Associate Professor Jane Gavan
Sydney College of the Arts
Jane researches innovative, social and environmental approaches to sustainable contemporary creative practices to discover their shared value across the community through international industry and community collaborations. Her practice is at the nexus of material culture, material science and our environment. Jane is leading projects in Vietnam in the public museum sector to uplift curatorial capacity in teams. Jane responds to calls for Australian and Vietnam government advisory in cultural Industries. Jane’s 2019, consultancy work for UNESCO produced the Manufacturing Creativity exhibition in Vietnam. Jane is an experienced teacher in visual art, creativity and leadership, curent Undergdaute Coordinator and former Associate Dean Learning and Teaching and member of Sydney South East Asia, China Studies, and CREATE University research centres. Jane is a founding member of the Sydney Vietnam Institute and member of her faculty teaching advisory.
Jane’s research operates on parallel trajectories, one outward looking and community focused, the other individual and studio practice based. The outward trajectory focuses on understanding the interrelationship between designers and artists and their engagement with envronment, industry and other communities. Jane explores these realms by embedding herself and leading teams of others within these communities. Presently in response to calls from the Museum sector in Vietnam.
This situated community focused practice enables Jane to explore her studio based enquiry, often resulting in hand made one off design or art works or installations, that develop new or deeper understandings of materials and processes in contexts that include design, art, and product innovation. One example is her recent work, Underwater Fernweh, 2021 which embodies currents of our consuming desire to be somewhere far away, somewhere unfamiliar during long covid lockdowns. In the work, found blown glasses are assembled and enriched undersea motifs, beads, and gold leaf. This paper weight work uses minimal material and energy to imagine the marine ecologies of the Laguna di Venezia and Sydney Harbour.
Her work is informed by Practice, Material and Object theories, with particular synergies around the often pragmatic philosophical approaches of Latour, Schon, Joas and Reckwitz. Gavan maintains an active engagement with the realms of Environmental, Organisational, Material Science and Material Culture studies and the Social History of Technology with a particular interest in how these disciplines intersect with design and art practice.
Jane has had 20 years of experience in leadership, teaching and supervision in visual arts. Since 2009, Jane has developed and delivered creativity courses in business and organisations, including University of Sydney School of Business, Tsinghua University, Beijing, and the Commonwealth Bank. Jane was the Creativity advisor for the new Master of Commerce introductory unit in 2020
Jane has taught as a visiting lecturer in China, in Shanghai, Beijing, in the USA - including New York, Boston, Los Angeles, Rochester, New Jersey, and in Europe in Hasselt, Belgium and morerecently in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
In recent years, Gavan’s teaching and supervision has ranged from:
Undergraduate:
Understanding Creativity - an cross faculty interdisciplinary OLE elective
First year studio teaching and program leadership – including team taught large interdisciplinary classes .
Biomymicry in Practice - an interdisciplinary elective focusing on environmental approaches to art making.
Studio Undergraduate programs in Glass, Sculpture and Painting .
Glass Electives - in Lighting design, Warm and Cast Glass and sustainable glass practice.
Interdiscplinary Impact - Bachelor of Arts Capstone unit
Post graduate:
Honours Supervision in Visual Arts.
Research Masters supervision in Visual Arts and Design.
PhD supervision and examination in Visual Arts and Design.
Masters coursework teaching and supervision in Master of Business
(Visual communications at work).
Global Executive Master of Business (Leadership, Narrative and Sense making).
Master of Fine Arts and Doctoral program in Investment in the Art and Entertainment Industry in Australia - Tsinghua University through USYD Business School.
Master of Moving Image - Program Director and Lecturer in Studio and Research and Professional Practice
Professional learning facilitator:
2015-2024 Museum sector curatorial leadership strategy workshops in Vietnam
2014 and 2015 Commonwealth Bank workshops on Creativity at Work, Commonwealth Bank, Wired for Wonder, a Creativity, Innovation and Technology event.
2015 Short course Senior work leaders program pilot at MONA, Tasmania, leading one of four days, for the University of Sydney Business school.
2014 Creative Leadership Development workshop for Chinese State Asset Managers for the Vice Chancellors International Leadership program, Office of Global Engagement, University of Sydney.
With the planned support of HCMC and Ben Tre and corporate partners we will open two exhibitions that have been developed using community input. The exhibitions will launch in 2025, 'Food and War' at the War Remnants Museum and 'CocoDesign' at the Museum of Ho Chi Minh City, will serve as exemplars of community codesigned exhibitions.
Cocodesign gathers material sceince and material culture to exchange understanding of situated intangible hertiage and poetics with ideas around scarcity, consistency and efficiency and when considering and working with natural materials in novel environmentally sensitive ways in order to build more skills, opportunities and secure incomes for creative makers in Vietnam and Australia.
Food and War deals with narratives of how people gathered and prepared and at food suring wartime in Vietnam We hope that these stories will off accessible ways to revist often challlenging memories for visitors.
