26 May to 23 June 2018
Chapman and Bailey Gallery, 350 Johnston St, Abbotsford, VIC
“ Had I not been absolutely committed to the principles which determined my Field works in 1968, I would have stopped years ago. I do what I do because I am who I am.’ Col Jordan
In 1968, to mark the opening of its new building, the National Gallery of Victoria mounted an exhibition entitled The Field.
It was a remarkably bold decision because the forty, mostly young artists, invited to participate were part of a wave of abstract painting and sculpture confronting the established orthodoxies of figuration and expressionism. Col Jordan was one of those artists.
The exhibition was a roaring success but very quickly the wave which brought these artists together in The Field broke, and many found different paths to follow. Unlike these co-exhibitors, Jordan continued to explore the possibilities offered by the interaction of vibrant hard-edged colour and geometric abstraction. He has continued on this voyage of discovery for half a century.
Col Jordan’s three works from The Field will be part of the NGV’s commemorative exhibition, The Field Revisited. They offer the opportunity to compare Jordan’s 1968 work with that displayed in his solo show, Field Work.
The similarities will be obvious, but 50 years have brought a sophistication and subtlety to his work.
Col Jordan speaks quietly with a uniquely compelling voice in an art world in which styles compete for attention.
Field Work will be exhibited at Chapman and Bailey Gallery from 26 May until 23 June 2018.