CRESSIDA CAMPBELL AT THE NATIONAL GALLERY OF AUSTRALIA
Left: Cressida Campbell, Journey Around My Room, 2019, woodblock printing.
Right: Cressida Campbell, Interior with Night Reflection, 2020, woodblock printing.
I was excited to see this exhibition during my brief stop in Canberra for two reasons. One I am a printmaker and love getting insights into other printers’ techniques; and two, this is a landmark exhibition. The first major summer exhibition of a living female artist at the National Gallery of Australia would be enough to celebrate, but the intricacies and beauty of the works themselves add another layer of intrigue to this show. How could I miss it?!
As an artist who has made art for over 40 years, I was intrigued to learn more about Campbell’s techniques and inspirations. I must confess I didn’t know much about the intricacies of Campbell’s process. However, I was blown away during the exhibition by learning about her unusual method. After drawing and etching the image onto a block of plywood, Campbell then applies multiple layers of watercolour paint. After misting the block with water, she lays her paper and rolls the back to create the print. (I also enjoyed the information about how this method came about during experimentation and advice from others). Following this, retouching and hand-painting occurs which results in a single-edition print. Showing both the woodblocks and the prints in some instances allowed even more understanding of the process. (I overheard many people discussing the technique in awe during my visit.) Campbell is inspired by the every day, her works showcasing the beauty found in well-loved rooms, unmade beds and familiar foods. Her attention to detail is focused on the mundane, elevating these objects.
Left: Cressida Campbell, The etching room, 1986, woodblock print.
Right: Cressida Campbell, The lithographic studio, 1986, woodblock print.
Divided into thematic sections, this exhibition invites the viewer to walk through the artist’s life. Presented as ‘Still Life’, ‘Journey around my house’, ‘Plants’, ‘Studio’, ‘Bushland’ and finally ‘Waterways’, these incredible technical artworks are shown to their best advantage. Perhaps as an artist myself it is obvious that my favourite section is ‘Studio’. I was especially taken with the images of printing studios, familiar-looking presses making me smile.
The audio tour was a delightful way to hear from the curator, Sarina Noordhuis-Fairfax and Cressida Campbell about the exhibition and delivered an informative and conversational journey. And the final stop in the tour - a sketching table with numerous colourful objects under perspex - was a delightful way to sit and consider what I had just seen. A way to continue the peaceful feeling of the exhibition itself.
As one of Australia’s most successful artists, it was an honour to be able to view such a large collection of Campbell’s works. I highly recommend you see this exhibition if you can.
Left and Right: Installation views of the exhibition.