13 August - 1 September 2009
about the exhibition
John Pratt is an artist who explores the boundaries of one’s surrounding environment and self through his prints and drawings. Past summers spent by local swimming pools and beaches have inspired his latest collection of artwork. John believes that the water is a great ‘leveller’, as all members of the community and all stages of life are simply suspended, enjoying this familiar pastime of summer suburban life. John remarks that the water ‘frames and defines the figure in particular ways – both familiar and particular yet also hinting at broader states of being’. Whether floating, swimming, diving or frolicking, John’s figures evoke a sense of freedom and elation, as well as a feeling of vulnerability. Captured in suspended motion, the positions held by the figures are viewed by John as transient moments, whilst also evoking more enduring conditions of release and uncertainty. The masterful use of woodcut prints has provided John with the opportunity to explore the fluidity of the water and the transient nature of his figures, producing a lyrical range of distinctive artworks.
John Pratt has been teaching for many years in the Printmedia and Drawing Workshop at the Canberra School of Art at the Australian National University. He has also recently been coordinating “Painting with Parkinsons”, an art therapy program for people with Parkinsons Disease. John’s work is represented in many public collections including the National Gallery of Australia, Australian National University, Fremantle Arts Centre, WA, Queensland University of Technology, and Sydney College of the Arts.