These exhibitions will highlight how curatorial practices can be transformed through direct community engagement and innovative approaches to exhibition design. Teams of museum professionals have co designed these exhibitions that are designed to bring in tourists and increase numbers of the local community. Local University partners and students are collaborating on this project to develop design responses and collect communit narratives and objects.
These projects are part of a broader program that responds to calls for uplift and innovation around curatorial capacities for Vietnam Museum communities.
Sydney Vietnam Institute
Sydney Vietnam Academic Network. Executive member and FASS Node Leader
Ausglass
Society for the History of Technology
Art of Management and Organisation
SSEAC Member
2019 Special Study Leave USYD
2018 UNESCO Technical expert advisory Manufacturing Creativity
2016 South East Asia Study Centre Research Grant, University of Sydney
2010 Special study leave SCA Factory as Studio
2007 Research development grant for residency in Germany at Schott Glass Flitterwochen
2005 Australia Council for the Arts, New Work Grant
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 for the Arts, New Work Grant
Vietnam | (Museum of Ho Chi Minh City) Developing an exhibition on the material history and material science of the coconut in Vietnam. The work responds to the identity of these communities that have strong affinities with food and the natural environment. The focus is on the southern area of Ben Tre, centre of coconut production in Vietnam. Community members will offer objects and stories to build a set of narratives which will be relevant local audiences and visitors. |
Vietnam | (University of Architecture, Ho Chi Minh City) Delivered the clean factory waste design project and curatorial and concept for 2016 Exhibition Factory as Studio 2018-2019 Collaboration with academics as partner designers in Manufacturing creativity research program Developed and Led Creative Teaching Commons multi-institutional teaching seminar, as well as design research seminars. |
Vietnam | (University of Culture and Heritage, Ho Chi Minh City) Partnered in 2016 for the advisory project for Dong Nai province on the Bien Hoa Vert Green Design Festival Concept 2018-2019 Partnered to deliver the Manufacturing Creativity Exhibition at the Museum of Ho Chi Minh City. 2021 LIAM project with Pathfinder Inc in response to call for support by K'Ho communities, Vietnam around water conservation, forest remediation, and alternative revenue streams through new craft and design. |
Vietnam | (War Remnants Museum, HCMC) This research agreement develops an exhibition and artist residency at the Museum across 2024-2025. Food and War is a co designed exhibition that draws on community objects and narratives. Green Sentinels develops wall work for the museum to recognise the resilient plant life of Vietnam during war time providing respite for visitors to the challenging museum galleries. . |
| Project title | Research student |
|---|---|
| Plāstik Island(er) Cross-generational healing as the current and future Moana ancestors in the time of cultural revival and misguided histories. | Morgan HOGG |
Publications
Conferences
- Gavan, J. (2014). Extending the comfort zone - The artist exemplar in practice within management education - reflections on student feedback that suggest artists may facilitate wider creative comfort zones for students. The 7th Art of Management and Organization Conference 2014, London: The Art of Management & Organization.
- Gavan, J. (2012). Where Do You Draw the Line? An Approach to an Artist-Led Case Study of the Critical Aspects of Artist Residence with Organisations. Creativity and Critique: The Sixth Art of Management and Organisation Conference, York: York Management School, University of York.
Visual Art
- Gavan, J. (2014). Paper Chain. In: Articulate Turns Four: Colour, Form, Line. Articulate project space, Sydney, Australia.
- Gavan, J. (2013). In altum fidem, 2013. In: Articulate Turns Three. Articulate Project Space, Sydney, Australia.
- Gavan, J. (2013). Light Louvre Grip 2013. In: MULTI_GRIP. Articulate Project Space, Sydney, Australia.
Textual Creative Works
- Gavan, J. (2011). Factory as Studio: Developing a practice-based framework for artists and designers who choose to work within industrial communities. Factory as Studio Blog, 2011, Sydney, Australia: self-published.
Design or Architectural Works
- Gavan, J. (2010). Wall Work. Radiant Color Inc., Houthalen, Belgium: Radiant Color Inc. corporate installation.
Recorded / Rendered Performance
- Gavan, J. (2008). Fluoro Pink. On The Collectors, Television, Sydney, Australia: Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).
Exhibitions / Events
- Gavan, J. (2024). BAMUNITY. Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam: War Remnants Museum.
- Gavan, J. (2019). Manufacturing Creativity. Ho Chi Minh, Australia: Ho Chi Minh City Museum. [More Information]
2024
- Gavan, J. (2024). BAMUNITY. Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam: War Remnants Museum.
2019
- Gavan, J. (2019). Manufacturing Creativity. Ho Chi Minh, Australia: Ho Chi Minh City Museum. [More Information]
2014
- Gavan, J. (2014). Extending the comfort zone - The artist exemplar in practice within management education - reflections on student feedback that suggest artists may facilitate wider creative comfort zones for students. The 7th Art of Management and Organization Conference 2014, London: The Art of Management & Organization.
- Gavan, J. (2014). Paper Chain. In: Articulate Turns Four: Colour, Form, Line. Articulate project space, Sydney, Australia.
