JANET LAURENCE artist residency talk at State Buildings in Perth

This week Janet Laurence will travel to Perth to take up an artist's residency in the iconic State Buildings in Perth.

During August, audiences will be invited to visit Laurence's studio and observe her process, from her exploration of initial concepts and materials, to how these emerge within her practice.

On 9 August, visitors can do just that, with a private viewing of Laurence's latest work where the artist will discuss her artistic journey, creative process, and the environmental themes that influence her work. This will be followed by an afternoon tea of finely curated teas and luxurious treats.

See @statebuildings website for bookings.

JANET LAURENCE finalist the 2024 William & Winifred Bowness Photography Prize

Congratulations Janet Laurence who has been selected as a finalist for the 2024 William & Winifred Bowness Photography Prize.

Janet is one of the 74 finalists that comprise this year's shortlist: one of the largest in the 19-year history of the prize. The judging panel considered close to 750 entries: Dr Peta Clancy, Brett Rogers OBE, and MAPh Director Anouska Phizacklea worked through the submissions to select a diverse representation of contemporary Australian photography in this year’s Bowness Photography Prize.

IMAGE: Janet Laurence, Moss water ice temperature rising, 2024, chromogenic print, oil paint, acrylic, 150.0 x 100.0 cm

JANET LAURENCE at Curtin University

Watch this magnificent behind-the-scenes film documenting Janet Laurence’s permanent site-specific installation CLIFF, installed at The School of Design and the Built Environment Building, at Curtin University, Perth.

“Imagine you are climbing a cliff, as you ascend the viewing staircase. CLIFF brings you the earth, not as a representation but as presentation of Earth itself, in the form of rocks each with its own story - of time, weather, movement, and formation." - Janet Laurence

This project was commissioned by Curtin University and completed with support from Event Engineering and Apparatus. The recently completed The School of Design building was designed by John Wardle Architects.

JANET LAURENCE - Tears of Dust

NEW PUBLICATION

Artist Janet Laurence created this captivating volume that encapsulates the many strands of her creative process and advocacy for the natural world that inform her exhibition 'Tears of dust', curated by MAPh Director Anouska Phizacklea.

Designed by Pidgeon Ward, this publication distills the essence of Laurence's practice into an artefact that marks not only this exhibition, but many years of inquiry, research and care. You can hear Laurence speak at the PHOTO 2024 Ideas Summit this Friday, where she'll be addressing 'Photography as activism' in 'The Alchemical Life: new ways of living on our fragile planet'.

'Tears of dust' is available in the MAPh shop via the link in our bio, where you can also find a link to purchase tickets for the Ideas Summit.

JANET LAURENCE x PHOTO 2024 Ideas Summit

ANET LAURENCE x PHOTO 2024 Ideas Summit

Janet Laurence is speaking in Melbourne at the PHOTO 2024 Ideas Summit. Her session is titled, 'Photography as Activism'.

Get tickets for this world first global forum, explore the future of photography.

Tickets are on sale now. Head to the offical PHOTO 2024 website for more details.

15 March
The Edge, Fed Square

Other speakers include:
Ryan McGinley (US)
Sunil Gupta (CA/UK)
Jahkarli Felicitas Romanis (Pitta Pitta)
Carmen Winant (US)
Boris Eldagsen (DE)
Sophia (SA)
Serwah Attafuah (AU, Ashanti/Akan)
Michael Najjar (DE)
Mark Andrejevic (AU)
Jo Duck (AU)
filip custic (ES/HR)
Kirsten Lyttle (Māori)
Janet Laurence (AU)
Isadora Romero (EC)
Daniel Jack Lyons (US)
Katrina Sluis (AU/UK)
Lauren Dunn (AU)
Dr Kirsten Garner Lyttle (Māori)

JANET LAURENCE solo exhibition 'Tears of Dust' opens at the Museum of Australian Photography (MAPh)

Janet Laurence’s immersive, multisensory installation Tears of dust reflects upon the fragility and power of the natural environment. Her intensely seductive and yet haunting evocations of the natural environment create encounters with our changing planet.

In this world premiere show, these wunderkammers (cabinets of curiosity) provide windows into our fragile ecosystem—of breathing forests, extreme weather events and dying glaciers—and offer a sense of connection with, and mourning of, our vanishing life world.

When encountering these familiar and yet otherworldly environments, we become profoundly aware of the interconnection of all life forms and the alchemical wonder of plants' ability to regenerate.

Janet Laurence, EDEN 11, Dye sublimation Photographs printed silk veils, video. Photo: Jackie Manning

MURRAY FREDERICKS AND JANET LAURENCE at Sydney Contemporary

ARC ONE Gallery has brought together two giants of contemporary Australian art. A strong visual heartbeat runs through the new work of MURRAY FREDERICKS and JANET LAURENCE, who are presenting the extremities of fire and ice at Sydney Contemporary.

Murray Fredericks’ much-anticipated series BLAZE is debuting in Australia at the fair. Using non-destructive methods, Fredericks creates phantastic images of fire and flood by conjuring dramatic fires within vast deluged river systems. Janet Laurence presents an extraordinary new body of work addressing her passionate concern for the plight of Antarctica. Both artists have the capacity to arrest audiences in their tracks and this display asks us to sit with some of the most important questions facing our planet this century.

