This exhibition presents a suite of etchings by Raymond Arnold and Ian Westacott produced in direct response to Albrecht Dürer’s master engraving, Melencolia I (1514), which the artists viewed together in early 2020 at the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford. Inspired by the historical work’s contemporary resonances, they began their collaboration during the COVID-19 lockdowns with Arnold situated in Tasmania and Westacott in Scotland.
The project involved each artist drawing all 18 objects in Dürer’s composition onto A4 copper plates which were then exchanged via post, travelling 15,000 miles to the other artist who in turn printed his own image on top of the first. It culminated in a joint interpretation of the complete Dürer image.
The collaborative work was acquired by the Colin Holden Charitable Trust in 2022 and is on long-term loan to Geelong Gallery.
Image: Raymond Arnold, The winged personification of melancholy I 2022, etching; edition 1/10, Colin Holden Charitable Trust, © the artist.
Geelong Gallery
55 Little Malop Street
Geelong VIC 3220
T: 03 5229 3645
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Opening Hours
Open daily: 10am - 5pm
Closed Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year’s Day and Good Friday.
Entry is free but admission fees may apply for some exhibitions.
The Public Galleries Association of Victoria (PGAV) acknowledges the Wurundjeri Woi-Wurrung people of the Kulin Nation as the Traditional Owners of the lands where our office is located, and all Traditional Owners of country throughout Victoria and Australia. We recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples enduring traditions and continuing creative cultures. We pay our respect to Elders past, present and emerging.
We are an LGBTQIA+ friendly organisation and celebrate cultural diversity.
