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
You are viewing the version of bio from Jan. 4, 2012, 7:15 p.m. , as edited by Joanna Mendelssohn (moderator approved).
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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
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

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Date modified Jan. 4, 2012, 7:15 p.m. Jan. 4, 2012, 6:48 p.m.
Roles
  • Artist (Painter)
  • Artist (Printmaker)
  • Artist (Cartoonist / Illustrator)
  • Designer
  • Artist (Ceramist)
  • Artist (Painter)
  • Artist (Printmaker)
  • Artist (Cartoonist / Illustrator)
  • Designer
Residences
  • 1928 - 1934 Newcastle, NSW
  • 1934 - 1955 Sydney, NSW
  • 1955 - c.1956 Melbourne, Vic.
  • 1956 Victoria Street, Woolloomooloo, Sydney, New South Wales
  • 1956 - 1959 London, France, Spain, Europe
  • 1960 - 1962 Victoria Street, Woolloomooloo, Sydney, New South Wales
  • 1962 Hill End, NSW, Australia
  • 1963 Yarramalong, NSW, Australia
  • 1963 - 1965 Watsons Bay, Sydney, NSW
  • 1965 - 1967 USA, France, Portugal, England
  • 1967 - 1968 Watsons Bay, Sydney, NSW
  • 1969 - 1971 Dunmoochin, Cottles Bridge, VIC, Australia
  • 1971 - c.1973 Watsons Bay, Sydney, NSW
  • c.1972 - 1980 Dural, NSW
  • 1980 - 1981 Wagga Wagga, NSW
  • July 1981 - Clarendon, Adelaide Hills, SA
  • 1928 - 1934 Newcastle, NSW
  • 1934 - 1955 Sydney, NSW
  • 1955 - c.1956 Melbourne, Vic.
  • 1956 Victoria Street, Woolloomooloo, Sydney, New South Wales
  • 1956 - 1959 London, France, Spain, Europe
  • 1960 - 1962 Victoria Street, Woolloomooloo, Sydney, New South Wales
  • 1962 Hill End, NSW, Australia
  • 1963 Yarramalong, NSW, Australia
  • 1963 - 1965 Watsons Bay, Sydney, NSW
  • July 1965 - 1967 USA, France, Portugal, England
Other occupations
  • Clerk (ANZSIC code: 33) 1944 - c.1945 Elders Smith, Sydney, NSW, Australia
  • Cleaner (ANZSIC code: 84) 1950 - c.1954 Clinic for crippled children, North Sydney, NSW, Australia
  • art master (ANZSIC code: 802) 1956 Moreland High School, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
  • Teaching painting (ANZSIC code: 810) 1960 - 1964 East Sydney Technical College, Darlinghurst, NSW
  • Art lecturer (ANZSIC code: 810) 1960 - 1964 University of New South Wales, Kensington, NSW
  • Art teacher (ANZSIC code: 810) 1960 - 1964 Desiderius ("Deo") Orban's studio, Sydney, NSW
  • Teacher of art (ANZSIC code: 82) 1960 - c.1965 Mary White Art School, The Rocks, Sydney, NSW
  • Proprietor and teacher (ANZSIC code: 821) 1968 Bakery Art School, Sydney, NSW
  • Clerk (ANZSIC code: 33) 1944 - c.1945 Elders Smith, Sydney, NSW, Australia
  • Cleaner (ANZSIC code: 84) 1950 - c.1954 Clinic for crippled children, North Sydney, NSW, Australia
  • art master (ANZSIC code: 802) 1956 Moreland High School, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
  • Teaching painting (ANZSIC code: 810) 1960 - 1964 East Sydney Technical College, Darlinghurst, NSW
  • Art lecturer (ANZSIC code: 810) 1960 - 1964 University of New South Wales, Kensington, NSW
  • Art teacher (ANZSIC code: 810) 1960 - 1964 Desiderius ("Deo") Orban's studio, Sydney, NSW
Related people
  • Flower, Mary (spouse of)
  • Klippel, Robert (friend of)
  • Rose, William (friend of)
  • Smith, Eric (friend of)
  • Lanceley, Colin (associate of)
  • Perceval, John (associate of)
  • Boyd, Arthur (associate of)
  • Pugh, Clifton (friend of)
  • Howley, John (associate of)
  • Mora, Mirka Madeleine (associate of)
  • Drysdale, Russell (friend of)
  • Strong, Valerie (spouse of)
  • Olsen, Jane (parent of)
  • Olsen, Tim (parent of)
  • Olsen, Louise (parent of)
  • Williams, Fred (associate of)
  • Hjorth, Noela Jane (spouse of)
  • Flower, Mary (spouse of)
  • Klippel, Robert (friend of)
  • Rose, William (friend of)
  • Smith, Eric (friend of)
  • Lanceley, Colin (associate of)
  • Perceval, John (associate of)
  • Boyd, Arthur (associate of)
  • Pugh, Clifton (associate of)
  • Howley, John (associate of)
  • Mora, Mirka Madeleine (associate of)
  • Drysdale, Russell (friend of)
  • Strong, Valerie (spouse of)
  • Olsen, Jane (parent of)
  • Olsen, Tim (parent of)
  • Olsen, Louise (parent of)