The Development of a Print Culture in South Australia Post-WWII to 2008: institutions, politics and personalities
Date
2017
Authors
Longley, Dianne Clare
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Abstract
In this thesis, there is an investigation into the factors that
contributed to the ascendancy of printmaking in South Australia
in the 1960s and the development of political printmaking in the
1970s. An analysis of key individuals is contextualised within
the institutional and political frameworks operating in Adelaide
at this time.
An important aspect of this thesis is the examination of the
transition from teaching craft and trade-based print subjects to
fine art printmaking courses at the South Australian School of
Art (SASA), one of the oldest art schools in Australia. Some of
the research was based on the SASA archival material at the
University of South Australia, which included the prospectus
booklets, presentation of diplomas and prizes leaflets, SASA
principal’s reports, and The Advertiser newspaper listings of
students’ results.
Paul Beadle and Charles Bannon were responsible for key
developments in printmaking in South Australia. Beadle was a
dynamic and far-sighted principal of the SASA from 1958-60.
Bannon taught at St Peter’s College, where he instituted a
‘Bauhaus-style’ education methodology in the preparatory
school. When Bannon was placed in charge of high school classes,
he chose German printmaker Udo Sellbach to carry on his
educational methods in the preparatory school. Beadle invited
Sellbach to set up a graphics studio at the SASA and Sellbach and
his then wife, Karin Schepers, became leading figures in the
revitalisation of fine art printmaking in South Australia.
Case studies of Charles Bannon, Barbara Hanrahan, Ann Newmarch
and Olga Sankey are employed to extend the thesis narrative of
printmaking education and professionalism in South Australia. In
each case study, the formative years, studies, overseas travel
and printmaking careers are considered in relation to their
contribution to printmaking in South Australia.
Despite the outstanding achievements of printmaking in Adelaide
in the 1960s and 1970s, this has been a neglected area of
research. In this thesis, important new research is presented and
a number of reasons are canvassed as to why there was a
subsequent contraction in printmaking in South Australia,
especially in relation to the national context.
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Keywords
Australian printmaking, printmaking South Australia, Imprint magazine, printmaking Australia, Contemporary Art Society of SA, Royal South Australian Society of Arts, St Peter’s College, South Australian School of Art, Jacqueline Hick, Charles Bannon, Udo Sellbach, Paul Beadle, Karin Schepers, Jennifer Marshall, Barbara Hanrahan, Ann Newmarch, Olga Sankey, Print Council of Australia, Geoffrey Brown, Sasha Grishin, Dianne Longley
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Thesis (PhD)