The dynamic and reciprocal relationship of artist run initiative spaces in Melbourne with artists, an exploration of John Nixon’s Art Projects and CLUBSProject with artworks by Peter Tyndall and Nadine Christensen.
Artist run spaces continue to be a predominant part of the art and cultural ecology in Melbourne. These spaces are ‘by artists for artists’ and are often a leaping point for emerging practices. But how do artistic practices and artist run spaces in Melbourne establish a reciprocal relationship? Specifically, through an exploration of John Nixon’s Art Projects, and Nadine Christensen’s work in CLUBSProject. Artist run initiatives or ARI’s, are often-ephemeral ‘projects’ that respond to the rising challenges in the art industry and are the foundations of most emerging practices.
Formed in 1979-1985, John Nixon’s Art Projects was one of the foremost and influential independent galleries in Melbourne. Heavily informed by John Nixon’s praxis and theories surrounding postmodern and avant-garde art, Art Projects was a successful co-operative experimental art space. The gallery exhibited work chosen specifically by Nixon including a close ‘core group’ of established Australian artists including Jenny Watson, Howard Arkley, Elizabeth Gower, Imants Tillers, Mike Parr, Tony Clark, and Peter Tyndall.[1] Supported by a one-time artist fee of $100 for the project, and a gift from Nixon’s father, Art Projects was able to open and further sustain itself through art sales.[2] Interestingly, Art Projects didn’t rely on funding from government bodies. In a review of Art Projects, Jeffrey Makin wrote it “is in every sense an anti-establishment radical gallery”.[3] This space was able to respond to artist’s needs, successfully diversifying the culture surrounding contemporary and experimental art. Art Projects was “free from the oppressive influence of the marketplace and public taste”.[4] Interestingly, Art Projects was also “integral to [Nixon’s] work as an artist, revealing a desire to make things happen through an expanded notion of art engagement”.[5] Today, many of the represented artists’ works appear in state and national collections.[6] Reaching many different levels of the arts ecology, Art Projects has clearly been highly influential on Australian art.
Directly influenced by Art Projects is Peter Tyndall’s artwork Art Projects in 1980, (shown in Figures, 1 and 2). This sculpture piece depicts and replicates the Art Projects space as a miniature model, displaying Tyndall’s other works inside. This metaverse gallery within the gallery directly contributes to Tyndall’s own practice of the matrix.[7] A frequent symbol in Tyndall’s works, the metaverse constructs a new reality asking us to question the ways in which we look at and experience art. Demonstrating the influence of Art Projects on new ideas and the immersion of critical thinking with artistic practice.
The ideas and discourse generated from Art Projects initiated a boom in ARIs in Melbourne, through the 1990s to 2000s.[8] John Nixon clearly paved the way for other the ARI models to follow, such as First Floor, Studio 5 and CLUBSProject.[9] This reciprocal relationship highlights the need for a community and solidarity between artists. That the sharing of critical thoughts and ideas was an important and uniting aspect of Art Projects.
Comparatively, CLUBSProject Inc, formed in 2002 by recent graduates, further demonstrates the reciprocal relationship between space and artistic practice.[10] CLUBSProject, was able to establish its CLUBS Space in the Builders Arms on Gertrude Street, with a rent-free five-year agreement and an interest free loan of $10,000. Which is not easily comprehensible in today’s art environment.[11] Significantly, CLUBSProject hosted ‘feedback sessions’ of which artists could provide critique on each other’s works and projects. These hour-long recorded sessions were highly influential and beneficial to the artists at CLUBS.[12] Perhaps, when forming as an ARI they filled a ‘gap’, finding that after graduating art school, there are few spaces that provide feedback or critiques on works and projects. Despite this being a key component used by artists at art school to develop their works. Furthermore, the current pipeline for artists who attend, and graduate art school, provides no answers for how artists should use their degree to operate within the ‘professional’ realm of the creative industries.[13] Understanding that the frustration, competitiveness, and lack of opportunities for new artists has meant many recent graduates become founders of artist-run initiatives.[14]
CLUBSProject artist Nadine Christensen, is a ‘successful’ artist from CLUBS and her work was likely influenced by the CLUBS Space and it’s feedback sessions. Specifically, her artwork, Stained Glass and Hideouts, 2009 (shown in Figure, 3). Christensen’s large acrylic painting presents a swampy landscape with a tower of differing ‘portals’ to a sun-filled domestic space. The two spaces contrast each other, a bright interior space and a dark, gloomy landscape. The two spaces are contrasted by differing painting techniques. The landscape appearing muddier and less clear with dabbing paint strokes, with a flat 2D perspective. Whilst the interior spaces have a realistic blending of light and colour, precise linework and a 3D like perspective.