2013
- Gavan, J. (2013). In altum fidem, 2013. In: Articulate Turns Three. Articulate Project Space, Sydney, Australia.
- Gavan, J. (2013). Light Louvre Grip 2013. In: MULTI_GRIP. Articulate Project Space, Sydney, Australia.
- Gavan, J. (2013). Light Louvre Grip B&W, 2013. In: blackandwhite. Articulate Project Space, Sydney, Australia.
2012
- Gavan, J. (2012). Aire. In: Creativity and Critique: The Sixth Art of Management and Organisation Conference. University of York, Centre for the Study of Working Lives and The York Management School. University of York, York, United Kingdom.
- Gavan, J. (2012). Shanghai Mille Fiore. In: Glass Artists' Gallery 30 Year Celebration Exhibition 30/30. Glass Artists' Gallery, Sydney, Australia.
- Gavan, J. (2012). Where Do You Draw the Line? An Approach to an Artist-Led Case Study of the Critical Aspects of Artist Residence with Organisations. Creativity and Critique: The Sixth Art of Management and Organisation Conference, York: York Management School, University of York.
2011
- Gavan, J. (2011). 1. Fluorescent pink object collection and samples from the Day-Glo Factory 2. Digital wall-mounted prints of the Radiant Color Inc. residency, fluorescent objects and BBB project data. 3. Participatory work, scale versions of bollards, fluorescent vinyls and journal where visitors record drawn and written ideas and suggestions. In: FACTORY as STUDIO: A participatory object design project. University of Technology Sydney. DAB LAB research gallery, UTS, Sydney, Australia.
- Gavan, J. (2011). Factory as Studio: Developing a practice-based framework for artists and designers who choose to work within industrial communities. Factory as Studio Blog, 2011, Sydney, Australia: self-published.
2010
- Gavan, J. (2010). Flouro Grasses. In: Radiant Color. Radiant Color Inc, Houthalen, Belgium.
- Gavan, J., Hermans, V., Academie voor Schone Kunsten, S. (2010). Light work. In: Radiant Color Inc. Radiant Color Inc. Radiant Color Inc, Houthalen, Belgium.
- Gavan, J. (2010). Wall Work. Radiant Color Inc., Houthalen, Belgium: Radiant Color Inc. corporate installation.
2009
- Gavan, J. (2009). Holian. In: Untouchable. Sydney College of the Arts, University of Sydney. SCA Galleries, Sydney, Australia.
2008
- Gavan, J. (2008). 1. red/pink vessel 2. tangerine/pink tower 3. babylonia'. In: Shaping Perspectives. Horus & Deloris Contemporary Art Space, Sydney, Australia.
- Gavan, J. (2008). Fluoro Pink. On The Collectors, Television, Sydney, Australia: Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).
2006
- Gavan, J. (2006). Blue Vessel. In: Blue. Glass Artists Gallery, 70 Glebe Point Road, Glebe. Glass Artists Gallery, Sydney, Australia.
- Gavan, J. (2006). Cross Media. In: Cross Media. University of Newcastle, Newcastle, Australia.
- Gavan, J. (2006). Pink Stairwell. In: Pink Stairwell. Haymarket, Sydney, Australia.
2005
- Gavan, J. (2005). Pink Factory Light Project. In: Pink Factory Light Project. Bushells Coffee Factory, Sydney, Australia.
2004
- Gavan, J. (2004). All the Pink Books. In: All the Pink Books. Kinokunya, Sydney, Australia.
- Gavan, J. (2004). Blown Beaded Vessels Series. In: New South Wales Group Makers Artisans in the Gardens. Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney, Australia.
- Gavan, J. (2004). Grace Notes and Pink Vessel. In: Reflections. Wagga Wagga City Art Gallery, Wagga Wagga, Australia.
2003
- Gavan, J. (2003). Landscape Document. In: Palimpsest Science and Art Symposium. Mildura Arts. Mildura Palimpsest, Mildura, Australia.
Selected Grants
2014
- Factories as Studios - Building Increased Capacity for Creativity and Innovation in Vietnamese Manufacturing Through an Artist in Residence Program. , Gavan J, University of Sydney/Sydney Southeast Asia Centre Cluster Research
2004
- New Work Grant, Gavan J, Visual Arts and Crafts Board of Australia/Research Grant
In the media
All Industry is Creative Industry
New Creativity and Innovation Practices in Vietnam
2022
Recent economic development in Vietnam has seen a proliferation of manufacturing. At the same time, Vietnam has embraced creative innovation as part of its move towards the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Throughout the country, new creativity and innovation practices are emerging. These practices provide a creative outlet, but also connect to bigger themes around industry, wellbeing, productivity, and climate change.
Joining Dr Natali Pearson onSSEAC Stories, Associate Professor Jane Gavan untangles some of these threads, explaining the relationship between creativity and manufacturing, and reflecting on sustainable, innovative ways of raising productivity and valuing creativity in Vietnam.
