Timothy Roberts Art Historian

20/10/2023

The first work that greets you in ‘Wedgwood: Master Potter to the Universe’ is the Portland Vase.

In early 1784, Margaret Cavendish Bentinck, Dowager Duchess of Portland bought the vase. Writer and art connoisseur Horace Walpole described the Duchess as ‘a simple woman, but perfectly sober, only intoxicated by empty vases.’ This rather snide, and I daresay jealous comment ignores her enthusiastic, well-resourced approach to collecting, best evidenced by several curators and librarians that the Duchess employed throughout her lifetime to record, research, and care for her encyclopædic collection.

The Duchess died in 1785, and her collection was dispersed in 1786 by public auction through Skinner & Co. The 38-day-long sale was a highlight of the London social calendar. ‘Vase mania’ was at its height, the sale realised over £10,000, and the Duchesses son paid over £1,000 to ensure the vase remained in the family. The vase was then loaned to that wonderfullt dedicated ceramic technologist Josiah Wedgwood, who sought to faithfully replicate the vase in his by then celebrated invention: Jasperware.

Wedgwood and his team worked for over four years trialling slip washes, shaving down sprigging, and other techniques to exact the effects observed on the vase. In 1790, the extraordinary result was previewed by Her Majesty Queen Charlotte and Sir Joshua Reynolds, and sold by subscription. Wedgwood's Portland Vase was a commercial challenge but a reputational triumph: his early desire to be 'Vase Maker General to the Universe' was unquestionably cemented.

I've had the extraordinary privilege of holding Wedgwood's 1789 issue Sydney Cove Medallions; opening the drawers of the Strathallan cabinets; and placing the dust cover over the great 1905 Picasso 'La Belle Hollandaise' countless times. When I opened the travelling case and unravelled the midnight velvet around this treasure, though, I swear time stopped.

This work is generously loaned from Etruria Antiques Gallery. Beside it is an admission tickets to view Wedgwood's Portland Vase in his Greek Street showroom. The reverse is inscribed in fountain pen: 'Admits a party'. See them today at The David Roche Collection at TDRF Adelaide.

28/01/2023

The National Photographic Portrait Prize 2022 opens at TDRF today, and these are the first three works in the show.

Curating is inherently political, and I firmly wanted to start the show with Indigenous subjects. The act of placing First Nations subjects in first sight is a simple yet potent way of acknowledging the rich history that this land and the people who have tended to it have witnessed over countless generations.

The first work on the left is by Simone Arnol, and depicts Granny Hope Patterson holding her finger to her lips. This gesture recalls a rule at the Yarrabah community, that "It is rude to speak in a language which is not understood by all present". Aimed at disrupting the sharing of knowledge (particularly secret knowledge) and unravelling connections to culture, this rule was one of many which has had far-reaching effects on an already fragmented community.

I had always wanted to place the NPPP22 winning portrait in the first room, and Wayne Quilliam's portrait of Eric Yunkaporta sits so resplendent here. It, together with Peter Rossi's portrait of the young members of a local Indigenous family returning from spear fishing at low tide resolutely evidence that culture does indeed find ways to continue and even grow through these times of darkness.

Please come and see the show, and be moved as much as I have by the amazing stories held within these photographs.

12/07/2022

Research is fun!

I couldn't let today go by without a post to celebrate Josiah Wedgwood's birthday, 292 years ago.

While looking at The David Roche Collection at TDRF Adelaide 's collection for works to share, I spied these early covered vases from Wedgwood's period with Thomas Bentley. My research led me to David Buten's 1980 book '18th Century Wedgwood: A Guide for Collectors and Connoisseurs', which illustrated a larger vase and cited it's shape as inspired by a vase depicted in Stefano della Bella's Raccolta di Vasi Diversi, first published in 1646 (picture in comments).

Curious, I quickly looked up the said reference, and found a shape remarkably similar to The David Roche Foundation's pair next to the one cited in Buten. We know that Wedgwood looked to the last for shapes - he cites Bella and others in his letters to Bentley, and even points out historic examples which he had observed in the homes of clients and acquaintances that he visited.

