A poster printed by the RMIT in 2018, to promote an exhibition of works at the MTSV about the interelationships between labour, working life and artistic practice. BACKGROUND The Work of Art was an exhibition about labour, working life and artistic practice. The exhibition explored three aspects of art's relationship to work: (1) artworks about contemporary labour, (2) the labour of art-making itself and (3) the often precarious aspects of life as a working artist. Throughout the exhibition, different artists "worked" from the space of the gallery, revealing the layers of manual, emotional and intellectual labour involved in the work of art. CONTRIBUTION I was invited to develop the exhibition by the "Murphy Group", a group of researchers at RMIT. As the lead co-curator for the exhibition, I researched the history of artistic responses to working conditions. Through this process I identified a gap - while many artists have explored the conditions of labour and working life in their artworks, fewer have drawn attention to the working conditions of artists themselves. This became a key theme in the exhibition. The exhibition presented the work of nine contemporary Australian artists, including high profile and mid-career artists like Bindi Cole and Bek Conroy, alongside the work of emerging artists. In addition to the display of artworks throughout the space, five artists worked performatively, bringing to life the processes and manual labour involved in artmaking. A public forum extended the complex discussion on the relationship between art, work and labour. SIGNIFICANCE The works were presented in the context of a public space that has a strong relationship to contemporary labour - the Mission to Seafarers in Docklands. The Mission to Seafarers is a working mission that provides support to ship-workers. Presenting the works in this space created a real connection between the artworks and the lived experience of precarious labour. The exhibition reached a large audience including over 1000+ visitors in 10 days. It fostered a high engagement on social media and attracted media coverage including a feature in ArtsHub.A record of the ongoing involvement of the MTSV in art, and working with the art community by providing a suitable venue and display space.A3 size yellow paper promotional poster, double-sided. Three-quarters of the front of the poster is covered with the repeated line "Art, Labour & Working Life" in large font, to form ten rows. These rows are in outline form except for picked out words which are in entirely black characters and these cascade down, a row at a time, a word at a time, to form the same line ("Art, Labour & Working Life"). rmit, 2018, events, labour, working life, artistic practice, hiring event, cultural events, multimedia, nicholas walton-healey

At the beginning of the 1890s, the Kew businessman and Town Councillor, Henry Kellett, commissioned J.F.C. Farquhar to photograph scenes of Kew. These scenes included panoramas as well as pastoral scenes. The resulting set of twelve photographs was assembled in an album, Kew Where We Live, from which customers could select images for purchase.The preamble to the album describes that the photographs used the ‘argentic bromide’ process, now more commonly known as the gelatine silver process. This form of dry plate photography allowed for the negatives to be kept for weeks before processing, hence its value in landscape photography. The resulting images were considered to be finely grained and everlasting. Evidence of the success of Henry Kellett’s venture can be seen today, in that some of the photographs are held in national collections.It is believed that the Kew Historical Society’s copy of the Kellett album is unique and that the photographs in the book were the first copies taken from the original plates. It is the first and most important series of images produced about Kew. The individual images have proved essential in identifying buildings and places of heritage value in the district.In Farquhar’s close-up portrait of the rat catcher and his dog, the photographer excludes any extraneous data that otherwise might have provided a spatial or motivational context. The contemporary or the present day viewer is required to construct a narrative to explore or understand what is occurring. The title of the picture might incline a viewer to believe that what they see is an exercise in vermin control, and that the rat concerned might be an introduced black or brown rodent. A more likely scenario is that the rat catcher is focussed on catching ‘rakali’, a native water-rat once widely trapped for its fur. The trapping of rakali for use in the manufacture of fashionable clothing accelerated as introduced furs such as musquash became more expensive. It was not until 1938 that rakali were granted protected status.Ratting on the Yarrakew illustrated, kew where we live, photographic books, henry kellett, yarra river

