Thursday, October 6, 2011

Does anyone remember the AVAGOgallery?

The name AVAGO was apparently created, as far as anyone seems to remember, by Michael C. McMillen and James Doolin – but maybe not. The story goes that the AVAGOgallery is a part 'contemporary art's' pre-history in Sydney.  It spawned look-alike installation spaces, and arts programs, in various locations throughout Australia and apparently elsewhere.

There was an AVAGOgallery at CAMELEON GALLERY in the old Blundstone Boot Factory in Hobart in the 1980s.

Apparently, the AVAGOgallery started life in a shopfront space with a small window on the street. Artists took turns in creating installation pieces for the window. There needs to a bit of research done here to discover who actually had the first AVAGOgallery when and where - and where the idea went.

The name AVAGO is Strine Australian for "have a go (at it)." It seems that it all may have started  out as a teaser piece at the front of a gallery to lure curious passers-by into a gallery and  the main event.

Then there are memories of these little AVAGOgalleries turning up as niches in the facades of galleries, apparently 'Contemporary Art Spaces' in the main. The story goes that these little AVAGOgalleries were of a consistent size and format – 500 x 500 x 500 mm lite with a 40 Wat incandescent bulb.


But also,  it seems that the ubiquitous 'shop window', especial the windows of <DEADshops>,  operated as a kind of AVAGOgallery during community arts and cultural development programs and initiatives – the RENEW NEWCASTLE initiative and there are memories of something of the like in Sydney in the late 70s or early 80s and there was something of the like in Melbourne.

The AVAGOgallery in 'Contemporary Art Spaces' that where generally publicly funded in Australia apparently curated various artists into these spaces. They were certainl not a part of the mainstream <ARTmarket>! It seems that these installations had a distinct tinge of the underground, and the almost transgressive, about them. By comparison with community arts cum community cultural development they claimed something more of the 'cutting edge'  and 'the underground' than their <CLAYTONScousins> in mainstream 'community arts'.

Well that was the 80s yet in the 21stC there is quite probably some <CYBERspace> going begging for an AVAGOgallery:21C online and perhaps this time round with a neo-neoFLUXUS cum neo-neoDaDa flavour. The opportunities are boundless. ALL contributions to the <IDEASpot> are welcomed .... click on this image

If you have a contribution to make OR you have some history to tell ... eMAIL US NOW

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2 comments:

Patricia Sabine said...

I do know something about the Melbourne scene in the second half of the 80s.

Through Melbourne City Council we established an artist based initiative called No Vacancy using a Council Owned shopfront in Collins St. and also supported artists with limited finance to utilise the small windows at Finders ST and Spencer ST underground tunnels.

I think they called their work group "platform". It was managed by artists and the Council program was aimed to moved the management away from Council directly to artists.

Biron Valier who exhibited in the Sydney space may have also started it. I knew Michael MacMillen very well in the 70s and 80s and have some contact with him still.

Watch this space!

4/Treva Alen said...

Thanks for that Patricia ...looking forward to your future memories and those of others sparked by yours.