Asialink’s third touring exhibition was of a different order: major group exhibition. Australia Gold presented work by Australian Metalsmiths, made in partnership with the leading tertiary institution of the day teaching in this media. Metalsmithing remains one of the key media of the design/ craft area in Australia, with many highly accomplished practitioners.
Curators: Ray Stebbins, Peter Timms
Artists: Susan Cohn, Mark Edgoose, Mari Funaki, Marian Hosking, Junji Konishi, Andrew Last, Carlier Makigawa, Christopher Mullins, Miyuki Nakahara, Beatrice Schalabowsky, Janine Tanzer
Dates and venue: Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Tokyo, Singapore, Jakarta, Seoul and Melbourne (1993-1994)
Partner: Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Melbourne
The team was led by Ray Stebbins, then head of RMIT’s Gold and Silversmith Department and curator Peter Timms. The success of the exhibition was evident, with it being requested and seen in seven cities over two years. The curators and artists traveled with the exhibition, often giving workshops at each host city.
The interest in the work was reflected by attendance, with on average 4,500 per day visiting the Singapore Design Centre, reporting it as the highest attendance of any show in the venue. Ray Stebbins reported that the opening ‘was packed as was the seminar conducted by Beatrice Schlabowsky and myself.’ Artist Junji Konishi accompanied the exhibition to Tokyo and commented:‘l4,000 people per day saw the exhibition at Daimaru. We then moved the show to the Australia Embassy and asked our special guests for an opening party there. Many remarked on the quality of the exhibition. Ray Stebbins gave a lecture (which I translated) at Tokyo University of Fine Art and the staff told me later it was the best lecture by a foreign guest in recent memory.’