Social media post done, and collection catalogue updated. A most productive day.

Happy birthday to one of the most recognisable identities in British ceramics, Josiah Wedgwood, who was born on this day in 1730.

Wedgwood was born into family connected to potteries in Burslem, Staffordshire. After an apprenticeship in pottery manufacture Wedgwood concentrated his efforts on the scientific advancement of his trade, studying chemistry and keenly experimenting with various ceramic body and glaze recipes. His enthusiasm for innovation resulted in products that set his business apart as a leader, and his commercial acumen ensured his firm’s products garnered widespread interest from Royalty to an emerging professional class of consumers.

The David Roche Collection holds a selection of 18th and 19th Century Wedgwood pieces, including this handsome pair of vases and covers, made by Wedgwood & Bentley c. 1769-1780. The cream body of these vases is painted with black, brown, and yellow glazes to imitate speckled hardstones, and enhanced with gilding to imitate ormolou mounting. The design of the vase is similar to one depicted on plate VI of Stefano della Bella’s Raccolta di Vasi diversi, first published in 1646.

Book a tour of Fermoy House to see these treasures of the collection, which are on display in David Roche’s bedroom.

Image: Wedgwood & Bentley (Britain, 1769-1780) Pair of vases and covers, c. 1780. White terracotta, polychrome glazes, gilding. TDRF Reg 2567.

07/04/2022

Speaking to Michael Gross for New York Magazine in December 1989, Franco Moschino (1950-1994) said ‘Fashion is a source of money. It gave me celebrity, and I use this to be heard.’ His comment was reflective of an emerging theme in his work to raise social and political issues that were important to him. The early 1990s saw Moschino use advertising and fashion collections to highlight a range of issues, including war, unbridled consumerism, and environmental issues. He also invested in research for environmentally friendly lines for Moschino, and established 'Project Smile', a fundraising arm for for Italian charity Anlaids, to support children living with HIV.

Moschino died of AIDS-related illness on 18 September 1994. He was 44. This prompted Moschino’s colleague, friend, and by then new artistic director of the Moschino label Rosella Jardini to flex her own form of activism in Moschino's collections. Jardini's 1996 Spring Summer collection for Moschino included a black dress bodice adorned with condoms and red ribbons, which was immortalised by British photographer Platon and model Fiore Crespi.

Come along to The David Roche Collection at TDRF Adelaide on Thursday 21 April to learn more about Moschino's unique blend of high fashion and social activism. There aren't many tickets let to this event, which includes a glass of wine upon arrival at the Museum. Follow the link for further details and to book your ticket.
https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/wear-your-heart-on-your-sleeve-fashion-as-activism-tickets-292927312477

Image:
Rossella Jardini for Moschino (Designer, Italy 1952- )
Platon (Photographer, UK 1968- )
Moschino AIDS Campaign GQ October 1995
Magazine leaf
On loan from a private collection, Adelaide Australia

30/03/2022

A DIFFERENT KIND OF D-DAY

Visitors to Silhouettes: Fashion in the Shadow of HIV/AIDS may spy this T-shirt on display, kindly loaned for the exhibition from the Australian Q***r Archives.

The D-DAY campaign was organised by the Australian chapters of the AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power (ACT UP) in 1991. Dissatisfied with lengthy delays in accessing new medications that had been trialled and approved in other jurisdictions, the Australian positive community urged Federal Health Minister Brian Howe to cut red tape around trial and approval processes, chanting 'WE CAN'T WAIT'. This targeted advocacy strategy involved print media advertisements, mass-printed letters addressed to the Minister's office, and T-shirts such as the one displayed in the exhibition.

Minister Howe didn't listen, and D-DAY erupted in cities across Australia on 6 June 1991, particularly in Melbourne. Protests were staged at major city landmarks including Flinders Street Station, disrupting the daily activities of hundreds of thousands of Melburnians. The Floral Clock in the Queen Victoria Gardens had plants replaced with white crosses, reminiscent of those placed in the wars memorialised in the grand edifices nearby, causing outrage the general community. This powerful intervention in this loved landmark caused offense to many, but only strengthened the urgency of the campaign, which asked, is protecting a garden more important than protecting the lives of those you love?

