Dr Anthony White
Lecturer, Art History
Qualifications
BBus (Swin), BA Hons, MA (UniMelb), PhD (Harvard)
Biography
Dr Anthony White is a graduate of Swinburne University, The University of Melbourne and Harvard University. While completing his PhD in 2000 he worked as an Exhibition Curator at the Fogg Museum, Harvard University. From 2000-2002, as Curator of International Painting and Sculpture at the National Gallery of Australia, he curated and wrote catalogues for several major exhibitions of American art including Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera and Mexican Modernism (2001), Sol LeWitt: Drawings, Prints and Books (2002) and Jackson Pollock's Blue Poles (2002).
In 2002, he was appointed Lecturer in Art History at The University of Melbourne, where he teaches the history of European and American modern art and conducts research in Italian modernism, American post-war art, 19th century French painting, and the relationship between art and mental illness. He has published several articles in the peer-reviewed journals Grey Room, The Australian and New Zealand Journal of Art, and The Art Bulletin of Victoria, and is frequently invited to speak at international art history conferences and symposia. From 2004-06 he was a co-editor of The Australian and New Zealand Journal of Art, the journal of record for art history in this region.
In 2005 he was a Visiting Fellow at the Humanities Research Centre at The Australian National University, and in 2006 was appointed Ailsa Mellon Bruce Visiting Senior Fellow at the Centre for Advanced Studies in the Visual Arts at the National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C. He has been the recipient of many scholarships, awards and grants, including a 1992 Australian Postgraduate Research Award, a Mellon Fellowship for Dissertation Research in 1995, a University of Melbourne Early Career Researcher Award in 2004 and an Australian Research Council Linkage Project Grant for 2007 - 2009. He gives frequent public lectures at the National Gallery of Victoria and is a regular guest on national radio arts programs.
Current research
Lucio Fontana: Between Utopia and Kitsch
Type of Project: Monograph
This project is a monograph on the life and work of Lucio Fontana (1899 - 1968), the Argentine-Italian artist famous for his cut and slashed paintings of the 1960s.
Modernism and Fascism in Italy
Type of Project: Monograph
This project is a book-length study of the 'Milione' group of abstract painters working in the 1930s and 1940s in Milan, Italy. It focuses on the relationship between modernist innovation and the cultural policy of Mussolini's fascist government.
Charles Mountford and the Anangu
Type of Project: research
This project investigates the circumstances surrounding the publication of Charles Mountford's book "Nomads of the Australian Desert" in 1976 and its subsequent withdrawal from publication in response to an injunction sought in the Northern Terrritory Supreme court by the Pitjantjatjara Land Council.
Developing an ethical and multi-dimensional framework for the exhibition of creative works by people who experience mental illness and/or psychological trauma
Type of Project: ARC Linkage
Project Collaborators: Eugen Koh, Cunningham Dax Collection: Art, Creativity and Education in Mental Health, Karen Jones, School of Philosophy, The University of Melbourne and Nurin Veis, Museum Victoria.
This project develops a methodology for exhibiting art works by people who experience mental illness and/or psychological trauma. The project is focused around the collections of the Cunningham Dax Collection, one of the world's most significant collections of such material.
Knowledge transfer
Guest and public lectures
- 'French Impressionism - Development and Transformation' Public Lecture, National Gallery of Victoria, 2007
- 'Interpreting Art by People with Mental Illness' Public Talk, The Cunningham Dax Collection, Parkville, 10th December, 2006
- 'Killing the Father: Picasso's Legacy, Guest Lecture, National Gallery of Victoria, 2006
- 'Jackson Pollock,' Public Lecture, The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia at Federation Square, 2004
- 'The 19th Century Avant-Garde in Painting,' Public Lecture, The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia at Federation Square. 2004
- 'Technology and Vulnerability: Ari Purhonen and Ian Howard,' Public Lecture, Ian Potter Museum of Art, University of Melbourne. 2003
- 'Pierre Bonnard: Beneath the Surface,' Public Lecture, Ian Potter Museum of Art, University of Melbourne. 2003
Membership of editorial boards
- co-editor of The Australian and New Zealand Journal of Art 2004-06
Membership of organisations
- Member, Art Association of Australia and New Zealand
- Member, College Art Association
Public service
- Treasurer, Art Assocation of Australia and New Zealand 2002 - 2006
- Chair, Ethics Committee, Cunningham Dax Collection
- Member, Exhibition Committee, Cunningham Dax Collection
Conference paper presentations (without publication)
