Robert Klippel AO Australian, 1920-2001
Robert Klippel AO (1920-2001, Sydney, NSW) is regarded as one of Australia’s leading sculptors. Developing a distinct personal language of sculptural forms over his long career, his ambition was to make sculpture inspired by a poetic synthesis between the twin energies – organic and mechanical – that he saw as defining life and culture in the 20th century. In 1947, Klippel left Australia for London where he studied at the Slade School, afterward exploring Surrealism in Paris with Andre Breton and the New York Surrealists. Returning to Sydney in 1950, Klippel mixed with abstract artists, exhibiting with William Rose, John Olsen, John Passmore and Eric Smith. In 1957, Klippel moved to New York and his successes abroad prompted a return to Sydney in 1963 where he continued to work with junk machine parts as well as in drawing, collage and painting. He never ceased to experiment with his practice, leaving an invaluable mark on Australian and international art that is still felt today. His works can be found in the Art Gallery of New South Wales, National Gallery of Victoria, TarraWarra Museum of Art, and within numerous institutions and private collections around the world.
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2016 Olsen Gallery, Sydney
2014 Art | Basel Miami
2013 Art | Basel Switzerland Art in the Park, Galerie Gmurzynska Zurich
2012 Art | Basel Switzerland
2011 Galerie Gmurzynska Zurich
2008 Klippel/Klippel: Opus
2008, National Gallery of Victoria, Australia, Melbourne Assemblages, Anna Schwartz Gallery, Melbourne
2004 Robert Klippel 1920-2001, Niagara Galleries, Melbourne Robert Klippel: Sculpture, works on paper, Watters Gallery, Sydney
2002 Robert Klippel , Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW
2001 Robert Klippel: recent metal sculptures, Watters Gallery, Sydney Klippel, Tuckson and Larter, Holmes à Court Gallery, Perth Robert Klippel 1920-2001, Australian Art Resources, South Melbourne
1998 Two’s company: Rosemany Madigan and Robert Klippel, Ray Hughes Gallery, Sydney James Gleeson and Robert Klippel: Madame Sophie Sesostoris (a pre-Raphaelite satire) 1947 – 48, Art Gallery of New South Wales
1997 On a smaller scale: James Gleeson and Robert Klippel, Watters Gallery, Sydney
1996 James Gleeson and Robert Klippel: Five paintings and five bronze sculptures, Watters Gallery, Sydney Robert Klippel, Fifth Australian Contemporary Art Fair, Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne
1995 Robert Klippel: large wood sculptures and collages, Art Gallery of New South Wales 1994 Robert Klippel: sculpture 1960s -1970s from the Crebbin collection, Sydney, Deutscher Fine Art, Melb Robert Klippel: collages
1993-94, Watters Gallery, Sydney
1992 Rosemary Madigan and Robert Klippel at Carrick Hill, Carrick Hill, Adelaide Robert Klippel: Collages, Watters Gallery, Sydney
1993 Robert Klippel, National Gallery of Australia, Canberra
1990 The sculptor's studio: Robert Klippel, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney Painted wooden sculptures, Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery, Sydney
1988 An exhibition of sculpture by Robert Klippel, Christine Abrahams Gallery, Melbourne 1989 Kalgoorlie gold: an exhibition of gold sculptures by Robert Klippel, Art Gallery of New South Wales Robert Klippel: A major collection of sculpture and works on paper, Deutscher Fine Art, Melbourne
1987 Exhibition of bronze sculpture by Robert Klippel and Clement Meadmore, Macquarie Galleries, Sydney Robert Klippel: Unique cast bronze sculpture and works on paper, Waters Gallery, Sydney Robert Klippel: A retrospective exhibition of sculpture and works on paper, Heide Park Museum and Art Gallery, Melbourne
1985 Robert Klippel: sculptures in wood, Watters Gallery, Sydney
1984 An exhibition of bronze sculpture by Robert Klippel, Von Bertouch Galleries, Newcastle Robert Klippel: Bronze sculptures and works on paper, Pinacotheca Gallery, Melbourne
1983 Robert Klippel: recent bronze sculptures, 123 Charlotte Street, Brisbane Robert Klippel: collage and drawings 1947-1983, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney Robert Klippel: collage and drawings 1947 – 1983, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney
1979 Robert Klippel: sculpture since 1970, Watters Gallery, Sydney
1978 Gleeson and Klippel, Rudy Komon Gallery, Sydney
1975 Robert Klippel: drawings 1947 – 1975, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney
1971 [Robert Klippel], Johnstone Gallery, Brisbane
1970 Robert Klippel: drawings, collages, watercolours 1947 – 1970, Bonython Art Gallery, Sydney
1969 Robert Klippel: sculpture and drawings, Bonython Art Gallery, Sydney
1968 Robert Klippel: sculptures, Bonython Art Gallery, Sydney
1966 Sculptures by Robert Klippel and paintings by Janet Dawson, Gallery A in the Town House Motel, Canberra Sculpture by Robert Klippel, Gallery A, Melbourne
1965 The sculpture of Robert Klippel, Gallery A, Sydney
1963 Robert Klippel, Clune Galleries, Sydney Robert Klippel, Australian Galleries, Melbourne
1962 [Robert Klippel], Felice Wender Gallery, Minneapolis, USA Exhibition of sculpture by Robert Klippel, Clune Galleries, Sydney
1961 [Robert Klippel], Little Gallery, Minneapolis Institute of Art, Minneapolis, USA
1960 Robert Klippel; structures, Parma Gallery, New York
1958 [Robert Klippel], Parma Gallery, New York
1952 Exhibition of abstract paintings by Balson and constructions by Klippel, Macquarie Galleries, Sydney 1949 Klippel: sculpture & dessins, Galerie Nina Dausset, Paris 1948 James Gleeson and Robert Klippel, London Gallery, London.