Fredericks’ BLAZE series has bewitched audiences across the world. Undeniably intense, there is a biblical quality to Fredericks’ images. The making of BLAZE was documented in a behind-the scenes film that accompanies the display at Sydney Contemporary, giving audiences a glimpse into the epic lengths Fredericks goes to capture the perfect image.

Janet Laurence’s breath-taking series Once Were Forests creates visceral waves of intense feeling. They address Laurence’s research into ice climates; as she says, “All these glacial experiences live with me”. She has visited places such as Antarctica and Iceland, and a great gravitas lays at the very centre of these beautiful, layered works. We see our own sense of urgency reflected in her compositions. There are few who can resist the enfolding testimony that Laurence offers. We are compelled not to look away.

JANET LAURENCE on display at Woollahra Gallery at Redleaf

JANET LAURENCE's 'Breathing forest' (2022) is featured in 'Arboreal Narratives 2023: In Conversation' at Woollahra Gallery at Redleaf.

This exhibition recognises the importance of trees and ecosystems to societal health.

'Arboreal Narratives 2023: In Conversation' continues until 30 April.

Janet Laurence, 'Breathing forest', 2022, 10 silk voile dye sublimation prints and video projection, 900 x 3000 cm (overall).

JANET LAURENCE Artist Talk 'Artists on the Ice: Interpreting the Poetics of Antartica'

ARTISTS' TALK

Across an evening of storytelling, performance and conversation, JANET LAURENCE will join a panel of four exceptional artists who have documented the power and beauty of Antarctica.

Moderated by the wonderful JULIE RRAP, in her role as Director of Sydney College of the Arts, this talk at the University of Sydney is not to be missed! Other panellists include Alice Giles AM, Professor Jean McNeil, and Dr Diana Chester.

Thursday, 20 April 2023, 6PM. This is a free event, but registration is essential, and seats are going fast! Register on the @sydney_uni website.

JANET LAURENCE presenting at 'Transhemispheric Dialogues' conference

JANET LAURENCE is presenting at the conference 'Transhemispheric Dialogues' at Loughborough University this Friday 17 March.

The conference brings together scholars, artists, curators and activists across four ‘long-clock’ roundtables, to explore the transformative potential of planetary feminisms for decolonial, ecological thinking and creative praxis in many and more-than-human worlds.

Janet will speak alongside Michelle Antoinette (Monash University), Deborah Hart (National Gallery of Australia), Anna Arabindan (Princeton University), Lisa Reihana (visual artist, Aotearoa, New Zealand), and Lize van Robbroeck (University of Stellenbosch).

You can watch the panel online via https://www.lboro.ac.uk/research/ias/events/2023/march/planetaryfeminisms/

JANET LAURENCE launches Karina Dias Pires’s new book ‘Artists at Home’.

JANET LAURENCE will be launching Karina Dias Pires’s new book ‘Artists at Home’ tonight!

This fascinating publication features interviews and images with insights into the studio practice of 32 Australian women artists. Speaking on the impact of ‘home’ in her art making, Laurence will be in conversation with Dias Pires, alongside Camie Lyons and Louise Olsen.

Thursday, 1 December, 5—7PM
Olsen Gallery, Sydney.

JANET LAURENCE to deliver Gilbert Fellowship Lecture

Janet Laurence in her studio. Photo: Jacquie Manning.

This afternoon at 4pm, hear JANET LAURENCE deliver the Gilbert Fellowship Lecture at the Sydney College of the Arts.

Janet Laurence’s work echoes architecture while retaining organic qualities and a sense of instability and transience. Her work occupies the liminal zones or meeting places of art, science, imagination and memory. Profoundly aware of the interconnection of all life forms, Laurence often produces work in response to specific sites or environments using a diverse range of materials. Alchemical transformation, history and perception are underlying themes in her exhibition work. Hear the Gilbert Fellow speak to her practice and illustrious career.

Opening of the BOWNESS PRIZE Exhibition

JANET LAURENCE, HONEY LONG & PRUE STENT, CYRUS TANG and LYDIA WEGNER feature in this years Bowness Prize exhibition.

Over the last 17 years, the William and Winifred Bowness Photography Prize has emerged as an important annual survey of contemporary photographic practice in Australia and one of the most prestigious prizes in the country.

Available to view at The Monash Gallery of Art until November 13.

Installation images courtesy of Monash Gallery of Art, photographed by Andrew Curtis.

JANET LAURENCE interviewed by Radio Adelaide

JANET LAURENCE features in a fantastic interview with Radio Adelaide about her time at Casey Research Station as the 2021 Antarctic Arts Fellow.

Explaining the process of creating her new series "Ice has a memory and the colour is blue" Laurence remarks,

“I had a studio in the science building, and one of the glaciologists came in which a huge chunk of ice for me to make artwork with. I suddenly went oh god I can actually use Antarctic glacial ice to make works. So, I made a series about ice melting which I thought was a fantastic metaphor about climate change.”

JANET LAURENCE, Ice has a memory, and the memory is blue, from the ‘Ice has a memory, and the memory is blue’ series, Antartica, 2022, Chromogenic print, Edition of 3 + 1 A/P, 120 x 180 cm.