Julian Dashper

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Julian Dashper was born in Auckland, New Zealand on the 29th February, 1960. He is regarded as one of New Zealand's most well known contemporary artists working internationally today.

In 2001 he was awarded a senior Fulbright fellowship to be based as an artist in residence at the Chinati Foundation in Marfa, Texas. Dashper’s work from the last 25 years has recently been the subject of a major touring retrospective in America (the first ever such exhibition for a resident New Zealand artist),[1] curated by Christopher Cook and David Raskin.[2]

Dashper’s work focuses on the histories, theories and more general or popular ideas of abstraction (in particular abstract painting), conceptualism and minimalism as a working methodology. The geographical positioning of New Zealand globally and how this country receives and disseminates visual information is also a core subject in Dashper's work.[3] His practice manifests itself in various forms, including paintings, unique photographs of paintings, found objects which he infuses with abstract images, various multiples plus limited edition CD  and 12” polycarbonate recordings of impromptu performances he has been involved with or heavily orchestrated.

Respectful, even affectionate references to local culture and art history are always present in Dashper’s work, whilst his own adaptations of abstraction and the working methodologies of minimalism and conceptualism fully acknowledge their lineage within international art. As curator (and director of the Adam Art Gallery in Wellington) Christina Barton expresses it, Dashper has “the unique perspective of attending to an internationalist art history from a distance enabling him to devise strategies to work around his geographical isolation whilst simultaneously articulating its effects.”[4] Dashper is represented in all the major public collections in New Zealand; the MCA in Sydney; Ludwig Forum für Internationale Kunst, Aachen, Germany; Sheldon Museum of Art, Lincoln, Nebraska; Ulrich Museum of Art, Wichita, Kansas and the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam.

Visiting scholar at the University of Sydney in 2008, Dashper lives in Auckland and travels regularly.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Wolgamott, L. Kent. "Julian Dashper’ retrospective is about ideas more than objects", Lincoln Journal Star, 2006-02-07. Retrieved on 2008-05-18. 
  2. ^ Raskin, David (2005). Flat. Retrieved on 2008-05-18.
  3. ^ Taylor, Larry (2006). ""Midwestern Unlike You and Me: New Zealand’s Julian Dashper" 6 August - 6 November, 2005, Sioux City Art Center, Sioux City, IA". Reconstruction: Studies in contemporary culture 6 (4). ISSN 1547-4348. 
  4. ^ Klaasmeyer, Kelly. "Image-Free Art", Houston Press, Village Voice Media, 2003-11-06. Retrieved on 2008-05-18.