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John Coburn (1925-2006) Queensland born artist John Coburn is celebrated for his distinctive style of abstraction. Depicting the beauty of nature and the spirituality of landscape, Coburn has refined a subtle yet powerful symbolic language in the form of large-scale paintings and tapestries and vivid screenprints. He is perhaps best known for his designs of two large tapestries for the Sydney Opera House curtains, and a series of seven for the John F. Kennedy Centre for the Performing Arts, Washington. He is represented in the Australian National Gallery, Canberra; all state and regional galleries; and the Vatican Museum, Rome.
John CoburnThe Creation from the Book of Genesis 1977 The 1st Day: The Spirit of God brooded over the waters
John CoburnThe Creation from the Book of Genesis 1977 The 2nd Day: And God separated the light from the dark
John CoburnCreation from the Book of Genesis: The 3rd Day 1977 God created the earth.
John CoburnCreation from the Book of Genesis: The 4th Day 1977
John CoburnThe Creation from the Book of Genesis 1977The 5th Day: God created the fish of the sea, the birds of the air and the beasts of the land
John CoburnThe Creation from the Book of Genesis 1977 The 6th Day: God created man
John CoburnThe Creation from the Book of Genesis 1977The 7th Day: God rested
John Coburn (1925-2006) Queensland born artist John Coburn is celebrated for his distinctive style of abstraction. Depicting the beauty of nature and the spirituality of landscape, Coburn has refined a subtle yet powerful symbolic language in the form of large-scale paintings and tapestries and vivid screenprints. He is perhaps best known for his designs of two large tapestries for the Sydney Opera House curtains, and a series of seven for the John F. Kennedy Centre for the Performing Arts, Washington. He is represented in the Australian National Gallery, Canberra; all state and regional galleries; and the Vatican Museum, Rome.
John CoburnStudy for 'In the Beginning was the World' 1991Mixed media on paper
John CoburnStudy for 'In the Beginning was the World'Mixed media on paper
John Coburn (b.1925) 1925 Born, Ingham, Queensland1947-50 A.S.T.C Diploma PaintingNational Art School, East Sydney Technical College1956-59 Graphic Designer for ABC1959-68 Teacher, National Art School, Sydney and Canberra1969-72 Lived in France, designed tapestries for Aubusson Workshops1977 Travelled to New York, Washington and Paris 1977-80 Trustee, Art Gallery of NSW1980 Order of Australia (A.M)1985 Travelled to Moscow, St Petersburg, Paris and the south of France1986 Travelled to Rome, Florence, Aubusson1988 Travelled to Aubusson, Paris, London1991 Honorary doctor literature James Cook University, Townsville 1991 Commissioned to design backdrop for World Council of Churches Assembly in Canberra1993 – 94 Travelled to Hong Kong, Chianti, Florence, Sienna and Venice SOLO EXHIBITIONSOver 80 solo exhibitions since 1957 AWARDS1959 Bathurst Art Prize1960 Blake Prize for Religious Art1962 Tamworth Prize1963 Darcy Morris Memorial Prize1963 Mirabooka Prize for Religious Art1966 Maitland Art Prize1977 Blake Prize for Religious Art(jointly with Rodney Milgate)1994 Mandorla Art Award for Religious Art REPRESENTEDAustralian Public CollectionsNational Gallery of Australia, CanberraArt Gallery of New South Wales, SydneyMuseum of Contemporary Art, SydneyQueensland Art Gallery, BrisabaneNational Gallery of Victoria, MelbourneArt Gallery of South Australia, AdelaideArt Gallery of Western Australia, PerthMuseum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, DarwinQueen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery, LauncestonBenalla Regional Art Gallery, VictoriaBroken Hill Regional Art Gallery, NSWCairns Regional Gallery, QueenslandCampbelltown City Bicentennial Art Gallery, SydneyCity of Ipswich Collection, Global Arts Link, QueenslandGeelong Gallery, Victoriaand many regional galleries throughout AustraliaParliament House Art Collection, Canberra, Sydney and Brisbaneand many University collections throughout AustraliaInternational Public CollectionsGraphische Sammlung Albertina, ViennaVatican Museum, RomeJohn Kennedy Center for Performing Arts, WashingtonAuckland City Art Gallery, New ZealandAlso in many international and Australian corporate collections.
John CoburnStudy for Tapestry 'Tree of Life' 1996Mixed media on paper
John Coburn (1925-2006) Garden in Warrawee 1978Acrylic on canvas on board
Ah What is a Man (That you should be so mindful of him?) 1987Oil on canvas
John CoburnNight Tide 1961 Oil on board 103 x 90cmSigned 'Coburn' lower rightTitled verso no.2216A John Coburn’s Night Tide is a superb early 1960’s painting by the late, great master of Australian abstraction. Completed in 1961, Night Tide is painted with thick textured paint mixed with sand and expresses Coburn’s interest in the spirit of nature. This painting was finished the year after John Coburn was awarded the Blake Prize for Religious Art and the same year he exhibited in the Helena Rubenstein Traveling Scholarship.