About Julian Wigley


Background

Julian Wigley was born in Adelaide in September 1943. His boyhood years were spent in the glow of the Warrandyte countryside and the colours of his father’s paintings. Schoolroom learning was followed by Melbourne University, cartooning for Farrago and painting public murals that forever suffered public censorship. He was fortunate in his early years to be under the master, Fritz Janeba, who had brought his experiences of the Bauhaus School of Design to Australia, and with it his enthusiasm for the arts and visual communications.

In the years following graduation he practiced Architecture and continued to draw an impression of himself and society. He pursued his interest in sequential drawings with the publication of pictorial chronicles and production of award winning animation. Between 1995 and 2005 he worked with his partner Barbara Wigley on various architectural and planning projects for Aboriginal clients, and writing.

He is currently concentrating on life drawing and painting from observation. The works are in various media including oils, graphite/inks, digital imaging and 3D constructions.

Education

Bachelor of Architecture, University of Melbourne (1966). Australia.

Post Graduate Diploma: Film and Television. Swinburne. Melbourne Australia (1988).

Awards and Travel.
  • 2002. Travel to France and Spain. Galleries and Museums.
  • 1993. Travel grant to represent Australia at the Annecy Animation Festival, France. AFC. Canberra, Australia.
  • 1981. Travel to Europe and New York. Galleries and Museums.
  • 1972 to Current. Periodic regional travel throughout northern Australia.
Group shows.
  • 1995 Collins Gallery, Glasgow. Animation Plus. Stills and film.
  • 1981: Exhibition of large paintings. Rachell Howley Art Centre. St Kilda, Australia.
  • 1974. Annual show. Peninsular Art Centre, Mornington, Victoria, Australia.
Solo shows
  • 1985 Drawings and paintings. Niagara Gallery. Melbourne, Australia.
  • 1982 Drawings and paintings. NT Museum and Art Galleries. Darwin, Australia.
  • 1982 Drawings and paintings. Greenhill Galleries. Adelaide, Australia.
  • 1981.Drawings and paintings Trades Hall Gallery. Melbourne, Australia.
  • 1974.Drawings, mechanical sculptures, animation loops, paintings, film projection onto objects, programmed sounds. Ewing gallery. Melbourne, Australia.
Film Productions and commissions.

Commissions.

  • 1994. Uncle Henry (3 mn10 sec) (G) 16 mm Video PAL version, colour. Animation: pastel on paper. 'Lift 0ff 2' TV series; Australian Children's Television Foundation. A young Aboriginal boy from the city visits his Uncle in the country. Animator and Director
  • 1993.The Chair (30 secs and 15 secs). Video. PAL- Colour. Sand on glass. C T A. Animator and director
  • 1992. ‘Destroy’ (3 mn 22 sec) (G) Video PAL version, colour. Animation: pencil/pastel on paper and sand on glass. 'Munch Kids/Lift off' TV series; Australian Children's Television Foundation Children discuss the concept of death and growth. Selected for Annecy Animation Festival 1993, France. Writer/animator and director.
  • 'Animation Plus' exhibition screenings throughout the United Kingdom during 1994 and 1995, organised by Collins Gallery, Glasgow. Presentation of animation stills and screenings.

Independent Productions.

  • 1988. ‘Mum's Friend’.(5mn 40 sec) (PGA) 16 mm colour. Swinburne Film School. Traditional animation on paper and toner on glass. Story of a child's reaction to his mother's changed circumstances. (Film selected for inclusion in 'House of Fun' production 1993/94; shown in Portugal and Italy; Atom Awards, Melbourne). Writer/animator and director
  • 1988. ‘Sunday’: (1 mn 20 sec). (G) 16mm colour. Computer graphics and animation. Swinburne Film School Impression of the St Kilda foreshore and beach activities using scanned photos, drawings and animated computer graphics. Writer/animator and director
Publications.
  • 1987. Teacher Kit: The Lardil people of Mornington Island. Binnion J. Illustrated by Julian Wigley.Published Adelaide Aboriginal Community College.
  • 1982. ‘Mining’ A pictorial story of mining companies and how they get to mine on Aboriginal land in Australia. (Edition of 10,000 ). Julian Wigley. Red Heart Productions. Published by the CCJP Sydney . Australia. In 1985 remaining copies withdrawn and destroyed due to legal threats.
  • 1979. Red Heart No 1. A pictorial Chronicle of the life and times in Central Australia. ( (Edition of 200). Julian Wigley. Published by the Adelaide Art Foundation, Adelaide, Australia. Reprinted Melbourne 1980.
  • Cartoons and graphics prepared for numerous publications.
Bibliography (Art).
  • Encyclopedia of Australian Art. McCulloch Allan. 1984 Revised 1994/2004
  • Artists in Australia: Germaine. M 1985.
Festivals
  • ‘Mum's friend’: Cinanima 89.13th International Animated Film Festival: Portugal. Sulmonacinema 89. Italy. Atom awards Melbourne, 1990.
  • ‘Destroy’: Annecy Animation Festival, France 1993. Screened in competition for commercially produced animation productions under 12 minutes.
  • 'Animation Plus' exhibition screenings throughout the United Kingdom during 1994 and 1995,
Collections

Public and institutional collections:

  • Australian Children’s Foundation, Melbourne, Australia.
  • Latrobe University Collection, Victoria, Australia.
  • Mornington Peninsular Galleries. Victoria, Australia.
  • National Gallery of Australia. Canberra, Australia
  • National Museum. Canberra, Australia.
  • Northern Territory Museum and Art Galleries. Darwin, Australia.
  • Western Australian Museum. Perth, Australia.

Private collections: Australia, Europe and the U.S.A.

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"Stand up".Study (c) Julian Wigley 1995. Drawing mixed media.