Presented by 4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Art, Drawn by stones is a touring exhibition on view at Gallery Lane Cove + Studios from 6 April - 14 May 2022.

Drawn by stones brings together artists who utilise the ceramic medium to interrogate contested histories, stolen land, Indigenous sovereignty, and national identity. Exhibiting artists from Australia, Hong Kong and Taiwan investigate ‘nationhood’ and ownership through ceramics and demonstrate how the ceramic form can both memorialise and tell alternative histories. 

Taking its title from Marvin Bell’s 1984 poem Drawn by Stones, by Earth, by Things That Have Been in the Fire, this exhibition recognises that the foundations of ceramic practice lie in the earth – and through the work of exhibiting artists, aims to expand the relevance of ceramic histories, dialogues and interrogations of land, place, sovereignty and ownership across Asia and Australia.

Originally iterated as a small exhibition project for 4A Centre’s Haymarket gallery, Drawn by stones has captured a strong interest nationally, and is now a major touring project, which premiered in 2021 at Counihan Gallery in Brunswick on Wurundjeri land. From 2022, the exhibition expands to tour nationally with works from Dean Cross, Ray Chan, and Wen-Hsi Harman, newly- commissioned pieces by Penny Evans, Ruth Ju-Shih Li and Jody Rallah, as well as a  community-engaged array of public programs.

Drawn by stones exhibition curator Bridie Moran says: 

“Drawn by stones is a ‘ceramics exhibition’ but what connects these artists’ work is their engagement with the base material of ceramics - clay. Drawn from the land, clay material has meaning beyond simply shaping objects. For the artists in Drawn by stones, clay symbolises and is country, home, nationhood and a means of exchange. Myself, the artists and our creative team are so delighted to bring this major 4A project to Gallery Lane Cove + Creative Studios, a place of making, community and connection. ”

Gallery Lane Cove + Creative Studios Manager & Curator, Rachael Kiang, says: “Ceramics, the place of craft in contemporary art and community engagement are key areas of focus for Gallery Lane Cove + Creative Studios’ program. Drawn by stones encompasses all three. We couldn’t be more thrilled with the opportunity to collaborate with 4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Art for a co-presentation of a significant touring exhibition investigating the importance of clay in cultural narratives. In particular, the project’s initiative of clay exchanges with the local indigenous community helps enrich cross-cultural understanding and we are delighted to be able to support this. “

Drawn by stones is curated by Bridie Moran with Assistant Curators Jody Rallah and Annette An-Jen Liu.

Access the exhibition roomsheet here.

Stay tuned for an announcement of our Drawn by stones public program via the 4A website and Gallery Lane Cove + Creative Studios website.

Drawn by stones premiered in 2021 at Counihan Gallery in Brunswick and will tour 2022 to Gallery Lane Cove, Watch This Space in Alice Springs, and Wollongong Art Gallery. In 2021, Drawn by stones was curated by Bridie Moran with Assistant Curator Annette An-Jen Liu as part of the Curatorial Assistant Program mentorship (2020-2021) at 4A. Development support for Drawn by stones has been provided by the Ministry of Culture Taiwan and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Sydney, and The Gordon Darling Foundation. Monuments was a solo presentation by Dean Cross held at 4A from 13 August - 1 October 2020 as a precursor and grounding work to Drawn by stones.

ABOUT 4A CENTRE FOR CONTEMPORARY ASIAN ART

4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Art (4A) is an independent not-for-profit organisation based in Sydney, Australia. 4A fosters excellence and innovation in contemporary culture through the commissioning, presentation, documentation and research of contemporary art. 

Our program is presented throughout Australia and Asia, where we ensure that contemporary art plays a central role in understanding and developing the dynamic relationship between Australia and the wider Asian region. 

4A has been a leader in Asian contemporary art in Australia since 1996. In the decades since, we have established a highly respected reputation among artists and audiences, and within an expanding network of international art institution peers.  Our long history and ongoing work across Asia is recognised as having raised awareness of Asian-Australian art and culture. We continue to celebrate Australia’s diverse cultural heritage and growing links throughout the wider Asian region.

ABOUT GALLERY LANE COVE + CREATIVE STUDIOS

Gallery Lane Cove + Creative Studios is a not-for-profit art centre located in the heart of Lane Cove. Funded in part by Lane Cove Council, it is managed by Centrehouse Inc., a local community arts organisation which has been operating art and language classes in Lane Cove for over 45 years. ​ Gallery Lane Cove + Creative Studios comprise of two key areas of operations - the Gallery, which opened in 2012 and the Creative Studios, which operates from its newly refurbished premises since July 2018. The Gallery  presents a diverse exhibition program from modern to contemporary art, featuring works by emerging and established, local, national and international artists. It encourages the development and presentation of innovative contemporary art practices while continuing to support traditional approaches and disciplines. ​ 

In June 2018, the new Creative Studios facility comprising Painting/Drawing, Textiles, Printmaking and Ceramics studio spaces  was launched. Co-located in the same building as the gallery, it  offers three artist studio spaces for hire as well as residency programs. The rebranded arts centre runs a rich variety of term classes, workshops and masterclasses across the disciplines of painting (mixed-media, acrylic and watercolour), drawing, life-drawing, textiles (printing, embroidery, sewing, knitting, stitching), printmaking and ceramics. ​ Gallery Lane Cove + Creative Studios is committed to developing visual arts in Lane Cove and the greater North Shore through its integrated gallery and studios program. It encourages collaboration across regions and disciplines and fosters creative exchange.

Image: Ray Chan See Kwong, NEW RE NEW (detail), 2018, commissioned by 4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Art, 2021; photo: Christian Capurro.