Esther Erlich

Latest news from Libby Edwards Galleries

11-Feb-2007

Born in Melbourne in 1955, and holder of diplomas in Fine Art and Education, high-profile Esther Erlich is best known for her gritty style of portraiture. In 1998 she won the prestigious Doug Moran Portrait Prize. Erlich has been a finalist in the Portia Geach Memorial Award seven times and in the Archibald Prize in 2000 and 2002, and 2005. Erlich's style is raw, vital and spontaneous, yet also displays the skill and gloss of a well-seasoned artist of fifteen years standing. It is the brilliant combination of striking, even haunting portrait-like features with the light, grace and somewhat abstract fluidity of her more decorative style, that makes her work so inspiring. Be it in the muted haze of a retreating figure, the subtle turn of an outstretched ankle, or the provocative expression of her subject, one cannot help but recognise themselves. Erlich brings us face to face with our own reality, but softens the blow with a hint of froth and bubble. Cleverly, she manages to hold our attention with the intense stare of her subject, whilst seducing us with the sometimes frivolous but eternal search for beauty. Erlich is represented in both public and private collections nationally and abroad, including the CAE, Victoria, Performing Arts Museum, National Gallery of Victoria, ALP Building, A.C.T., and the National Library, Canberra.

March 1993 Holdsworth Gallery (Sydney)
August 1998 Mary Place Gallery (Sydney)
March 1998 Retrospecta II. Motorworks Gallery featured artist
December 1997 Libby Edwards Galleries
March 1996 Convent Gallery (Daylesford) solo
February 1996 Grand Central Gallery, World in a Matchbox
April 1994 Libby Edwards Galleries solo
March 1994 Barry Newton Gallery (Adelaide)
December 1993 Libby Edwards Galleries
December 1993 New Robin Group (Japan) solo
November 1987 Graphic Illusions - solo
July 1993 Barry Newton Gallery (Adelaide) solo
July 1999 Jeans for Genes- Museum of Contemporary Art (Sydney)
November 1992 Barry Newton Gallery (Adelaide) solo
October 1992 Libby Edwards Galleries
April 1992 Libby Edwards Galleries
June 1991 Libby Edwards Galleries solo
March 1990 Libby Edwards Galleries solo
June 1989 Libby Edwards Galleries
April 1989 Weather Vane Gallery (Flinders) solo
December 1988 National Gallery of Vic, On a Clothesline
2007 Forthcoming Melbourne show Libby Edwards Galleries
November 1993 Libby Edwards Galleries
October 2002 Barry Newton Gallery (Adelaide) solo
September 2006 'Modest' Libby Edwards Galleries (Sydney) solo
February 2006 'Emancipated' Libby Edwards Galleries (Sydney) solo
March 2005 'Lost and Found' out of the Archives of the Women's Art Register
November 2004 Libby Edwards Galleries (Melbourne) solo
May 2004 Barry Newton Gallery (Adelaide) solo
February 2004 "Precious Platters " Jewish Museum of Australia, at Sotheby's
September 2003 Libby Edwards Galleries (Sydney) solo
August 2003 Portraits Retrospective (Melbourne) solo
July 2003 Superstars Unzipped , Jeans for Genes Retrospective, Sydney Town Hall
February 1999 Libby Edwards Galleries solo
April 2003 Jewish Museum of Australia, Kosher Culture
April 1999 Marymount Arts Festival (Queensland) featured - artist
August 2002 Gadfly Gallery (WA) July 2002 AGNSW Jeans for Genes Generations Art Exhibition July 2002 Libby Edwards Galleries (Melb) solo February 2002 Libby Edwards Galleries (Sydney)Works on Paper solo August 2001 Libby Edwards Galleries (Sydney) solo July 2001 Jeans for Genes, Sydney August 2000 Libby Edwards Galleries (Sydney) Miniatures solo August 2000 Libby Edwards Galleries (Melbourne) solo December 1999 Libby Edwards Galleries (Sydney) solo September 1986 Graphic Illusions - solo May 2003 Bark Modern Art (Hong Kong) solo Cover Illustration - Angus and Robertson's "Middle Aged Maidens by Gwen Kelly Second prize winner of the 1987 VTU Art PrizePUBLIC ACQUISITIONS National Portrait Gallery , "The Hon. Jim Carlton AO with Cravat" Tweed Valley Regional Art Gallery , "Gaunt and Glorious"(Steve Moneghetti) National Library ACT , "Louis Kahan", "Andrew Sibley" and pencil study for Gaunt and Glorious Holocaust Museum Vic. "Mr Socolovitz" ALP Building Canberra, "Barry Jones" Royal Overseas League, Australian Collection, "Nine Two Nine" Performing Arts Museum, Victorian Arts Centre, "Lynne Golding" Council for Adult Education, "Warming Up" May 1988 Toorak Library - solo SAA Painters "Video into Art Series", Schmelling Artvideo Australia 1993 exhibited at the International Womens' Exhibition in Kyushu' Japan Included in,"Portraits of Australia" 1990 Doug Moran National Portrait Prize Collection Cover and Article - 1991 December Issue of Australian Artist Illustration featured in,"Marmalade's Book of Cats" distributed by Tower books Cover, Artwork and Article feature in,"Generation Journal' November 1993, March 1995 and September 1998 issues Included in Who's Who of Australian Visual Artists by D.W. Thorpe, November 1995 Illustrations for,"Making Conversation" 1996 ,Intercom Publishing House, Japan Portrait of Louis Kahan front and back covers of The National Library of Australia's 38th Annual Report 1997 - 1998 Gallery (Dec.2000 - Jan.2001 edition) National Gallery of Victoria publication Let's Face It - The History of the Archibald Prize by Peter Ross and AGNSW Macrobertson Girls High School, portrait of Leslie BostonPUBLICATIONS Finalist in the 2005 Archibald Prize with "Lindy Wills" March/July 1986 Freeman Gallery (Hobart) April/July/October 1983 Young Originals July 1984 Young Originals - soloDISPLAYED AT: Federation Square Melbourne, Gertrude St Contemporary Art Spaces RMIT Gallery April 2005 Gadfly Gallery (Perth) solo May 2005 Perth Concert Hall soloMAJOR PRIZES EXHIBITIONS Finalist in the 2006 Doug Moran Portrait prize Finalist in the 1989 Winsor Newton Prize (Sydney) Finalist in the 2005 Banyule Works on paper Award Finalist in the 1990 Doug Moran National Portrait Prize Finalist in the 2002 Archibald Prize with "Deborah Conway" included in the Salon des Refuse with "Man Working"( portrait of Colin Hay). Finalist in the 2000 Archibald Prize and Winner of the peoples' choice Award in Sydney Melbourne with "Never Been Better",( portrait of Bill Leak). Winner of the 1998 Doug Moran National Portrait Prize with "Gaunt and Glorious",( portrait of Steve Moneghetti) March 2005 invited to be one of 3 artists in "Lost and found" Curators and Artists digital display out of the archives of the Women's Art Register. Invited to have a solo exhibition at Bark Modern Art Hong Kong. December 2001, painting of Lynne Golding exhibited as Victorian Arts Centre's Artwork of the Month" 2001 invited to exhibit in the National Tour of, "Portraits 2001 - An Australian Odyssey" Eight times finalist in the Portia Geach Memorial Award ( '89 ,'95,'96,'98,'99,2000,'01, '02) 1993 included in the Salon des Refuses (Archibald) Included in 05 Archibald Prize catalogue AGNSW Finalist in the 2005 Woollahra Small Sculpture Prize