Jan Davis

walking home – recent works on paper

‘… if memory is imagined as a real space – a place, theatre, library – then the act of remembering is imagined as a real act, that is, as a physical act: as walking.’
Solnit, Rebecca 2001, Wanderlust: A History of Walking, Verso, London. p. 77.

Walking Home is my metaphorical return journey to Gippsland, the place of my childhood.

The images are drawn from the intersection of two narratives of Gippsland: the myth of Lohan Tuka, the white woman reputedly held captive by the Kurnai tribes in the 1840s and the story of my settler family’s arrival at the same time.

The prints operate as imaginary maps for my journey, maps which record the places where particular events from the narratives occurred or could have occurred. The places named in the titles suggest resting points on my way.

The works evoke the tracks and traces of people walking across places, through time.

Jan Davis
September 2010

gallery opening times: 11 am – 5 pm Wed – Sat during exhibition – other times by appointment.

Click on images to enlarge


(1) Leaping Bluff, Metung (2009)
ink drawing, stitching on Japanese mulberry paper
Sheet: 59.0 x 116.0 cm Image: 49.0 x 95.0 cm
$1950.00


(2) In search of Lohan Tuka from the mountains
to the lakes (2010)
digital print in edition of 5 on Awagami Unryu paper
Sheet: 70.5 x 56.0 cm Image: 45.5 x 56.0 cm
$950.00

(3) First sighting, near Flooding Creek (2010)
digital print in edition of 5 on Awagami Unryu paper
Sheet 83.0 x 100.0 cm Image 63.0 x 80.0 cm
$950.00

(4) Fragments of a map, Omeo (2010)
digital print in edition of 5 on Awagami Unryu paper
Sheet: 76.5 x 100.0 cm Image: 63.0 x 80.0 cm
$950.00

(5) Crossing Lake King (2010)
digital print in edition of 5 on Awagami Unryu paper
Sheet: 78.0  x 100.0 cm Image: 63.0 x 80.0 cm
$950.00

(6) McMillan’s run, Tabberabbera (2010)
digital print in edition of 5 on Awagami Unryu paper
Image: 78.0 x 100.0 cm Image: 63.0 x 80.0 cm
$950.00

(7) Herd resting, Dargo Plains (2010)
digital print in edition of 5 on Awagami Unryu paper
Sheet: 51.0 x 100.0 Image: 30.0 x 80.0 cm
$575.00

(8) McMillan’s road, Iguana Creek (2010)
digital print in edition of 5 on Awagami Unryu paper
Sheet: 80.0 x 100.0 cm Image: 61.0 x 80.0 cm
$950.00

(9) Alpine garden, Cobungra (2010)
digital print in edition of 5 on Awagami Unryu paper
Sheet: 63.0 x 81.0 cm Image: 41.0 x 61.0 cm
$725.00

(10) Site, Snowy River (2010)
digital print in edition of 5 on Awagami Unryu paper
Sheet: 74.0 x 89.0 cm  Image: 52.0 x 69.0 cm
$725.00

(11) Clearing, Tambo Crossing (2010)
digital print in edition of 5 on Awagami Unryu paper
Sheet: 64.0 x 84.0 cm Image: 42.0 x 66.0 cm
$725.00

(12) The white woman (2010)
digital print in edition of 10 on Awagami Unryu paper
Sheet: 43.0 x 52.0 cm Image: 21.0 x 32.0 cm
$500.00

(13) Swifts Creek (2010)
digital print in edition of 10 on Awagami Unryu paper
Sheet: 43.0 x 52.0 cm Image: 21.0 x 32.0 cm
$500.00

(14) Lohan Tuka comes ashore (2010)
digital print in edition of 10 on Awagami Unryu paper
Sheet: 36.0 x 32.0 cm Image: 21.0 x 18.0 cm
$450.00

Digital prints printed by Michael Shapter
Michael’s Big Picture, Lismore

Jan Davis, 1952 Australia

SOLOMON BLUE (1994)

davis - solomon blue

This small blue cloth covered artist book takes its name SOLOMON BLUE from the label of a local brand of Tuna Fish Solomon Blue packed in the Solomon Islands. It is a precurser to Davis’ 7 volume SOLOMON of 1995. Published by the artist in an unlimited edition.

Grahame, N 1994, BEWARE books by artists, Numero Uno Publications, Brisbane. p. 55.

SOLOMON (1995)

davis - solomon 1

Seven volumes exploring language and space in the context of the Solomon IsLands. It combines certain aspects of concrete poetry with historical and contemporary images and texts. SOLOMON was produced from photographs taken in the Solomon Islands which have been digitally manipulated and printed on a bubble jet printer. Seven volumes housed in slip case. Each volume 13.5 x 13.5 x 10.4 cm in box 14.6 x 13.8 x 9.5 cm. Signed and numbered in an edition of 10. Collection holds edition 9/10. Published by the artist.

Grahame, Noreen 2007, ‘the book the poet, the artist and the breakthrough’, Artlink, vol. 27, no. 1.
Runde, Sabine; Solter, Stefan and Menz, Christopher 2000, Craft from Scratch, 8. Triennale for Form and Matters Australia and Germany, Museum für Angewante Kunst, Frankfurt am Main.

miniature Solomon (1995)

davis - miniature solomon

4 miniature ‘Solomon’ booklets ea. 5.7 x 6.6 cm, containing some images from the seven volume SOLOMON. Published by the artist.

GOGO GIRL (2007)

jan davis

Could be viewed as the sad life story of a busy woman or an invitation to take time to reflect. Hand-stamped. 12.0 x 13.0 cm. Edition of 5. Collection holds edition a/p. numero uno publications.

GOGO GIRL (2007)

 

jan davis

Could be viewed as the sad life story of a busy woman or an invitation to take time to reflect. Hand-stamped. 12 x 13 cm. Published by numero uno publications in an edition of 5. $165

,

the case of the extremely glad gallerist (2001)

glad gallerist
A flip book for galleries, artists and others who are red blind. From ‘The Comments Series’. 24 pp, 9 x 12 cm. Published by numero uno publications in a edition of 200. Signed and numbered $38.50

,

the case of the extremely sad gallerist (2001)

sad gallerist
A flip book for galleries, artists and others who remain ever hopeful. From ‘The Comments Series’. 24 pp, 9 x 12 cm. Published by numero uno publications in a edition of 200. Signed and numbered. $38.50