[from a contemporary report:] The Shire of Eltham District Society's Parade float theme for 1989 was gold mining which, of course, was a most important aspect of our early history. Bruce Ness assembled the float with items loaned by Warrandyte Historical Society and quite a bit of his own ingenuity. Phyllis MacDonald also arranged for the Victorian Folk Music Club to provide us with appropriate musical accompaniment. To provide a level of authenticity, a present day prospector, Jack Hodson, was in charge of the equipment on the float. The parade assembled in Youth Road and commenced at 10:30am.Colour photograph1989, bruce ness, central park, eltham festival, jack hodson, opal smith, shire of eltham historical society

THE LOG is a quarterly colour A5-size journal, typically of 72 pages. It includes illustrated articles of wide maritime and historical interest, together with comprehensive reports on recent shipping activities related to the Australasian region. non-fictionnautical association of australia inc., boats, professional associations, interest group, william gordon volum, naa

[from a contemporary report:] The Shire of Eltham District Society's Parade float theme for 1989 was gold mining which, of course, was a most important aspect of our early history. Bruce Ness assembled the float with items loaned by Warrandyte Historical Society and quite a bit of his own ingenuity. Phyllis MacDonald also arranged for the Victorian Folk Music Club to provide us with appropriate musical accompaniment. To provide a level of authenticity, a present day prospector, Jack Hodson, was in charge of the equipment on the float. The parade assembled in Youth Road and commenced at 10:30am.Colour photographeltham festival, shire of eltham historical society, 1989, bruce ness, jack hodson, opal smith, peter bassett-smith, youth road, doug orford, russell yeoman

[from a contemporary report:] The Shire of Eltham District Society's Parade float theme for 1989 was gold mining which, of course, was a most important aspect of our early history. Bruce Ness assembled the float with items loaned by Warrandyte Historical Society and quite a bit of his own ingenuity. Phyllis MacDonald also arranged for the Victorian Folk Music Club to provide us with appropriate musical accompaniment. To provide a level of authenticity, a present day prospector, Jack Hodson, was in charge of the equipment on the float. The parade assembled in Youth Road and commenced at 10:30am.Colour photographeltham festival, shire of eltham historical society, 1989, youth road

[from a contemporary report:] The Shire of Eltham District Society's Parade float theme for 1989 was gold mining which, of course, was a most important aspect of our early history. Bruce Ness assembled the float with items loaned by Warrandyte Historical Society and quite a bit of his own ingenuity. Phyllis MacDonald also arranged for the Victorian Folk Music Club to provide us with appropriate musical accompaniment. To provide a level of authenticity, a present day prospector, Jack Hodson, was in charge of the equipment on the float. The parade assembled in Youth Road and commenced at 10:30am.Colour photographeltham festival, shire of eltham historical society, 1989, youth road

[from a contemporary report:] The Shire of Eltham District Society's Parade float theme for 1989 was gold mining which, of course, was a most important aspect of our early history. Bruce Ness assembled the float with items loaned by Warrandyte Historical Society and quite a bit of his own ingenuity. Phyllis MacDonald also arranged for the Victorian Folk Music Club to provide us with appropriate musical accompaniment. To provide a level of authenticity, a present day prospector, Jack Hodson, was in charge of the equipment on the float. The parade assembled in Youth Road and commenced at 10:30am.Colour photographeltham festival, shire of eltham historical society, 1989, youth road

[from a contemporary report:] The Shire of Eltham District Society's Parade float theme for 1989 was gold mining which, of course, was a most important aspect of our early history. Bruce Ness assembled the float with items loaned by Warrandyte Historical Society and quite a bit of his own ingenuity. Phyllis MacDonald also arranged for the Victorian Folk Music Club to provide us with appropriate musical accompaniment. To provide a level of authenticity, a present day prospector, Jack Hodson, was in charge of the equipment on the float. The parade assembled in Youth Road and commenced at 10:30am.Colour photographeltham festival, shire of eltham historical society, 1989, main road, sue law, doug orford