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2008 Blue Chip X: The Collectors’ Exhibition, Niagara Galleries, Melbourne Australian Surrealism - The Agapitos/Wilson collection, National Gallery of Australia, Canberra
2006 Blue Chip VIII, Niagara Galleries, Melbourne Wastelands, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney 2005 Blue Chip VII: The Collectors’ Exhibition, Niagara Galleries, Melbourne
RICK AMOR / ROBERT KLIPPEL, Niagara Galleries, Melbourne Blue Chip VI, Niagara Galleries, Melbourne 2003 Fragments, Queensland Art Gallery / Gallery of Modern Art Australian Surrealism, Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide Blue Chip - The collectors´exhibition, Niagara Galleries, Melbourne
2000 Australian Icons – A pilgrimage for lovers of Australian art, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney
1998 The Laverty Collection, Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney
1997 I had a dream: Australian art in the 1960s, National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
1996 Sculpture eight, Robin Gibson Gallery, Sydney Summer exhibition, Watters Gallery, Sydney
1993 Surrealism: revolution by night, National Gallery of Australia, Canberra (touring exhibition)
1991 Diverse vision: Twelve Australian mid to late career artists, Queensland Art Gallery/ Gallery of Modern Art, Brisbane Australian printmaking: The second wave 1940s-1960s, Josef Lebovic Gallery, Sydney New directions, 1952-1962, Lewers Bequest and Penrith Regional Art Gallery, Emu Plains, NSW Selected Australian art: colonial to modern, Deutscher Fine Art, Melbourne
1990 Campus collections: art at the University of New South Wales and the College of Fine Arts, Ivan Dougherty Gallery, Sydney Works on paper: 40 artists – 40 works, Watters Gallery, Sydney Upstairs Summer exhibition, Watters Gallery, Sydney Contemporary graphics, Irving Galleries, Sydney Selected Australian art 1850-1970, Deutscher Fine Art, Melbourne A consideration of some new sculpture from Australia, Europe and Japan, National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, as part of the Fourth Australian sculpture triennial
1989 Works from the studios of Ian Bettison, Helen Eager, Robert Klippel, Richard Larter, Jon Plapp and Vicki Varvaressos, Watters Gallery, Sydney
1988 The Great Australian Art Exhibition 1788-1988, Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide (touring exhibition) 1988 Australian biennale. From the South Cross: a view of world art c 1940-88, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney Works on paper: Robert Klippel, Paul Selwood, Ken Whisson, Watters Gallery, Sydney
1987 Australian sculpture triennial, National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne The age of collage, Holdsworth Galleries, Sydney
1986 Winter exhibition: aspects of Australian abstraction, Garry Anderson Gallery, Sydney
1985 Australian sculpture now: second Australian sculpture triennial, National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
1983 Australian Perspecta, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney
1982 Abstract Australian sculpture from 1970: A continuing tradition, Irving Sculpture Gallery, Sydney 1981 Collage exhibition, Watters Gallery, Sydney
1980 Abstract Expressionism in Sydney 1956-1964, Ivan Dougherty Gallery, Sydney
1978 Contemporary Australian drawing: 1978 Perth survey of drawings, Western Australian Art Gallery, Perth (touring exhibition)
1976 25th anniversary exhibition of the Society of Sculptors and Associates, Sculpture Centre Gallery, Sydney 1975 Ten Australians, Gallery A, Sydney
1974 Society of Sculptors and Associates selected exhibition, Sculpture Centre, Sydney
1973 Selected drawings, studies and work on paper by Australian artists, Holdsworth Galleries, Sydney Sculpture survey, Realities Gallery, Melbourne The 1st Biennale of Sydney, Sydney Opera House, Sydney
1972 A spectrum of Australian art: Selected drawings, Holdsworth Galleries, Sydney Australian sculpture, John Gild Galleries, Perth
1968 Recent Australian sculpture: Form in action, Pan-Pacific Arts Festival, New Zealand (touring exhibition)
1964 Mildura Sculpture Triennial, Mildura Arts Centre,
1962 1962 Biennial of painting and sculpture, Walker Art Centre, Minneapolis, USA 1961 The 2nd Minnesota Biennial, Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Minneapolis, USA
1960 16 younger Minnesota artists, Walker Art Centre, Minneapolis, USA First National Bank Building exhibition, Walker Art Centre, Minneapolis, USA
1959 [Group exhibition], Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Minneapolis, USA [Group exhibition], Lyman-Allen Museum, New London, Connecticut
1956 Olympic Arts Festival exhibition, Wilson Hall, University of Melbourne, Melbourne
1952 Society of Sculptures and Associates 3rd exhibition, National Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney Prints and drawings, Macquarie Galleries, Sydney Contemporary Arts Society drawing exhibition
1951 Exhibition of abstract compositions – paintings and sculpture, Macquarie Galleries, Sydney An exhibition of paintings, sculpture and architectural design [by members of the Contemporary [Art Society], Farmer’s Blaxland Galleries, Sydney Jubilee exhibition of Australian art, National Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney Contemporary Art Society Jubilee exhibition, Royal South Australian Society of Arts Gallery, Adelaide 13th annual interstate exhibition of the Contemporary Art Society, Education Department Gallery, Sydney Society of Sculptures and Associates open air exhibition of sculpture, Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney
1950 12th annual interstate exhibition of the Contemporary Art Society, Education Department Gallery, Sydney
1948 [Mixed Exhibition], Berkley Gallery, London
PUBLIC COLLECTIONS
Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide
Queensland Art Gallery / Gallery of Modern Art, Brisbane
National Gallery of Australia, Canberra
Newcastle Region Art Gallery, Newcastle
The British Museum, London
Yale University, Connecticut