- '"The End of God" Lucio Fontana and Technological Modernity in the 1960s,' The Australasian Center for Italian Studies Fourth Biennial Conference, Griffith University, Brisbane, 10 - 13 July 2007
- 'Post-war Perspective,' Guggenheim Collection 1940s to Now Symposium National Gallery of Victoria 30 June 2007
- 'Re-enacting fascist art: Mario Radice's murals in the Casa del Fascio,' Art and Reenactment Conference, Research School of Humanities, Australian National University, Canberra, 5-7 June 2007
- 'Art and Mental Illness: An Art Historical Perspective,' Art & Mental Illness, Myths, Stereotypes and Reality Forum, Neami Splash Art Studio, Melbourne, 1 June, 2007
- 'Beyond Van Gogh,' For Matthew: Journeys with Schizophrenia Conference, University of New South Wales, Sydney, 5-6 October, 2006
- 'The Cunningham Dax Collection and Surrealist Discourse' Terra Incognita: Surrealism, Psychoanalysis and Sexuality Symposium, The University of Melbourne, September 1-2, 2006
- '"The End of God:" Lucio Fontana and Technological Modernity in the 1960s.' Research Seminar, The AHRC Research Centre for Studies of Surrealism and its Legacies, Manchester University, UK, 28th March, 2006
- 'From Kitsch to Space: Lucio Fontana's Ceramics and the Spatial Environment,' College Art Association 94th Annual Conference, Boston, USA, February 22 - 25, 2006
- 'Art and Cultural Negotiation: Anangu and Charles Mountford,' Work in Progress Seminar, Humanities Research Centre, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia, 25th November, 2005.
- 'Illustrations of Madness: James Tilly Matthews and the Influencing Machine,' Art & Mental Health Forum, Bundoora Homestead Art Centre, May 14, 2005
- 'Modernism, Fascism and Kitsch: Lucio Fontana.' Association of Art Historians Conference, University of Bristol, United Kingdom, 31 March - 2 April, 2005
- 'Courbet's Amphibologie and the Spectacle of Landscape,' Invited Guest Speaker - Keynote Address, 2003: Situations of Culture and Theory, Queensland Art Gallery Tertiary Forum, Brisbane, September 12, 2003
- 'Lucio Fontana: Form into Space.' Art Association of Australia and New Zealand Conference, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, 1 December 2000.
- 'Art Historical Discourse and Western Desert Painting', Art Association of Australia Annual Conference, Australian National University, Canberra, 1991.
Teaching
- 107-131 Art History B: 20th Century Art
An introduction to 20th century European, American and Australian art for first year students - 107-264 Art and Revolution: 19th Century Europe
A second and third year subject covering the history of nineteenth century European art from late 18th century to late 19th century. - 107-038 Modernist Avant-Gardes
A second and third year subject examining the history of oppositional art from late 19th century to 1950. - 107-443 Futurism and Fascist Art in Italy
A fourth year subject which investigates the history of Futurism and Fascist Art in Italy 1909 - 1939 - Europe after the Rain: Post War Art
A fourth year subject which examines the impact of WWII and post-war reconstruction on the European avant-garde.
Full subject descriptions are available on the University of Melbourne Handbook.
Research student supervisions
- Ryan Johnston, PhD, "Eduardo Paolozzi"
- Grace McQuilten, PhD, "Andrea Zittel, Adam Kalkin and Vito Acconci"
- Roberta Crisci, PhD, "Edgar Degas"
- Carina Nandlal, PhD "Pablo Picasso and Stravinsky"
- Robyn Dold, PhD "Guy Stuart, Paul Partos and Nigel Lendon"
Publications
In-press
- '"Have Mary Janes Gone Up?" Participation and Disaffiliation in Oldenburg's "The Store"', Proceedings of the Art Assocation of Australia and New Zealand (NSW Chapter) Conference 'Art and the Real: Documentary, Ethnography, Enactment,' Sydney, (2007)
- 'Gustave Courbet's "The wave"' Art Bulletin of Victoria 47 (2007)
- 'Graeme Doyle, The Cunningham Dax Collection and Surrealist Discourse,' Papers of Surrealism, special issue (2007)
- 'Industrial Painting's Utopias: Lucio Fontana's "Expectations"' October 124 (2008)
Edited books
- Jackson Pollock's Blue Poles. National Gallery of Australia , Canberra (2002)
- Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera and Mexican Modernism: The Jacques and Natasha Gelman Collection. National Gallery of Australia, Canberra (2001)
Book chapters
- 'Beyond Van Gogh: Art, Art History and Mental Illness.' For Matthew: Journeys with Schizophrenia. Sydney: University of New South Wales: pp. 45 -51 (2006)
- 'Jackson Pollock's Blue Poles.' Jackson Pollock's Blue Poles . ed. A. White, National Gallery of Australia, Canberra: pp. 13 - 39 (2002)
- 'They Are Vying for Shreds of Her Garments'; 'Jacques and Natasha'; 'My Mother, Myself and the Universe.' Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera and Mexican Modernism: The Jacques and Natasha Gelman Collection. ed A. White, National Gallery of Australia, Canberra: pp. 13 - 16, 20 - 28 (2001)
Journal articles
- 'Modernism and Fascism: Italian Abstract Art in the 1930s and 1940s,' Center 26: Record of Activities and Research Reports (2006): pp. 161 - 163.