[from a contemporary report:] The Shire of Eltham District Society's Parade float theme for 1989 was gold mining which, of course, was a most important aspect of our early history. Bruce Ness assembled the float with items loaned by Warrandyte Historical Society and quite a bit of his own ingenuity. Phyllis MacDonald also arranged for the Victorian Folk Music Club to provide us with appropriate musical accompaniment. To provide a level of authenticity, a present day prospector, Jack Hodson, was in charge of the equipment on the float. The parade assembled in Youth Road and commenced at 10:30am.Colour photographeltham festival, shire of eltham historical society, 1989, main road, russell yeoman

[from a contemporary report:] The Shire of Eltham District Society's Parade float theme for 1989 was gold mining which, of course, was a most important aspect of our early history. Bruce Ness assembled the float with items loaned by Warrandyte Historical Society and quite a bit of his own ingenuity. Phyllis MacDonald also arranged for the Victorian Folk Music Club to provide us with appropriate musical accompaniment. To provide a level of authenticity, a present day prospector, Jack Hodson, was in charge of the equipment on the float. The parade assembled in Youth Road and commenced at 10:30am.Colour photographeltham festival, shire of eltham historical society, 1989, main road, opal smith

[from a contemporary report:] The Shire of Eltham District Society's Parade float theme for 1989 was gold mining which, of course, was a most important aspect of our early history. Bruce Ness assembled the float with items loaned by Warrandyte Historical Society and quite a bit of his own ingenuity. Phyllis MacDonald also arranged for the Victorian Folk Music Club to provide us with appropriate musical accompaniment. To provide a level of authenticity, a present day prospector, Jack Hodson, was in charge of the equipment on the float. The parade assembled in Youth Road and commenced at 10:30am.Colour photographeltham festival, shire of eltham historical society, 1989, main road, jack hodson

[from a contemporary report:] The Shire of Eltham District Society's Parade float theme for 1989 was gold mining which, of course, was a most important aspect of our early history. Bruce Ness assembled the float with items loaned by Warrandyte Historical Society and quite a bit of his own ingenuity. Phyllis MacDonald also arranged for the Victorian Folk Music Club to provide us with appropriate musical accompaniment. To provide a level of authenticity, a present day prospector, Jack Hodson, was in charge of the equipment on the float. The parade assembled in Youth Road and commenced at 10:30am.Colour photographeltham festival, shire of eltham historical society, 1989, main road, joh ebeli

[from a contemporary report:] The Shire of Eltham District Society's Parade float theme for 1989 was gold mining which, of course, was a most important aspect of our early history. Bruce Ness assembled the float with items loaned by Warrandyte Historical Society and quite a bit of his own ingenuity. Phyllis MacDonald also arranged for the Victorian Folk Music Club to provide us with appropriate musical accompaniment. To provide a level of authenticity, a present day prospector, Jack Hodson, was in charge of the equipment on the float. The parade assembled in Youth Road and commenced at 10:30am.Colour photographeltham festival, shire of eltham historical society, 1989, main road, jock read

[from a contemporary report:] The Shire of Eltham District Society's Parade float theme for 1989 was gold mining which, of course, was a most important aspect of our early history. Bruce Ness assembled the float with items loaned by Warrandyte Historical Society and quite a bit of his own ingenuity. Phyllis MacDonald also arranged for the Victorian Folk Music Club to provide us with appropriate musical accompaniment. To provide a level of authenticity, a present day prospector, Jack Hodson, was in charge of the equipment on the float. The parade assembled in Youth Road and commenced at 10:30am.Colour photographeltham festival, shire of eltham historical society, 1989, joh ebeli, central park

