John Olsen b. 1928

Also known as John Henry Olsen
  • Artist (Painter),
  • Artist (Printmaker),
  • Artist (Cartoonist / Illustrator),
  • Designer ,
  • Artist (Ceramist)
John Olsen's exuberant paintings, which were first exhibited in Sydney in the 1950s, are often celebrations of Sydney, Majorca, marine life, good food and sunshine. He is an abstract artist whose work remains grounded in the landscape or in evocations of poetry, a painter whose distinctive curvilinear style continually pays homage to the quality of a wanderingline.
Tags: Sydney abstraction, Art and food, Archibald Prize
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exhibited at
Arthur Boyd: family and friends
Date
1997
Place
Ballarat Fine Art Gallery, Ballarat, VIC
Description

Toured by the Bundanon Trust. This exhibition spanned 60 years of Arthur Boyd’s career – from his first oil painting in 1933, spanning 4 generations of the Boyd family, the 81 works in this exhibition also included work by the friends of Arthur and Yvonne Boyd, Sidney Nolan, Joy Hester, Charles Blackman, Leonard French, Brett Whiteley, John Perceval and John Olsen.

Source: Solo Survey Exhibition Linkage Project, Tasmanian School of Art, UTAS
BFAG annual report; AGNSW Library catalogue

Exhibition Catalogue:
Chaulker, David (ed), Arthur Boyd: family and friends. West Cambewarra, NSW: Bundanon Trust, 1997.
ISBN 064634353X

Type
Exhibition
Tags
Retrospective, Group, Painting
exhibited at
You beaut country: the art of John Olsen
Date
1995
Place
Museums and Art Galleries of the Northern Territory, Darwin, NT
Description

Paintings and prints from the permanent collection of the MAGNT.

Source: Solo Survey Exhibition Linkage Project, Tasmanian School of Art, UTAS
NT annual report

Type
Exhibition
Tags
Major Solo, Painting, Printmaking
exhibited at
John Olsen retrospective
Date
1991
Place
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, VIC
Description

An NGV touring exhibition

Source: Solo Survey Exhibition Linkage Project, Tasmanian School of Art, UTAS
NGV annual report; UTAS catalogue

Exhibition Catalogue:
Hart, Deborah, John Olsen. Tortola, BVI : Craftsman House, c1991.
ISBN 9768097140

Type
Exhibition
Tags
Retrospective, Painting
exhibited at
John Olsen: encounters with drawing
Date
1987
Place
Wollongong City Gallery, Wollongong, NSW
Description

Source: Solo Survey Exhibition Linkage Project, Tasmanian School of Art, UTAS
Wollongong Art Museum annual report 1987

Type
Exhibition
Tags
Major Solo, Drawing
exhibited at
John Olsen: paintings and drawings from the permanent collection
Date
1986
Place
Museums and Art Galleries of the Northern Territory, Darwin, NT
Description

Source: Solo Survey Exhibition Linkage Project, Tasmanian School of Art, UTAS
NT annual report

Type
Exhibition
Tags
Major Solo, Painting, Drawing
exhibited at
John Olsen: in search of the open country
Date
1986
Place
Heide Museum of Modern Art, Melbourne, VIC
Description

Source: Solo Survey Exhibition Linkage Project, Tasmanian School of Art, UTAS
Heide exhibition archive; AGNSW Library catalogue

Exhibition Catalogue:
John Olsen: in search of open country 1961-1986. Bulleen, Vic: Heide Park and Art Gallery, c1986
ISBN 0947104003

Type
Exhibition
Tags
Major Solo, Painting
exhibited at
John Olsen: the land beyond time
Date
1984
Place
Art Gallery of Western Australia, Perth, WA
Description

Organised by AGWA, sponsored by the Christensen Fund. In 1982-1983 a team comprising John Olsen, Dame Mary Durack, Vincent Serventy, Geoffrey Dutton and others, made a 'modern’ exploration of the North-West of WA, John Olsen’s paintings and drawings from this expedition are a unique collection, which, with his sketch books, notes and photographs, form a complete record of experiences over 15 months and the results of his unrivalled talent to express the richness of colour, the diversity of life and the vastness of this country.

Source: Solo Survey Exhibition Linkage Project, Tasmanian School of Art, UTAS
AGWA annual report; UTAS catalogue

Exhibition Catalogue:
Olsen, John …et al, The land beyond time : a modern exploration of Australia’s North-West frontiers. South Melbourne : Macmillan, 1984
ISBN 0333357051

Type
Exhibition
Tags
Major Solo, Painting, Drawing
exhibited at
John Olsen
Date
1985
Place
Newcastle Region Art Gallery, Newcastle, NSW
Description

Source: Solo Survey Exhibition Linkage Project, Tasmanian School of Art, UTAS
Newcastle Region Gallery exhibition archive

Type
Exhibition
Tags
Major Solo, Painting
exhibited at
John Olsen: selected graphics
Date
1983
Place
Art Gallery of Western Australia, Perth, WA
Description

60 etchings, aquatints, colour lithographs and silkscreen prints from 1957-1981 show Olsen’s view of Australia and the 'myriad creatures’ that inhabit it. From the Christensen Fund Collection.

