George Baldessin, Ed25 & Untitled works
George Baldessin, Various Works of Art
GEORGE BALDESSIN (1939 – 1978) (Born Italy, Arrived in Australia 1949)
Seated Figure, 1973 Etching Edition: #/25 56 x 50.3cm Acquired: 1990 109230 |
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Biography:
George Baldessin enjoyed critical success early in his career as an artist.
Prior to commencing a full time professional art practice, Baldessin undertook studies at RMIT (1958 to 1961) and later, at the Chelsea School of Art in London (1962). He then undertook further study at the Brera Academy of Fine Art Milan (1962 – 63).
One year later after completing his studies in Milan, Baldessin held his first one-man show at Argus Gallery, Melbourne and on the strength of this exhibition he was invited to participate in ‘Recent Australian Sculpture’ organised by the National Gallery of Victoria.
During the 1970’s Baldessin worked in a studio in the Olderfleet building on Collins St in Melbourne with fellow artists Tate Adams, Les Kossatz, Andrew Sibley, Roger Kemp, Fred Williams and Jan Senbergs.
In 1971, Baldessin was the subject of a survey exhibition at the Ballarat Fine Art Gallery and another survey at the then Mornington Peninsula Art Centre (now the Mornington Peninsula Regional Art Gallery).
Two decades later, Heide Museum of Modern Art curated a retrospective of Baldessin’s drawings in and in 2014, it also a curated a survey show of his graphics. “Being Human: The Graphic Work of George Baldessin” comprised prints and drawings from the Collection in addition to work drawn from the gifted artist’s estate. This exhibition was instructive as it also included works by Baldessin’s contemporaries, Roger Kemp, Les Kossatz, Jan Senbergs and Fred Williams.
During his life Baldessin was the recipient of a number of awards, including the Alcorso Sekers Travelling Scholarship for sculpture (1966), the Maitland Prize for prints (1967, 1970). He won the Geelong Print Prize in 1970 and the Comalco Invitation Award for sculpture in 1971.
Tragically, Baldessin’s highly successful career was cut short at the age of 39 years, as a result of a car accident. Some decades later, and as a commemorative gesture, a studio and print workshop was founded at Baldessin’s studio in St Andrews, Victoria and in 1998 a Baldessin Foundation Travelling Scholarship was established for travelling sculptors.
Baldessin’s work is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Australia, Canberra; all state galleries and regional galleries including Ballarat, Geelong, Mildura, Mornington, Sale, Warrnambool, Newcastle, Fremantle, Launceston and University collections including Melbourne University, Monash, Hobart and internationally at the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
Bibliography
Lindsay, Robert et al., George Baldessin: Sculpture and Etchings, National Gallery of Victoria, 1983
Kolenberg, Julianna, George Baldessin, Australian Galleries, 1997
Turner, Dick et al, European Sensibilities George Baldessin and his circle, Castlemaine Art Gallery & Historical Museum, 2007
Edquist, Harriet, George Baldessin Paradox & Persuasion, Australian Galleries, 2009
View more works by George Baldessin at the National Gallery of Victoria, the Art Gallery of New South Wales, and the Museum of Modern Art, NY