[from a contemporary report:] The Shire of Eltham District Society's Parade float theme for 1989 was gold mining which, of course, was a most important aspect of our early history. Bruce Ness assembled the float with items loaned by Warrandyte Historical Society and quite a bit of his own ingenuity. Phyllis MacDonald also arranged for the Victorian Folk Music Club to provide us with appropriate musical accompaniment. To provide a level of authenticity, a present day prospector, Jack Hodson, was in charge of the equipment on the float. The parade assembled in Youth Road and commenced at 10:30am.Colour photographeltham festival, shire of eltham historical society, 1989, jack hodson, opal smith, central park

[from a contemporary report:] The Shire of Eltham District Society's Parade float theme for 1989 was gold mining which, of course, was a most important aspect of our early history. Bruce Ness assembled the float with items loaned by Warrandyte Historical Society and quite a bit of his own ingenuity. Phyllis MacDonald also arranged for the Victorian Folk Music Club to provide us with appropriate musical accompaniment. To provide a level of authenticity, a present day prospector, Jack Hodson, was in charge of the equipment on the float. The parade assembled in Youth Road and commenced at 10:30am.Colour photographeltham festival, shire of eltham historical society, 1989, central park, jack hodson, opal smith, bruce ness

Open Monument is a contemporary artwork acknowledging the history of Chinese people in Ballarat. The Chinese diaspora was global and many Chinese people came to Ballarat and the Victorian Goldfields. The work details some of the personal Chinese family memories of Ballarat from the goldrush forward. The 33 marble laser-etched panels include found images and texts mounted on a modernist metal architectural feature holding back a grassed hill landscape. Within the side walkway of gravel and composite stone is an etched of local activities relating to the Chinese community achievements that can be added to by the community.Open Monument is of aesthetic and historical significance to the people of BallaratArchitectural artwork consisting of large marble panels on a corten steel frame imbedded into a grassed mount.Inscription on plaque: Open Monument 無極紀念碑 ​/ Artist: John Young ​/ Officially Launched by Mr Yumin Song / Chinese Consul-General to Victoria​ / 6th September 2015​ / Open Monument unearths stories of the Chinese diaspora in Ballarat, a name which means/ “resting place” to the traditional custodians - the Wadawurrung and Dja Dja Wurrung people.​/ The monument comprises of two artworks: Transculture, a granite-panelled work, evoking stories of alternative worldviews, / modernity, leisure and toil. Whilst Timeline traces the major contributions of the Chinese community in Ballarat, every decade / from the 1850s until the present. The timeline then folds out to 2170, anticipating imaginary future contributions.​ / The monument is open to future interpretations of this history. ​/ I thank you for visiting and acknowledging the contributions and memories that meant so much to / those who have gone before us./ - John Young Zerunge​ / Patron: Mr Henry Thai OAM JP​ / President of Ballarat Chinese ​/ Community Association Inc​ / The following generous donors to this project are acknowledged with gratitude​/ City of Ballarat​ Sovereign Hill Museum Association Inc.​ Ballarat Chinese Community Association Inc.​ Mr Henry Thai OAM JP & Mrs Sandra Thai ​ Mrs Shirley Doon & Family in memory of Harry Doon​ Chinese Masonic Association Inc.​ Mr Mean Te and Mrs Meng Khun​ Mr Jack Nguyen MA JP & Mrs My Tang​ Mr Tony and Mrs Elise Yu​ Mr Chang Zhen Zhen & Family​ Australian Lian Jiang Association​ The Federation of Chinese Associations Vic​ The Leesoon Family​ Mr Stephen K.F Ng OAM JP​ Dr Che Sam Lo MD phD JP OAM​ Elderly Chinese Home Inc.​ The Federation of Chinese Org from VN Cambodian and Lao Association of Vic. Inc.​ Bright Moon Buddhist Society​ Nam Pon Soon Club House​ See-Yup Society​ Mr Peter Chong Wai Lo​ Mr Qing Song Lin​ Mr Binh Quoc Mao & Mrs Thuy Cam Thai​ Mr Alexander Mao​ Mr Yuet Lung Kwok JP​ Mr Tai The Tran​ Mr Phillip K. L. Tran​ Mr William K. L. Tran​ Mr Quang Khon Tran JP​ Mr Kouy Taing​ Mrs Kieng Hor Lou​ Mr Bill Chang Piu Au​ Mr Maurice Kwok Leong ​ Mrs Eunice J. Leong​ Mr Vi Minh Tran JP​ Mr Frank Cheng​ Mr David Cheng​ Mr William Thai​ Mr Lizhen Lin​ Mr Phillip Richard Thai​ Mr Hoan Ping Kow​ Mrs Xao Nhu Kow​ Mr Huy Thai​ Mr Yun Kuen Lo​ Mr Chiu Yip & Mrs Yuan Han Cho​ Mrs Jacqueline Louise Thai Greenwood​ Mr Joe Hap Chi Chao & Mrs Rosana Wei Ning Chao​ Charity & Multi Art Association of Victoria Inc.​ Mr Billy Cai​ Miss Nikki Cai​ Miss Su-Ling & Miss Lily Mays-Doon​ Mr Anthony Doon​ Mr H J Moy & Family​ Chinese Australian Cultural Society Ballarat Inc​ open monument chinese, chinese history ballarat goldfields, china, ballarat, goldfields, john young, chinese, mining, multicultural, immigration, tong way, goon, joss house, embroidery, billy butterfly, chinese market gardens, red lion hotel, ah soon, mayor of main road, chinese herbalist, yee lee, james hong, cheok cheong hong, john ah loo, wathawurrung, robe, lowe kong meng, louis ah mouy, tongway, gallipoli, william lung

