Curator, Michael Esson. Briefly, towards the end of the 20th century, both drawing and the figure were considered redundant within mainstream contemporary art. Drawing exhibitions were seldom seen, unless within an historical context, and formal drawing courses were almost completely removed from most art schools in Australia and overseas. Life drawing became an easy target for those who sought to challenge convention. The residue of this view still persists, fuelling an anxiety about what drawing represents to the contemporary artist.
Life drawing still forms the basis of contemporary art practice in China.
The three Chinese artists in this exhibition - Liu Wei, Xia Xiao Wan and Li Jin, are comfortable in not allowing their tradition to be an anchor of conservatism, but rather a springboard for radical personal expression. Scottish artist Ian McCulloch has maintained his longstanding interest in the human image. Glasgow renaissance of figuration. In Australia, Mike Parr has continued a keen involvement in drawing and the 'body', easily moving between drawing, sculpture and performance as a means of creative expression. Drawing also forms the basis of Del Kathryn Barton's creative process within her interdisciplinary approach.