Dorothy Erickson Circles suite, neckring, arm ring and hairpin, 1978, sterling silver, 18ct gold, chrysoprase, largest 210 diameter x 10mm. Private Collection. Photo Robert Frith.
The Art Gallery of Western Australia in collaboration with the Design Institute Australia presents Dorothy Erickson: Più di Cinquanta at the Art Gallery of Western Australia
The work of Western Australian artist-jeweller Dorothy Erickson is celebrated in this exhibition spanning the artist's 50-year career.
Più di Cinquanta features State Art Collection works alongside a rich array of loans, including special pieces from Erickson's personal collection.
A highlight of the exhibition is Erickson's Hesperia Collection, a celebration of her creative predecessors. As Erickson says, it's an "homage to the women who were among the first to make art their profession in Western Australia".
Another key theme are works inspired by Western Australia's unique flora. Few pieces are literal translations, though. Instead, her pieces evoke the colour, form or habitats of individual species of plants as Erickson's works move with the body in joyous twinkling movement.
Awarded a Member of the Order of Australia in January 2024, Erickson was inducted into the Design Institute of Australia Hall of Fame in 2020. Più di Cinquanta is a culmination of that recognition. Her work has been exhibited in Australia, Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas and represented in collections including the V&A, Swiss National Museum, National Gallery of Australia, Dallas Museum of Art, Schmuckmuseum Pforzheim and The Art Gallery of Western Australia.
A new biography on the life and work of the artist Dorothy Erickson: Metamorphosis, Mookaite and the Metropolis will accompany this Western Australian showcase.
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Exhibition runs from Thursday 21 March to 30 June 2024
At the Art Gallery of Western Australia
Open daily 10am-5pm (except Tuesdays and Good Friday)