Boyd argues that the Australian cultural split between what he perceives to be cultured tastes and artistic achievements and the tastes of ordinary Australians is wider and more polarised than in other countries. He derides commercial radio, popular women's magazines, public commercial streets etc - elements of the Australian ugliness. He praises the growth of local contemporary art, literary magazines and architecture, whilst calling for the development of community pride amongst leaders of commerce and industry, and government control of the ugliness of popular culture. This may have been published in "Walkabout" magazine.Typewritten (c copy), quarto, 11 pagesart, egalitarianism, sidney nolan, australian painting, pop art, phil may, dyson, low, media, cartoons, australian literature, radio, california cultural heritage board, commercial advertising, robin boyd, manuscript

Isobel Clement has been practising since the 1980's. She completed her post graduate diploma at Phillip Institute (RMIT) in 1990. She paints, draws and uses installation for creative discourse. She has had more than ten solo exhibitions. Her work is included in collections such as National Gallery of Australia, the Australian Print Workshop Archive, Art Bank Australia and The Bundanon Trust. She has been shortlisted for the contemporary painting prize, the Bayside Art Award, on three occasions in recent years and was the winner of the Nillumbik Prize in 2009.Isobel Clement is a local artist who won the 2008 Nillumbik Prize. Painted in monochrome the artwork depicts two vases (with decorative edges) and two cups on a table in a row. Each of the four objects are slightly different in scale and shape and parallel to the picture plane. N/Astill life, nillumbik prize, painting, monochrome, vases, cups

Rennie Ellis (1940–2003) was as a pivotal figure in Australian visual culture. He was both a documentary photographer and a prominent presence in advertising, television and photography. Ellis was known for his candid documentary images of contemporary Australian life. His photographs of social events, such as music festivals, fashion parades or nightclubs are iconic, but his practice also encompassed the grittier side of life. In his AFL series, Ellis skilfully portrays the nation’s passion for the game, extending his lens beyond the boundary line to showcase the spirited fans alongside the on-field action.

Rennie Ellis (1940–2003) was as a pivotal figure in Australian visual culture. He was both a documentary photographer and a prominent presence in advertising, television and photography. Ellis was known for his candid documentary images of contemporary Australian life. His photographs of social events, such as music festivals, fashion parades or nightclubs are iconic, but his practice also encompassed the grittier side of life. In his AFL series, Ellis skilfully portrays the nation’s passion for the game, extending his lens beyond the boundary line to showcase the spirited fans alongside the on-field action.

