Jane Gavan

Biography

Jane Gavan worked as a printmedia artist before graduating from the glass studio at SCA in 1988. She graduated in the same year from the University of Sydney with a Bachelor of Arts. Gavan then expanded her curatorial skills at UNSW, developing skills in exhibition design and conservation of materials. From this time onwards she has conducted a studio practice which has included the production of glass and ceramic objects, many incorporating printed and fired enamel and other glass elements.

Gavan has a passion for tertiary teaching, which she always closely aligns with her research interests. Though she continues to teach at all levels in the object art and design area, including postgraduate supervision, she has also been the Associate Dean, Learning and Teaching at SCA since 2006.
In semester 2, 2010 Gavan will be taking study leave to pursue research projects in the US and Germany.

Research

Gavan's current interest involves larger installation works and one-off functional and non-functional objects in glass and other materials. Her teaching is often closely aligned with her research interests.
Glass works revolve around the notion of 'article lightness': the idea of using biomimicry to make something as light as possible by using the minimum amount of materials and energy.
Pink works are focused on using the factory at Day-Glo Color as a studio environment to produce installation works and functional and non-functional objects.

Recent Exhibitions

Shaping Perspectives, Horus & Deloris Contemporary Art Space, Sydney, 2008

Pink Stairwell, Installation (Site-specific) Haymarket, Sydney, 2006

Cross Media, University of Newcastle Gallery, Newcastle, 2006

Pink Factory Light Project, Bushells Coffee Factory, Canada Bay, Sydney, 2005

All the Pink Books, Kinokuniya, Sydney, 2004

Sight-seeing Exhibition, Central Academy of Fine Arts, Beijing, 2004

Palimpsest Science and Art Symposium, Mildura, 2003

Solo exhibition of new work, Galerie Sarver, Paris, 2001

Convergence 2000 (group show of international glass), Marta Hewett Gallery, Cleveland, 2000

Opening exhibition for Ipswich Global Arts Link Museum, Queensland, 1999

Recent Publications

Looking Forward: The History of technology in the future from the perspective of contemporary visual arts practices, Society for the history of technology, Conference paper, 2009

Look at me, an exploration into the many voices through time and space of daylight fluorescent pink, Re-materialising Colour, a 2-day interdisciplinary symposium, Conference paper, 2006

Research Supervision

Cassandra Daw, PhD, ‘The bone in contemporary art’

Mark Eliott, MFA, ‘Improvisation and contemporary art’

Polina Gavria, MFA, ‘Abusive family relationships and their effects upon the children of those relationships’

Awards and Grants

2010 Special study leave SCA Factory as Studio
2007 Research development grant for residency in Germany at Schott Glass
Flitterwochen
2005 Australia Council: New Work
2005 The Butterfly Project
2004 SCA Residency at the Central Academy of Fine Art, Beijing Fluorescent pink research
2003 Sesquicentenary Grant, USyd History of Technology project –Fluorescent pink research
2001 Australia Council: New Work

Professional Membership

Ausglass Member
Society for the History of Technology Dibner Award Panellist

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