These windows or ‘Stained Glass’ ‘Hideouts’ may be a reference to Christensen’s time at CLUBS as both the CLUBS space and the space in the painting feature the same timber flooring (Figure, 4). Clearly, this space is reflective of the artist’s own practice and studio. With the circle of many paintings and easels, this bright coloured and warm portal provides a relief for the viewer from the gloomy landscape.
Clearly, the time spent at CLUBS was informative for Christensen, as a tutor at the Victorian College of Arts, group critique classes take on a very similar form to that of the CLUBS feedback sessions. That “Artist-run spaces may also be a replacement for the peer support mechanisms found within educational institutions… premised on notions of feedback, mentoring and peer critique”.[15] Therefore, artists and artists run spaces have a reciprocal relationship. Despite the importance of this relationship, artist run spaces often do not have the necessary funding to support artists or themselves. CLUBS only survived due to the generous nature of its initial agreement.
Furthermore, John Nixon’s practice influenced the development and culture of Art Projects, and Nadine Christensen’s work in CLUBSProject influenced her artistic practice. Demonstrating a reciprocal relationship between artist and artist run spaces. Both are informed by the other, establishing the oscillation between the artist and artist run spaces.
Despite this relationship it is the position of the ARI in the visual arts supply chain that constrains its economic possibilities.[16] Due to competitions for funding, space, and survivability, these spaces can often forget their foundations of supporting artists. Although now less common, artists often had to pay a fee to exhibit in these publicly funded artist-run spaces.[17] Unprojects Magazine asks “What exactly is being exchanged in this transaction? Is the artist buying a potential audience via an opening and social media posts? Why not cut out the middle ‘man’ and use the money to just pay people to come to your studio?!”[18] Within the arts industry there is surmounting frustration at the cultural professionalisation, the vicious cycle of government funding dependence, and the desperation of artists.
There are also increasing concerns that artist-run initiatives are spreading themselves too thinly, to ‘keep up’. That many artist run “Organisations … rely heavily on volunteer labour [and] are taking on new levels of [work].”[19] With limited and competitive funding, artist run initiatives should focus on projects and programs that can affect the now, rather than “overreaching”[20] and overworking volunteers. Despite founding notions of ‘for artists by artists’, these spaces often prioritise differently based on attaining funding to stay open and survive.[21] Concerningly this becomes a difficult balancing act, particularly with less available funding. Therefore, ARI’s need to balance the need for professionalism without becoming part of the establishment. A more casual approach could be beneficial for all concerned as the surmounting pressure to do more with less is unsustainable.
In addition, there is increased pressure as more artists are attending university and entering the emerging art sphere upon graduating. Possibly due to the privatisation of the tertiary education system in Australia, the competition for representation has only been heightened. The ecosystem has also become more academic, with research art and fine art PhD’s being more common.[22] The art industry has become increasingly academic and professional in response to the widespread perception that university education is necessary for careers in art. Further adding to the institutionalisation of gallery spaces as ‘white cubes’.
More recently, the Melbourne ARI Blindside Gallery “want[s] to keep as open as possible in order to be able to respond to what artists are bringing us” that “one thing influences the other.”[23] Artist run spaces are responding to new explorations, and this questioning of the formal ‘exhibition’ model. There is an increase in artist-run spaces that are “anti-institutional in the sense that they’re not paying rent. They’re in someone’s back garden, they’re in a park … they’re online.”[24] Online websites, marketing and documentation have largely the moved public consumption of art to the internet. Covid-19 lockdowns likely accelerated this trend. An artist therefore cannot avoid maintaining a significant online presence.[25] Many curators, collectors, and gallerists find new artists online through social media and websites, increasing the significance of artists using these platforms.[26] Traditionally, artist run spaces were important for their ability to represent artists, however, as artists can easily represent themselves online, these spaces are changing to be more focussed on viewer experience than artistic representation. Further changing these ‘exhibition’ models to be shorter, more experimental and viewer based.
An interesting example of this new shift in experiential spaces is O’Flaherty’s, a recent ARI in New York. Its’ exhibitions are anti-institutional and have achieved, to an extent public fame, with its salon show being shut down by police, shown in (Figure, 5).[27] Seemingly anti-professional, many of the gallery’s ‘exhibition statements’ include swearing and appear to be written with dry and sharp witty punchlines, (Figure, 6).[28] Emphasised further in the exhibition curation, displaying neon lighting, colourful and vibrant wall murals, and techno music (Figure, 7). This experimental space is a direct response to the adaptation of a new experiential viewing exhibition model. The success of this space demonstrates the need for a more casual and playful environment for artists and viewers alike. The constant need for art to become institutionalised and formal represents its gimmick to justify and mystify itself. O’Flaherty’s demonstrates the need for art to be accessible, people are tired of not ‘getting it’ and want to be able to enjoy art exhibitions on the same level as someone who is knowledgeable in the area.