Find out more about this shirt, and how individuals and community groups used fashion to highlight the issues they faced on Thursday 21 April at The David Roche Collection at TDRF Adelaide, as part of their TDRF lecture series. Tickets are strictly limited to this event, which also includes a glass of wine upon arrival at the Museum. Follow the link for further details and to book your ticket.
https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/wear-your-heart-on-your-sleeve-fashion-as-activism-tickets-292927312477

19/03/2022

On Thursday 21 April I will discuss fashion activism at The David Roche Collection at TDRF Adelaide, as part of their TDRF lecture series and the exhibition Silhouettes: Fashion in the Shadow of HIV/AIDS.
We use fashion to define ourselves all the time, whether it be signifying our employment, asserting our position in social hierarchy, or even to signal to others our favourite football team. Similarly, fashion can be used to visually display the values by which we live. From designs and slogans urgently printed by community groups and artists responding to immediate issues such as the dozen wonderful examples loaned for Silhouettes from the Australian Q***r Archives, to luxury brands using their products to underscore their corporate values, fashion now richly records the changing values of the world in which we live.
Tickets are strictly limited to this event, which also includes a glass of wine upon arrival at the Museum. Follow the link for further details and to book your ticket.

Join art historian Timothy Roberts for a discussion on how fashion has been used as a vehicle to drive change.

08/03/2022

This afternoon the postman delivered my copy of the Silhouettes: Fashion in the Shadow of HIV/AIDS catalogue. I am so pleased that this enduring record of the exhibition has come together so elegantly.

I am particularly proud of two elements in this publication. Firstly, my essay on fashion activism, specifically in the context of HIV awareness. It barely scratches the surface of an incredibly rich story (which is impossible in a mere 3,000 words), but it hopefully presents a sketch that will give future researchers some hooks to flesh out and develop to their full potential. Secondly, I am so happy that my enthusiasm to include Australian content was rewarded by the likes of the Art Gallery of South Australia , Powerhouse Museum, and Australian Q***r Archives . Their willingness to lend has enabled the stories of a few of our home-grown creators to be told.

Apart from my work, there are essays by Colin Batrouney and Daniel Milford-Cottam, and superb photography of the works has been undertaken by One Last Look Photography. You'll find a timeline of HIV and fashion history, and a list of some of the fashion industry professionals who were lost too early to AIDS-related illness. It's probably not the most exhaustive reference on the topic, but it's certainly the first and only work to be written on this topic so far, and I am glad it begins to fill a void in this area of our community's story.

Silhouettes: Fashion in the Shadow of HIV/AIDS is exclusively available from The David Roche Collection at TDRF Adelaide . If you're unable to visit Adelaide to see the exhibition and purchase a copy of the catalogue, you can mail order a copy from the Foundation's online store. International postage is not listed on the website, but if you are based outside Australia and send me a private message, I will be able to send on the email of someone at TDRF who can provide a quote for international postage.

https://www.rochefoundation.com.au/product/silhouettescatalogue/

29/01/2022

It's been a busy few days assisting the installation and making the final edits to the catalogue of Silhouettes: Fashion in the Shadow of HIV/AIDS, curated by Skye Bartlett, Team Manager, South Australia Mobilisation + Empowerment for Sexual Health with a bit of input from me. The exhibition opened at The David Roche Collection at TDRF Adelaide this morning and will continue until 19 June 2022.

I am so proud to have been invited almost a year ago to contribute to this exhibition. Over the past year, we have learned of over 120 fashion industry professionals who lived with HIV, many of whom have not received the recognition they deserve simply because they died before they reached the zenith of their careers. The exhibition brings together 150 works by over 20 designers, including household names such as Halston, Franco Moschino, and Perry Ellis, and masters deserving more time in the limelight including Frank Masandrea, Clovis Ruffin, and the incredibly talented Chester Weinberg. Many of the designers have not been exhibited in Australia before.