Source: Solo Survey Exhibition Linkage Project, Tasmanian School of Art, UTAS
AGWA annual report; AGNSW Library catalogue

Exhibition Catalogue:
John Olsen: selected graphics. [Perth, WA]: Art Gallery of Western Australia, 1983
ISBN 0724467807

Type
Exhibition
Tags
Solo Survey, Printmaking
exhibited at
Spring Festival of Drawing
Date
19 September 1975 - 24 November 1975
Place
Mornington Peninsula Arts Centre, Vic.
Type
Exhibition
Tags
Arts Victoria 75
exhibited at
John Olsen
Date
1975
Place
Institute of Modern Art, Brisbane, QLD
Description

Source: Solo Survey Exhibition Linkage Project, Tasmanian School of Art, UTAS
Institute of Modern Art exhibition archive

Type
Exhibition
Tags
Major Solo, Painting
exhibited at
Save Victoria Street
Date
13 May 1973 - 20 May 1973
Place
Save Victoria Street campaign headquarters, 109 Victoria Street, Potts Point, New South Wales
Type
Exhibition
exhibited at
The Australian Landscape
Date
1972 - 1973
Place
Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide, SA
Description

“The Australian Landscape” was a national touring exhibition organised by the Australian Gallery Directors’ Council in 1972. The organising gallery was the Art Gallery of South Australia, and the curators were Daniel Thomas (Art Gallery of New South Wales) Ian North (Art Gallery of South Australia) and Frances McCarthy [later Lindsay] (National Gallery of Victoria). Generous funding from the Peter Stuyvesant foundation enabled the curators to travel the country together in order to make considered judgements.
The exhibition opened at the Art Gallery of South Australia on 3 March 1972, and toured to the Western Australian Art Gallery, National Gallery of Victoria, Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, Australian National Gallery (temporary premises), Art Gallery of New South Wales, Newcastle City Art Gallery, and the Queensland Art Gallery.
The catalogue introduction claims that the exhibition comprised of 'fifty-five of the best Australian landscapes ever executed’. It was characterised by a breadth of vision, with works from every state – including regional galleries and private collections. It is distinguished by having a greater emphasis on colonial works than previous exhibitions, and elevating the reputation of Eugene Von Guerard and John Glover.
There were only two works by women – Grace Cossington Smith and Margaret Preston– and none by any Aboriginal artist.

Type
Exhibition
exhibited at
Arts Vietnam
Date
3 October 1968 - October 1968
Place
Gallery A, Sydney, NSW
Type
Exhibition
Tags
Gallery A Sydney
exhibited at
Janet Dawson: Colin Lanceley: Robert Klippel: John Olsen
Date
November 1964
Place
Gallery A, Sydney, NSW
Description

inaugural exhibition at Gallery A, Sydney

Type
Exhibition
Tags
Gallery A Sydney
exhibited at
Recent Australian Painting
Date
June 1961 - July 1961
Place
Whitechapel Gallery, London, UK
Type
Exhibition
exhibited at
Direction 1
Date
4 December 1956 - 10 December 1956
Place
Macquarie Galleries, Sydney, NSW
Type
Exhibition
exhibited at
Pacific Loan Exhibition: Contemporary Australian Painting
Date
1956
Type
Exhibition
exhibited at
NSW Society of Artists' Annual Exhibition
Date
28 August 1953 - 14 September 1953
Place
Education Department Gallery, Sydney, NSW
Type
Exhibition

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Related events
  • The Australian Landscape (exhibited at)
  • Direction 1 (exhibited at)
  • Pacific Loan Exhibition: Contemporary Australian Painting (exhibited at)
  • John Olsen: selected graphics (exhibited at)
  • John Olsen: the land beyond time (exhibited at)
  • John Olsen retrospective (exhibited at)
  • John Olsen: paintings and drawings from the permanent collection (exhibited at)
  • John Olsen: encounters with drawing (exhibited at)
  • John Olsen (exhibited at)
  • You beaut country: the art of John Olsen (exhibited at)
  • John Olsen (exhibited at)
  • Arthur Boyd: family and friends (exhibited at)
  • John Olsen: in search of the open country (exhibited at)
  • Recent Australian Painting (exhibited at)
  • NSW Society of Artists' Annual Exhibition (exhibited at)
  • Save Victoria Street (exhibited at)
  • Spring Festival of Drawing (exhibited at)
  • Arts Vietnam (exhibited at)
  • Janet Dawson: Colin Lanceley: Robert Klippel: John Olsen (exhibited at)
  • The Australian Landscape (exhibited at)
  • Direction 1 (exhibited at)
  • Pacific Loan Exhibition: Contemporary Australian Painting (exhibited at)
  • John Olsen: selected graphics (exhibited at)
  • John Olsen: the land beyond time (exhibited at)
  • John Olsen retrospective (exhibited at)
  • John Olsen: paintings and drawings from the permanent collection (exhibited at)
  • John Olsen: encounters with drawing (exhibited at)
  • John Olsen (exhibited at)
  • You beaut country: the art of John Olsen (exhibited at)
  • John Olsen (exhibited at)
  • Arthur Boyd: family and friends (exhibited at)
  • John Olsen: in search of the open country (exhibited at)
  • Recent Australian Painting (exhibited at)
  • NSW Society of Artists' Annual Exhibition (exhibited at)
  • Save Victoria Street (exhibited at)
  • Spring Festival of Drawing (exhibited at)
  • Arts Vietnam (exhibited at)