Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery
‹‹ “Sydney Contemporary is a very good meeting place,” says Sydney-based gallery director Roslyn Oxley. “Dealers talk to each other, the public sees everything happening at one time — [art fairs] are very stimulating and inject energy into the art world.” Oxley, who sits on Sydney Contemporary’s selection committee, is a revered matriarch of Australian contemporary art, having shown at prestigious global art fairs and represented some of Australia’s best artists. For a collector, advises Oxley, art fairs are the best way to finesse an appetite while building a network of galleries whose tastes you trust. Of the 42 artists and estates on Oxley’s books, 20 are female, a balance to be reflected at Sydney Contemporary. Buzzworthy names include Linda Marrinon and Jenny Watson, who each debuted new works this year; Mikala Dwyer, fresh from a 2017-18 AGNSW solo show; and Patricia Piccinini, lauded as Australia’s most popular artist internationally, and whose recent Curious Affection exhibition at Queensland’s QAGOMA received high praise. “We’ve always been big supporters of women,” says Oxley. “It’s just the way it’s turned out. Since we started back in 1982, I’ve taken on people who I responded to, who talk well about their art and personal strengths and their commitment to what they’re doing. I think [female artists] have always been pushing their cause; they’re quite strong.”
“I think female artists have always been pushing their cause; they’re quite strong” roslyn oxley