What does 2024 hold for Cultural Comms' clients? We continue the series with Australian-born, London-based Jennifer Guerrini Maraldi, the Founder of JGM Gallery, a leading specialist in Indigenous Australian art.
Read on to discover JGM's 2023 highlights; the First Nation artists exhibiting at the gallery over the next 12 months; and how Jennifer is on a mission to introduce as many people to the 'last great art movement of the 20th century'.
What were JGM Gallery's highlights in 2023, and how will these experiences shape the gallery's direction for 2024?
2023 was an incredible year for JGM Gallery. It is always difficult to select highlights, as we have such a diverse and rich programme.
The exhibition schedule is the bones of any gallery and it is something that I meticulously curate.
For that reason, I am close to the hopes and dreams of almost all our artists. That being said, the exhibition of Mulkun Wirrpanda’s work in January last year, titled ‘Gurrutu’, was particularly special. Special, in part, because of how recently Wirrpanda had passed away. It gave the show a retrospective feel, and the context of her passing imbued the works with a sense of power and solemnity. That kind of a show is a rarity and an honour to be involved with.
All the 2023 exhibitions were championed within the context of a broader promotional program, where we introduced a variety of new platforms including The JGM Discourse Series and The JGM Review. With these, we were able to add additional context to the life and work of our artists, enriching the visitor and client experience in a way that I am very proud of. This is an approach that we intend to build on throughout 2024.
What can we look forward to seeing from JGM Gallery in 2024?
In 2024 we will bring our audience seven new exhibitions, far less than in 2023 or the years prior. This amount will allow for longer exhibition periods and an even more robust promotional programme. If our audience have enjoyed the gallery content from 2023, then I cannot wait for them to see what is planned later in the year.
We will be showing work by artists from The Tiwi Islands later next month. Following that is an exhibition of exquisitely painted interiors by Mafalda von Hessen, her first show with the gallery. In May, we will then be exhibiting the work of Hubert Pareroultja, one of the most significant First Nations artists working today. After that will be exhibitions by Ralph Anderson and Karolina Albricht. Having seen their new works in progress, I can say that their shows will represent an exciting conceptual and aesthetic departure for them both.
What trends do you predict will shape the global art market this year?
Contrary to the interest in postmodern work, which defined much of the art market in recent years and decades, clients appear to be more and more invested in tactile, personal, and technique-based work. Perhaps in what is becoming a more technological and, ironically, disconnected world, people are craving something more human and tangible.
And finally, what are you hoping to achieve on a personal level in 2024?
My personal goals for 2024 are to broaden our audience’s insight into the history, traditions, and culture of First Nation Australians.
In London, there is still an under-appreciation for this culture. It is my intention to introduce as many people as possible to what Robert Hughes once described as “the last great art movement of the 20th century.” That movement has continued into the 21st century, and I hope that through mine and the JGM Team’s efforts, we can amplify its achievements.
Find out more: jgmgallery.com, or contact the Cultural Comms team: hello@culturalcomms.co.uk.