- 'No Form Can Be Spatial: The Origin of Lucio Fontana's Spatial Concept.' Art Bulletin of Victoria 45 (2005): pp. 44 - 51.
- 'Abstract Art, Ethics and Interpretation: The Case of Mario Radice,' The Australian and New Zealand Journal of Art 4, no. 2 (2004): pp. 43 - 56.
- 'Art Metropolis: A New Installation of International Art.' Artonview 32 (2002): pp. 18-22
- 'Before Blue Poles' Artonview 31 (2002) pp. 14 - 16 [on-line at http://nga.gov.au/Pollock/index.cfm]
- 'Sol LeWitt: Drawings, Prints and Books 1968 - 1988,' Artonview 30 (2002): pp. 33 - 39.
- 'Lucio Fontana: Between Utopia and Kitsch.' Grey Room 5 (2001): pp. 54 - 77
- 'After Blue Poles,' Artonview 27 (2001) pp. 46 - 47.
- 'Magic Realism: Mexican Women Artists in the Jacques and Natasha Gelman Collection' Artonview 26 (2001): pp. 4 - 10.
- 'Agnes Martin: On the Empty Beach,' Artonview 24 (2001) pp. 42 - 44
Conference papers
- 'Lucio Fontana: The Post-fascist Masculine Figure,' in Proceedings of the Masculinities: Art Gender and Popular Culture Conference, Ian Potter Museum of Art, University of Melbourne, (2005)'Abstract Art and Fascism in Como ,' in Proceedings of the Art Association of Australia and New Zealand (NSW Chapter) Ethics and Aesthetics Conference, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, (2004)
Catalogue essays
- 'The Artist and Mental Illness: An Art Historical Perspective.' in The Cunningham Dax Collection and The Artists of Neami Splash Art Studio, exh. cat., Bundoora Homestead Art Centre, Bundoora, (2005), pp. 2-4
- 'A Point of View' in Dennis Brockie, Stradbroke Hotel: Point Lookout, (2005) n. p.
- 'Technique and Memory.' in Lyndell Brown Charles Green, exh. cat., ARC One Gallery, Melbourne (2003), n.p.
Curatorial Work
- "Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera and Mexican Modernism: The Jacques and Natasha Gelman Collection," National Gallery of Australia, Canberra (2001)
- "Jackson Pollock's Blue Poles," National Gallery of Australia, Canberra (2002)
- "Sol LeWitt: Drawings, Prints and Books, 1968 - 1988," (co-curated with Steven Tonkin) National Gallery of Australia, Canberra (2002)
Reviews
- 'Modernism & Australia,' Australian Book Review 292 (2007)
- 'The Art of Enigma: The De Chirico Brothers and the Politics of Modernism' (book review) Papers of Surrealism 4 (2006)
- 'Aboriginal Art: Sacred and Profane'. Art Journal 59(4): pp. 105-107 (2000)
Media articles
- 'Beneath the Surface of Bonnard's World,' The Age (Melbourne) 1 March, 2003
- 'Brothers Who Open White Eyes,' [with Paul Dunphy] The Age (Melbourne) 14 September, 1991.
Radio television and digital media interviews
- Interviewed by Amanda Smith for 'Guggenheim on show' Artworks, ABC Radio National, broadcast 8 July 2007
- Interviewed by Amanda Smith for 'Robert Hughes' The Deep End, ABC Radio National, broadcast 9 November 2006
- Interviewed by Amanda Smith for '1956: Jackson Pollock' The Deep End, ABC Radio National, broadcast 24 September 2006
- Interviewed by Amanda Smith for 'Visual Arts - Nostalgia' The Deep End, ABC Radio National, broadcast 22 November 2005
- 'Jackson Pollock's Blue Poles' Night Club, ABC Radio National, broadcast 30 October 2002.
- 'Frida Kahlo and Mexican Modernism' Arts Today, ABC Radio National, broadcast 26 July 2001