The reciprocal relationship between the artist run initiative and the artist is significant. Both artists and artist run spaces adapt and evolve off of each other. Demonstrated through John Nixon’s work at Art Projects and Nadine Christensen’s artwork with CLUBSProject. ARI’s as experimental spaces, can adapt quickly to the desires of artists and are positioned better to be explorative than more ‘professional’ spaces. Despite the lack of funding, ARI’s are often the most generative spaces and despite the often-difficult positions of these spaces, they are significant in providing artists with support, representation, and pushing artistic boundaries. The power of an ARI being to establish new experimental works to be accepted by more institutional and commercial organisations in the arts industry.
Figures List
Figure 1. Tyndall, Peter. Art Projects. 1980. Sculpture. The University of Melbourne Art Collection, Michael Buxton Collection. https://nonstudio.com.au/Buxton-Contemporary-Peter-Tyndall.
Figure 2. Tyndall, Peter. Art Projects, 1980. Sculpture. The University of Melbourne Art Collection, Michael Buxton Collection. https://nonstudio.com.au/Buxton-Contemporary-Peter-Tyndall.
Figure 3. Christensen, Nadine. Stained Glass and Hideouts, 2009. Acrylic on board, The University of Melbourne Art Collection, Michael Buxton Collection. https://buxtoncontemporary.com/exhibitions/nadine-christensen-around/.
Figure 4. Photo of CLUBSProject Feedback Session, for Nick Mangan’s The Colony at Gertrude
Contemporary Art Spaces, September 2006. www.naturalselection.org.nz.
Figure 5. O’Flaherty’s, The Patriot, 2022. Photo by Rebecca Smeyne, https://www.oflahertysnyc.com/past.
Figure 6. O’Flaherty’s, The Patriot, Callout Paper, 2022. https://www.oflahertysnyc.com/past.
Figure 7. Bjarne Melgaard, Installation View of Getting Chippy With It, O’Flaherty’s, 2021. https://www.oflahertysnyc.com/past.
Bibliography
Barnes, Carolyn. “Defiance as a Constructive Principle Art Projects 1979-1984.” Pitch Your Own Tent, Melbourne: Monash University Museum of Art, 2005.
Bourriaud, Nicolas. “Nicolas Bourriaud: How I Tried to Renovate an Art School.” artreview.com, November 26, 2015. https://artreview.com/november-2015-feature-nicolas-bourriaud-educational-turn/.
“CLUBS project feedback sessions”, Natural Selections 5, 2006. www.naturalselection.org.nz.
Copley, Martina. The Artist and the Artist Run Initiative, in Melbourne. Interview by Alexandra Richardson, October 27, 2023.
Din Heagney. Making Space : Artist-Run Initiatives in Victoria. Melbourne, Victoria: Victorian Initiatives Of Artists Network, 2007.
Eltham, Ben, and Catherine Ryan. “The All Conference Artist-Run Initiatives Sub-Sector.” All Conference Library, 2019. https://allconference.org.au/library/the-all-conference-artist-run-initiatives-sub-sector.
Forde, Rosemary. “Dear Melbourne Artists, Please Stop Paying Rental Fees to Exhibit in Publicly Funded Galleries.” Un Projects Magazine, 2019. https://unprojects.org.au/article/dear-melbourne-artists-please-stop-paying-rental-fees-to-exhibit-in-publicly-funded-galleries/.
Hoeffner, Melissa Kravitz. “The NYPD Shut down This Gallery Opening after Thousands of Art Lovers Turned Up.” TimeOut, July 15, 2022. https://www.timeout.com/newyork/news/the-nypd-shut-down-this-gallery-opening-after-thousands-of-art-lovers-turned-up-071522.
Lasek, Alison. “Runway Journal.” Runway Journal, 2013. https://runway.org.au/review-ari-models/.
Lei, Celina. “It’s 2023: When Will ARIs Get Their Due?” www.artshub.com.au, April 17, 2023. https://www.artshub.com.au/news/features/its-2023-when-will-aris-get-their-due-2626517/.
Lledó, Elena. “James Elkins (Ed.). Artists with PhDs: On the New Doctoral Degree in Studio Art.” Exit Book: Revista de Libros de Arte Y Cultura Visual, no. 12 (January 1, 2010): 42–43.
Makin, Jeffrey. “A Radical Project to Fill a Gap.” The Sun, March 14, 1979.
