John Passmore b. 4 February 1904

Also known as John Richard Passmore
  • Artist (Painter),
  • Artist (Draughtsman)
When John Passmore returned to Sydney from an extended stay in Europe in 1951 he galvanised a generation of young painters. They were led to understand that paintings need not be smooth and precious, but could be rough, tough, but still have an underlying structure – inspired by Cézanne.
Tags: Painterly abstraction, Influence of cubism
exhibited at
John Passmore: the late works
Date
1997
Place
Ivan Dougherty Gallery, COFA, UNSW, Paddington, NSW
Description

An IDG show toured to Newcastle Regional Gallery, Brisbane City Gallery, The George Adams Gallery and Ballarat Fine Art Gallery, funded by Gordon Darling Foundation and the Sir William Dobell Art Foundation

Source: Solo Survey Exhibition Linkage Project, Tasmanian School of Art, UTAS
IDG archive printout; Pinson, Peter, John Passmore: The late works. Sydney: The University of NSW, 1997

Exhibition Catalogue:
Pinson, Peter, John Passmore: The late works. Sydney: The University of NSW, 1997
ISBN 07334 15962

Type
Exhibition
Tags
Solo Survey, Painting, Drawing
exhibited at
John Passmore retrospective
Date
1984
Place
Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW
Description

Retrospective organised by AGNSW, toured during 1984-5. Works from the 1930s to 1960s.

Source: Solo Survey Exhibition Linkage Project, Tasmanian School of Art, UTAS
AGNSW annual report & archive index cards; UTAS catalogue

Exhibition Catalogue:
John Passmore, 1904-84 : retrospective. Sydney : Art Gallery of New South Wales, [1984]
ISBN 0730503267

Type
Exhibition
Tags
Retrospective, Painting
exhibited at
The Australian Landscape
Date
1972 - 1973
Place
Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide, SA
Description

“The Australian Landscape” was a national touring exhibition organised by the Australian Gallery Directors’ Council in 1972. The organising gallery was the Art Gallery of South Australia, and the curators were Daniel Thomas (Art Gallery of New South Wales) Ian North (Art Gallery of South Australia) and Frances McCarthy [later Lindsay] (National Gallery of Victoria). Generous funding from the Peter Stuyvesant foundation enabled the curators to travel the country together in order to make considered judgements.
The exhibition opened at the Art Gallery of South Australia on 3 March 1972, and toured to the Western Australian Art Gallery, National Gallery of Victoria, Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, Australian National Gallery (temporary premises), Art Gallery of New South Wales, Newcastle City Art Gallery, and the Queensland Art Gallery.
The catalogue introduction claims that the exhibition comprised of 'fifty-five of the best Australian landscapes ever executed’. It was characterised by a breadth of vision, with works from every state – including regional galleries and private collections. It is distinguished by having a greater emphasis on colonial works than previous exhibitions, and elevating the reputation of Eugene Von Guerard and John Glover.
There were only two works by women – Grace Cossington Smith and Margaret Preston– and none by any Aboriginal artist.

Type
Exhibition
exhibited at
Recent Australian Painting
Date
June 1961 - July 1961
Place
Whitechapel Gallery, London, UK
Type
Exhibition
exhibited at
Direction 1
Date
4 December 1956 - 10 December 1956
Place
Macquarie Galleries, Sydney, NSW
Type
Exhibition