ArtsProject Australia

Alan Constable is represented by Arts Project Australia, a gallery and studio for artists with an intellectual disability.  As Cliff Burt states "we are fortunate that groups exist that can act on behalf of artists like Alan.  His career has developed hand in hand with that of Arts Project Australia, an organisation dedicated to helping individuals realise their potential as artists; potential that might otherwise have been masked by certain disabilities".

Constable’s ceramic works reflect a life-long fascination with old cameras, which began with his making replicas from cardboard cereal boxes at the age of eight. The sculptures are lyrical interpretations of technical instruments, and the artist’s finger marks can be seen clearly on the clay surface like traces of humanity. In this way, Alan Constable cameras can be viewed as extensions of the body, as much as sculptural representations of an object; a consideration made all the more poignant when considering the artist himself is legally blind.

In 2008 Alex Baker, then Senior Curator of Contemporary Art at National Gallery of Victoria, was drawn to the work created by artists from Arts Project and it was his enthusiasm and passion that inspired him to introduce Los Angeles-based Ricky Swallow to the ceramic work of Victorian-based Alan Constable in 2009. Swallow was immediately taken with the ceramic cameras created by Constable, yet it wasn’t until the exhibition The Machine at Craft Victoria in 2011 that Ricky Swallow was re-introduced to Constable’s work. The strong collection of artwork provoked Swallow to purchase two ceramic cameras, and more importantly, prompted him to contact Arts Project about an exhibition proposal he had been thinking about – a show in Los Angeles to introduce Constable’s clay cameras to the American market, that he would coordinate.

We would like to raise the funds to send Alan and his exhibition to LA.  

The costs: Air fare and accommodation for Alan and a carer: $7870

Materials and production costs: $10,300 (including bronze casting)

Freight and insurance: $2610