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Joy Hester 1920-1960
a prominent Australian artist, the significance of her artwork
is her immediacy and working mainly with ink on paper. Hester
was often the only female artist represented during late 1930's
to 1960 with the modern art movement in Melbourne. Joy Hester
is now an influential and substantial artist in Australia 40 years
after her death.
"In their reconfiguration - indeed disconfiguration
- of the human body, they proved a catalyst for one of the most
significant shifts in Australian visual history." Denise
Mimmocchi 2004(1)
Joy was a participant in Contemporary Art Society
[CAS] established with Tucker, Hester and others in 1938. CAS
has held annual exhibitions from 1939 onwards. Joys colleagues
were Vassilieff, Nolan, Percival, the Boyd's, Douglas, Tucker
(1st husband), Mora, the Blackman's, Smith (2nd husband),Bergner
and many more.
Joy and Albert (Tucker) from 1938 to 1947 had
a relationship which was both freeing and restricting for their
art practices and relationship. Albert an established artist introduces
Joy to the Melbourne art patrons John and Sunday Reed.
During the late 30's to 50's modern artists
had small incomes. Artists like Sydney Nolan, Albert Tucker, Joy
Hester and Gray Smith, to name but a few received a stipend, from
the Reeds, to assist their art practice. From reading their correspondence
(State library Victoria) Joy had a deep relationship with both
the Reeds.
Joy Hester, with incurable Hodgkin disease,
and Gray Smith (artist), with chronic grand mal epileptic seizures
formed a strong union and bond. This relationship (1947-1960),
often isolated, facilitated their support of each others' art
practice. Joy experienced her most prolific time as an artist
during this time. From 1947-1960 Joy participated in five group
shows with the Contemporary Art Society and three solo exhibitions
.
References
(1)The art of Joy Hester 'In defence of the Unwritten History"
by Denise Mimmocchi 2004. Woman's art Journal. Fall 2004/Winter
2005- Volume 25, No.2 Published by Woman's art Inc.
"leave no space for yearning - The Art of Joy Hester"
- Kelly Gellatly - Published Heide Museum of Modern Art - 2001
"Joy Hester" Janine Burke - Published Greenhouse -1983
Smith Estate Private collection
Artwork images sourced from ' leave no space for yearning' 2001
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