ENTREPOT GALLERY HOBART 1997.

The sense of arrival pervaded the themes of Ken Ford’s early work in Hobart during the early part of 1997. Mt Wellington, the presence of USA naval might, the dock precinct and local artists became motifs for a body of work produced for a show at Entrepôt Gallery in Hunter St. Using a Xerox machine to enlarge a variety of images and turning the gallery into a work space was a novel use of the gallery space. Images printed at A4 or A3 were enlarged, tiled and enlarged again until they became huge joined photocopies. The major work was a panoramic view of Hobart suburbs and surrounds titled “Hob Art Map”. Rather than the usual opening night event there was a closing night event where patrons were invited to mark their place of residence on the photo and draw a line up to the sky and write their name. By the time the show came down there were about 100 names and homes marked. Apart from a few outliers most of the demographic lived in the central suburbs of Hobart.

As well as Hob Art Map additional images included a USA aircraft carrier, Kitty Hawk, a montage view of Mt Wellington highlighting the obelistic communication tower, a window view into an artist studio depicting a cornucopia of sculptural elements and a drypoint etching of boats parked at the docks. As a form of printmaking this work was a bit ‘dumbed down’ technically yet innovative low res.

Writing on Hob Art Map – May 1997.

Kitty Hawk US aircraft carrier, at anchor on the Derwent Rv. 1997.