INSTALLATION VIEW 'The Duality of Reality'Peta Minnici
INSTALLATION VIEW 'The Duality of Reality'2023
THE DUALITY OF REALITY, 2023
My still life paintings explore the perception of light through objects in space. The interplay of light travelling through objects both translucent and opaque creates unique patterns of shadows and reflections, which play an integral part in each of my compositions. The shadows are the essence of the objects themselves and connect them individually to each other, while the reflections symbolize the duality of reality; the world we see is not always the same as the world that truly exists. The shadows serve as a connection between the physical and the spiritual.
This duality of the physical and spiritual worlds is further explored in my interior paintings, in which windows and doorways act as a portal between the two. Each composition joins the reality of the interior spaces I have physically occupied and connected with, (in this case the home of the late renowned Australian artist Sir Arthur Boyd) in a montage of landscapes both perceived and imagined, overlapped and intertwined.
Peta Minnici is a Sydney based artist whose work encompasses oil painting, drawing and watercolour. Selecting subjects based on personal memory, her subjects range from humble figurative portraits and still life images to familiar landscapes and interior settings.
Minnici deconstructs imagery creating a time-lapse effect which draws attention to the materiality of painting and drawing. Her drawing focuses on mark making, employing a labour-intensive process of vertical or horizontal hatching which is formed over time, while her paintings comprise numerous layers of thin paint which aims to undo the representation of each subject into small brush strokes of tone and colour.
Shifting between representation and abstraction these processes parallel the nature of time, the recording of personal memory and the complex nature of viewing time.
Peta Minnici attended the Julian Ashton Art School and has completed a Bachelor and Master of Fine Art from the National Art School.
Peta's work has been exhibited in Australia at the Manly Art Gallery and Museum, National Art School, The Brett Whiteley Studio, Redland Art Gallery, Grafton Regional Gallery, Manning Regional Gallery, Hervey Bay Regional Gallery, University of the Sunshine Coast Gallery, Griffith Regional Gallery, Latrobe Regional Gallery and Tamworth Regional Gallery.
In 2015 she was awarded the John Olsen Prize for Drawing, The Parkers Fine Art Award for painting and the Parkers Fine Art Award for all disciplines. In 2017 she was selected as a finalist for the Brett Whiteley Travelling Art Scholarship. In 2019 and 2020 she was selected as finalist in the Dobell Drawing Prize and was awarded the Kedumba Drawing award. Her work is held in private and public collections throughout Australia.
Peta Minnici
Born 1990, Sydney
Lives and works in Sydney
EDUCATION
2018
Master of Fine Art (Drawing), National Art School, Sydney
2015
Bachelor of Fine Art (Painting), National Art School, Sydney
2012
Diploma of Fine Art, Northern Beaches Campus, Sydney
2011
Ceramics Certificate 3, Northern Beaches Campus, Sydney
2009
Julian Ashton Art School, Sydney
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2023
'The Duality of Reality', EDWINA CORLETTE, Brisbane
2022
'Upon Reflection', EDWINA CORLETTE, Brisbane
Survey Exhibition with 333 Art Projects at Clayton Utz, Sydney
'Kaleidoscope', Chalk Horse Gallery, Sydney
2021
'Marking Time, Chalk Horse Gallery, Sydney
'Landscape Dreaming', Adelaide Perry Gallery, Sydney
2020
'Looking In, Seeing Out', May Space Gallery, Sydney
2019
'Light on Nostalgia', May Space Gallery, Sydney
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2022
Still Life', Michael Reid Gallery, Northern Beaches, Sydney
2021
'Opening Exhibition', Jennings Kerr Gallery, Sydney
Dobell Drawing Prize and Travelling Exhibition, National Art School, Sydney
2020
'Bundanon Dreaming', Adelaide Perry Gallery, Sydney
2019
Kedumba Drawing Award Exhibition, Lost Bear Gallery, Katoomba
Dobell Drawing Prize and Travelling Exhibition, National Art School, Sydney
2018/19
Jacaranda Acquisitive Drawing Award and Touring Exhibition
2018
Redland Art Award exhibition, Redland Art Gallery, QLD
‘In the Quiet’, Gaffa Gallery, Sydney
2017
Finalists Exhibition, Brett Whitely Travelling Art Scholarship, Brett Whitely Studio, Surry Hills, Sydney
‘Out of Line’, May Space, Waterloo, Sydney
Postgraduate Exhibition, National Art School, Darlinghurst, Sydney
‘The Other Art Fair’, Eveleigh, Sydney
2016
Co-Lab group exhibition, Centenary Institute & Dominik Mersch Gallery, Rushcutters Bay, Sydney
‘The Chairman's Dinner’, National Art School, Darlinghurst, Sydney
Variance National Art School Stairwell Gallery, Darlinghurst, Sydney
2015
Undergraduate Exhibition, National Art School, Darlinghurst, Sydney
Drawing Exhibition, National Art School Open Day, Darlinghurst, Sydney
3rd Year Painting The Grid, National Art School, Darlinghurst, Sydney
2008
‘Express Yourself’, Manly Art Gallery, Sydney
Nominated for Art Express
2004-17
Warringah Art Prize Exhibitions
AWARDS AND RESIDENCIES
2021
Finalist Dobell Drawing Award, National Art School, Sydney
Artist in Residence, Presbyterian Ladies College, Sydney
2020
Artist in Residence, Presbyterian Ladies College, Sydney
2019
Winner, Kedumba Drawing Award, Lost Bear Gallery, Katoomba
Finalist, Dobell Drawing Prize, National Art School, Sydney
Artist in Residence, Bundanon Trust (Awarded Fellowship)
2018
Finalist, Jacaranda Acquisitive Drawing Award (JADA), Grafton Regional Gallery, Grafton
Finalist, Redland Art Award, Redland Art Gallery, QLD
2017
Finalist, Brett Whitely Travelling Art Scholarship, AGNSW
2015
Winner, The John Olsen Award for Drawing, National Art School, Sydney
Winner, Parkers Fine Art award for Painting, National Art School, Sydney
Winner, Parkers Fine Art Framing Award for All Disciplines, National Art School, Sydney
2007
Highly Commended, Warringah Art Prize, Sydney
PUBLICATIONS AND MEDIA
2021
Book: 'Still Life' by Amber Creswell Bell. Thames & Hudson
2020
Interview with Richard Morecroft ‘Artist Exhibition Series’, Youtube
2019
Art Collector. ‘Debutantes: Peta Minnici’, written by Victoria Hynes, 14
January
The Dobell Drawing Prize is an unparalleled celebration of drawing technique and innovation. Presented by the National Art School in partnership with the Sir William Dobell Art Foundation, the biennial prize explores the enduring importance of drawing within contemporary art practice. The 2021 exhibition showcased work by 64 finalists from around the country, demonstrating the vitality and scope of current Australian drawing.
Minnici's drawing are formed intuitively using a gradual technique of mark making, creating a blurring of focus and a slowing of viewing time; emphasising the tonal structure of each image through the loss of edges and turning the photographic image into a series of atmospheric sensations reminiscent of a memory.
The Kedumba Drawing Collection was started in 1990 and embodies and reflects all the elements of outstanding drawing created in Australia over more than 50 years and has acquired almost two hundred drawings.
Peta Minnici subject of her work depicts Minnici almost as a voyeur peering from outside through glass windows of Bundanon Homestead during my recent residency. Capturing both inside and surrounding landscape in one frame, as a play on reflections, allows the internal foyer and staircase to fuse seamlessly with the mountains and trees.
Minnici has been selected to have her artwork 'Looking In, Seeing Out - Bundanon' acquired for this collection.