Miles, Melissa. “Alternative Spaces Alternative Histories: Revisiting Three Artist Run Initatives .” Eyeline 58, no. 58 (September 1, 2005): 25–27.
O’Flaherty’s. “Past.” O’Flaherty’s. Accessed October 31, 2023. https://www.oflahertysnyc.com/past.
Puente, Gabrielle. “The Impact of Using Social Media as an Artist.” Unlimited. United Kingdom: Unlimited, 2013. https://weareunlimited.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/The-Impact-Of-Using-Social-Media-As-An-Artist-compressed.pdf.
Tyndall, Peter. “Hear from the Artist.” Buxton Contemporary Art Museum, 2022. https://buxtoncontemporary.com/peter-tyndall-guide1/.
Footnotes
[1] Peter Tyndall, “Hear from the Artist,” Buxton Contemporary Art Museum, 2022, https://buxtoncontemporary.com/peter-tyndall-guide1/.
[2] Carolyn Barnes, “Defiance as a Constructive Principle Art Projects 1979-1984,” Pitch Your Own Tent, Melbourne: Monash University Museum of Art, 2005.
[3] Jeffrey Makin, “A Radical Project to Fill a Gap,” The Sun, March 14, 1979.
[4] Alison Lasek, “Runway Journal,” Runway Journal, 2013, https://runway.org.au/review-ari-models/.
[5] Carolyn Barnes, “Defiance as a Constructive Principle Art Projects 1979-1984,”
[6] Alison Lasek, “Runway Journal,” .
[7] Peter Tyndall, “Hear from the Artist,” Buxton Contemporary Art Museum, 2022, https://buxtoncontemporary.com/peter-tyndall-guide1/.
[8] Alison Lasek, “Runway Journal,”.
[9] Melissa Miles, “Alternative Spaces Alternative Histories: Revisiting Three Artist Run Initatives ,” Eyeline 58, no. 58 (September 1, 2005): 25–27.
[10] Alison Lasek, “Runway Journal,”.
[12] “CLUBS project feedback sessions”, Natural Selections 5, 2006. www.naturalselection.org.nz.
[13] Nicolas Bourriaud, “Nicolas Bourriaud: How I Tried to Renovate an Art School,” artreview.com, November 26, 2015, https://artreview.com/november-2015-feature-nicolas-bourriaud-educational-turn/.
[14] Din Heagney, Making Space : Artist-Run Initiatives in Victoria (Melbourne, Victoria: Victorian Initiatives Of Artists Network, 2007).
[15] Din Heagney, Making Space : Artist-Run Initiatives in Victoria.
[16] Ben Eltham and Catherine Ryan, “The All Conference Artist-Run Initiatives Sub-Sector,”.
[18] Rosemary Forde, “Dear Melbourne Artists, Please Stop Paying Rental Fees to Exhibit in Publicly Funded Galleries,” Un Projects Magazine, 2019, https://unprojects.org.au/article/dear-melbourne-artists-please-stop-paying-rental-fees-to-exhibit-in-publicly-funded-galleries/.
[21] Celina Lei, “It’s 2023: When Will ARIs Get Their Due?,” www.artshub.com.au, April 17, 2023, https://www.artshub.com.au/news/features/its-2023-when-will-aris-get-their-due-2626517/.
[22] Elena Lledó, “James Elkins (Ed.). Artists with PhDs: On the New Doctoral Degree in Studio Art,” Exit Book: Revista de Libros de Arte Y Cultura Visual, no. 12 (January 1, 2010): 42–43.
[23] Martina Copley, The Artist and the Artist Run Initiative, in Melbourne, interview by Alexandra Richardson, October 27, 2023.
[24] Martina Copley, The Artist and the Artist Run Initiative, in Melbourne, interview by Alexandra Richardson, October 27, 2023.
[25] Celina Lei, “It’s 2023: When Will ARIs Get Their Due?,” www.artshub.com.au, April 17, 2023.
[26] Gabrielle Puente, “The Impact of Using Social Media as an Artist,” Unlimited (United Kingdom: Unlimited, 2013), https://weareunlimited.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/The-Impact-Of-Using-Social-Media-As-An-Artist-compressed.pdf.
[27] Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner, “The NYPD Shut down This Gallery Opening after Thousands of Art Lovers Turned Up,” TimeOut, July 15, 2022, https://www.timeout.com/newyork/news/the-nypd-shut-down-this-gallery-opening-after-thousands-of-art-lovers-turned-up-071522.
[28] Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner, “The NYPD Shut down This Gallery Opening after Thousands of Art Lovers Turned Up,” TimeOut, July 15, 2022, https://www.timeout.com/newyork/news/the-nypd-shut-down-this-gallery-opening-after-thousands-of-art-lovers-turned-up-071522.