris Knowles, David Wadelton and David Brown .
Films by James Clayden.

THURSDAY 7th
Exhibition open 1.00pm.
Videotapes available for viewing,Screening, 8.00pm.
Programme One of James Clayden.