Rennie Ellis (1940–2003) was as a pivotal figure in Australian visual culture. He was both a documentary photographer and a prominent presence in advertising, television and photography. Ellis was known for his candid documentary images of contemporary Australian life. His photographs of social events, such as music festivals, fashion parades or nightclubs are iconic, but his practice also encompassed the grittier side of life. In his AFL series, Ellis skilfully portrays the nation’s passion for the game, extending his lens beyond the boundary line to showcase the spirited fans alongside the on-field action.Donated by the Rennie Ellis Photographic Archive

Rennie Ellis (1940–2003) was as a pivotal figure in Australian visual culture. He was both a documentary photographer and a prominent presence in advertising, television and photography. Ellis was known for his candid documentary images of contemporary Australian life. His photographs of social events, such as music festivals, fashion parades or nightclubs are iconic, but his practice also encompassed the grittier side of life. In his AFL series, Ellis skilfully portrays the nation’s passion for the game, extending his lens beyond the boundary line to showcase the spirited fans alongside the on-field action.Donated by the Rennie Ellis Photographic Archive

Rennie Ellis (1940–2003) was as a pivotal figure in Australian visual culture. He was both a documentary photographer and a prominent presence in advertising, television and photography. Ellis was known for his candid documentary images of contemporary Australian life. His photographs of social events, such as music festivals, fashion parades or nightclubs are iconic, but his practice also encompassed the grittier side of life. In his AFL series, Ellis skilfully portrays the nation’s passion for the game, extending his lens beyond the boundary line to showcase the spirited fans alongside the on-field action.Donated by the Rennie Ellis Photographic Archive

Rennie Ellis (1940–2003) was as a pivotal figure in Australian visual culture. He was both a documentary photographer and a prominent presence in advertising, television and photography. Ellis was known for his candid documentary images of contemporary Australian life. His photographs of social events, such as music festivals, fashion parades or nightclubs are iconic, but his practice also encompassed the grittier side of life. In his AFL series, Ellis skilfully portrays the nation’s passion for the game, extending his lens beyond the boundary line to showcase the spirited fans alongside the on-field action.Donated by the Rennie Ellis Photographic Archive

Rennie Ellis (1940–2003) was as a pivotal figure in Australian visual culture. He was both a documentary photographer and a prominent presence in advertising, television and photography. Ellis was known for his candid documentary images of contemporary Australian life. His photographs of social events, such as music festivals, fashion parades or nightclubs are iconic, but his practice also encompassed the grittier side of life. In his AFL series, Ellis skilfully portrays the nation’s passion for the game, extending his lens beyond the boundary line to showcase the spirited fans alongside the on-field action.Donated by the Rennie Ellis Photographic Archive

The boot consisted of a complete man's black leather work-boot resting on the ground sub-floor surface (Layers A-B) in front of the fireplace. Although the uppers had folded inwards and hardened, the fabric was in generally good condition. The newspaper consisted of a single folded sheet, comprising the front and rear pages of 'The Age' (January 2nd, 1872), which was crumpled together with a contemporary theatrical flyer. As the items were removed prior to inspection, a direct association between these items cannot be made, though it is possible that the crumpled newspaper had been originally been inside the boot. The boot is significant based on its connection to the construction of the former Royal Mint building and its potential in demonstrating a ritual building practice. Leather boot - Black leather men's ankle-high boot. The leather is dry and desiccated leading to hardening. There is a layer of dirt and mud over all surfaces. Most of the sole has been lost. Nails revealed in this area are corroding, the heal remains and is well attached - there has been a pronounced shrinkage of the leather of the heal. The lace is missing from the boot. buildings, history, architecture, former royal mint, historic building