I am particularly proud that I could include the work of Australian creatives in the exhibition. The work of Peter Tully, David McDiarmid, and Brenton Heath-Kerr sit alongside one another, thanks to generous loans from Art Gallery of South Australia, Powerhouse Museum, and Australian Q***r Archives. AQuA also loaned 11 terrific T-shirts from their vast holdings, to evidence how fashion was used by activists to incite reaction, generate conversation, and effect change.

If you're in Adelaide or thinking of visiting over the next few months, please go and see the exhibition. I'll be presenting a talk on 21 April on activism in fashion, and there are other talks and events in development. In mid-February a 164-page, richly illustrated catalogue will be available for purchase from the Foundation. It's only $35 and is a must have for any person interested in fashion, AIDS HIVstory, or activism.

Thank you to everyone who contributed to this show, especially SAMESH and Thorne Harbour Health, who saw the value in bringing this story to light. Most of all, thank you to my wonderful friend Skye, who told me his concept for the show nearly a year ago, and allowed me to gleefully run with my ideas. It's been a joy to research this show and I hope many people are enriched and educated by this offering.

29/10/2021

Last week I had the immense pleasure of opening the 2021 $7000 Siliceous Award for Ceramic Excellence, proudly presented by Ceramic Arts Qld at the Cooroy Butter Factory Arts Centre. It was a great evening, and a big congratulations to Nicolette Johnson, winner, and John Tuckwell, highly commended.

It is well worth a visit to Cooroy to see the exhibition, which runs until 28 November. An online catalogue is available for download on the Ceramic Arts Qld website.

21/10/2021

I am so excited to be a part of tonight's opening celebration of Ceramic Arts Qld's 2021 $7000 Siliceous Award for Ceramic Excellence. If you are able to visit this beautiful part of the country, make sure to pop by the Cooroy Butter Factory Arts Centre before 28 November to see some stunning ceramics by Australia's best practitioners!

What an exciting couple of days! The installation is underway of the finalists' work for

Book to attend via the Cooroy Butter Factory Arts Centre website. The first session to view the exhibition is booked out but you can still attend for the whole evening and be entertained outside where there will be food, a bar and music, and a bunch of people wanting to talk about ceramics while you wait for your session

We are extremely grateful to the following people:

Official opening by Timothy Roberts Art Historian

The 2021 Siliceous Award Judge, Diana Warnes from Home of the Arts

Our Sponsors
Walker Ceramics
Queensland Electrical Solutions

And the wonderful staff and volunteers at BFAC

10/09/2021

On Monday I delivered a lecture to the Lyceum Club Brisbane Inc (Women's Club) on the life and art of Harvey School potter Muriel MacDiarmid. It was very much a "work in progress" paper that fleshed out the enormous efforts of Glenn Cooke, who wrote the first substantial biography of this artist nearly 40 years ago, and Marjorie Graham, who introduced a few pieces from the MacDiarmid family collection to the world in a short article in 1981.

The Royal Historical Society of Queensland generously allowed me to bring some work by MacDiarmid at the Lyceum Club, but unfortunately our delivery timings didn't work out last week, so I couldn't collect them. Instead, I brought a selection of pieces from my own collection - Martin Moroney to show early developments in pottery decoration, early Harvey School pieces by Jessie Woodroffe and Lyceum Club member Nina Stodart, an example of double scraffito by Olive Moase (a potter who knew MacDiarmid and shared her passion for history), and a meiping by Melbourne potter Marjorie McClelland - an artist that though less focussed, also looked to history for inspiration.

The ladies' questions were enthusiastic and interrogative. They asked me about coil building processes, about the gritty slip on some of MacDiarmid's works, about the sgraffito process. The overwhelming feeling by the end of the presentation was that MacDiarmid deserves more recognition - a sentiment that I felt when I was first charged to reconsider her contribution to the Harvey School in 2017 when I participated in With Heart & Hand: Art Pottery in Queensland 1900-1950. One lady even came forward and explained that her friend was the niece of a potter who was related to and studied under MacDiarmid, and showed me a photo of a splendid square sandwich box in a brilliant blue and pink splashed glaze.

Thank you very much to the ladies for such a warm welcome and a lovely vote of thanks, and thank you very much for the gift, I will read it with enthusiasm!