John Olsen Australian, b. 1928-
John Olsen is one of Australia’s most well known artists with a career spanning more than seven decades. In his artistic practice he likes to use a range of different mediums, painting being his preferred choice. He has an extremely individualised style, which can be seen by his experimentation with line, colour and figuration. The landscape is a theme that is featured a lot in his work, with forays into the urban environment, food and portraiture
John Olsen is a highly awarded artist. He is the winner of the 2005 Archibald Prize and in 2001 Dr. John Olsen was made an Officer in the Order of Australia (AO). In 1977 he was awarded the O.B.E. for services to the Arts and in 1993 he was awarded an Australian Creative Fellowship. He was also awarded the Wynne Prize in 1969 and 1985 amongst many other awards throughout his career.
John Olsen has also received an honorary doctorate of letters from both the University of NSW (2003) and the University of Newcastle (2011).
SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS:
2016 John Olsen, Olsen Irwin, Sydney
John Olsen: The You Beaut Country, National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
2015 Destination Sydney, Mosman Art Gallery, Sydney
Philip Bacon Galleries, Brisbane
2014 Myself and other Animals, Metro Gallery, Melbourne
2013-14 John Olsen: New Work, Olsen Irwin, Sydney
2013 John Olsen: An Exhibition of New Work, Osborne Samuel, London in conjunction with Olsen Irwin, Sydney
2012 Lake Eyre: The Desert Sea. Metro Gallery, Melbourne
2011 John Olsen, Lake Eyre – The Desert Sea, Ruminations on an empty landscape, Tim Olsen Gallery, Sydney
John Olsen, Lake Eyre – The Desert Sea, Ruminations on an empty landscape, Tim Olsen Gallery at the Hong Kong Art Fair
2010 John Olsen, Culinaria; The Cuisine of the Sun, Tim Olsen Gallery
2009 Olsen: Paintings & Drawings, Metro Gallery, Melbourne
2007 John Olsen, A Salute to Sydney, Tim Olsen Gallery, Sydney
2006 The Coorong: Unfinished Journey, Metro 5 Gallery, Melbourne Selected works, Tim Olsen Gallery, Sydney
John Olsen: His Complete Graphics, Tim Olsen Gallery, Sydney
John Olsen, Selection of Graphics, Eastgate and Holst Gallery, Melbourne
2005 The Flight to Broome, Tim Olsen Gallery Annex, Sydney.
Pulse, Tarrawarra Museum of Art, Victoria
Teeming with Life, His Complete Graphics 1957-2005, Book launch and exhibition of selected etchings, Cosa Gallery, London
The Coorong Suite, New Releases, Print Survey. Port Jackson Press Gallery, Melbourne A selection of recent etchings by John Olsen, Impressions on Paper Gallery, Canberra
2004 John Olsen, Recent Works, Tim Olsen Gallery, Sydney
2003 John Olsen, Metro 5 Gallery, Melbourne
Sydney Harbour, Seaport of Desire, a survey of prints and drawings, Port Jackson Press, Melbourne
2002 Seaport of Desire, Tim Olsen Gallery, Sydney
2001 Recent works on paper, Tim Olsen Gallery, Sydney
2000 John Olsen: Past & Present, Tim Olsen Gallery, Sydney
1998 John Olsen: Recent Paintings 1995 - 1998, Olsen Carr Art Dealers, Sydney 'New York Nowhere', recent paintings and works on paper, Olsen Carr Art Dealers, Sydney
1995 John Olsen: Recent Works, Philip Bacon Galleries, Brisbane
1994 John Olsen: Recent Work 1992-1994, Deutscher Fine Art, Melbourne
1993 John Olsen: Recent Works, Sherman Galleries Goodhope, Sydney John Olsen: Recent Etchings, Olsen Carr Art Dealers, Sydney
1992 John Olsen Retrospective, Art Gallery of New South Wales, John Olsen Retrospective, National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
1991 John Olsen, Australian Galleries, Melbourne
1990 John Olsen, Australian Galleries, Sydney
1989 John Olsen, Greenhill Gallery, Perth The Land Beyond Time, works from the Christensen Fund Collection, touring exhibition Manly Art Gallery, Sydney; Nolan Gallery, Canberra; The Centre Gallery, Gold Coast
1988 John Olsen - Encounters with Drawing, Australian Galleries, Melbourne
1987-8 John Olsen - Encounters with Drawing, Wollongong City Gallery
1986 Paintings and Drawings by John Olsen from the permanent collection,
John Olsen - In Search of the Open Country 1961-1986, Heide, Melbourne
John Olsen: Gold, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney
John Olsen, Australian Galleries, Melbourne
1985 John Olsen, Tynte Gallery, Adelaide
1984 John Olsen, Tynte Gallery, Adelaide Festival, Adelaide
1983 John Olsen: Selected Graphics, Art Gallery of Western Australia, Perth John Olsen - The Land Beyond Time, Art Gallery of Western Australia, Perth 1982 John Olsen 81-82 and Noela Hjorth, Bortignon's Kalamunda Gallery of Man,
John Olsen, Australian Galleries, Melbourne
1981 John Olsen: A Sliver of Time, Barry Stern Galleries, Sydney
1980 John Olsen: Exhibition of Recent Paintings, Australian Galleries, Melbourne
John Olsen: Paintings and Drawings 77-80 Lister Gallery, Festival of Perth, Perth
John Olsen: My Complete Graphics, David Reid Gallery, Sydney
1979 John Olsen: Earth Hold etchings, Cintra House, Brisbane
1978 John Olsen: Paintings and Drawings 77-78, Barry Stern Galleries, Sydney 1977 John Olsen: Recent Paintings, Australian Galleries, Melbourne 1976 John Olsen: Recent oil paintings, gouaches, drawings and etchings, Ray The Child in us All, St John's Anglican Cathedral, Brisbane 1975 John Olsen: Edge of the Void, Rudy Komon Gallery, Sydney John Olsen 74-75: Edge of the Void and Opera House Mural Studies, Australian Edge of the Void: Paintings, Drawings, Etchings and Lithographs by John Olsen, Greenhill Galleries, Adelaide
John Olsen: Etchings, Gallery Huntly, Canberra
1974 John Olsen, Atelier 72 Gallery, Adelaide
1973 John Olsen, Rudy Komon Gallery, Sydney
1972 John Olsen, Australian Galleries, Melbourne
1971 John Olsen, Rudy Komon Gallery, Sydney
1970 John Olsen, Reid Gallery, Brisbane
1969 The Dunmoochin Summer: John Olsen '69, Rudy Komon Gallery, Sydney John Olsen '69- Exhibition of Gouches and Oil Paintings, White Studio, Adelaide
1967 Entrance to the Castle of Life: John Olsen 66-67, Clune Galleries, Sydney
Entrance to the Castle of Life: John Olsen 66-67, South Yarra Gallery, Melbourne
1965 John Olsen, Clune Galleries, Sydney John Olsen, South Yarra Gallery, Melbourne
1963 An Exhibition of Recent Paintings, Gouaches & Drawings by John Olsen, John Olsen: Recent Paintings, Australian Galleries, Melbourne
1960 Olsen, Galerie Lambert, Paris John Olsen, Terry Clune Galleries, Sydney
1958 John Olsen, Macquarie Galleries, Sydney 1955 John Olsen, Macquarie Galleries, Sydney
COLLECTIONS:
0John Olsen's work is represented in all Australian state gallery collections, the National Gallery of Australia, Canberra and regional galleries Australia wide. He is also represented in institutional, corporate and private collections in Australasia, United Kingdom, Europe and the United States of America.
