ERIKA GOFTON - BIO & CV
Erika Gofton is an artist based in Melbourne Australia.
“It is not an image I am seeking. It’s not an idea. It is an emotion you want to recreate, an emotion of wanting, of giving, and of destroying.” Louise Bourgeios
Erika Gofton’s work is fundamentally about empathy, anxiety and identity. About how we respond and feel for another and in turn how we then connect to ourselves. The ever-changing intersubjective relationship of mother and child is what she is interested in exploring, in particular the liminal state of adolescence. The desire to hold on but let go at the same time makes you acutely aware of time shifting.
There exists an ever-present niggling anxiety, a heightened internal fear of being so close yet distant in the same breath, with the constant ‘What if” resounding in your head.The image acts as the conduit to share in that anxiety, discomfort, and uneasiness. To sit somewhat precariously between the beautiful and the ugly, the ambiguous and the lucid, the dark and the light, the absent and the present.
EDUCATION
2019 Oxford University, Ruskin School of Art,Art and Anatomy
2013 New York Studio School, NYC Drawing Marathon
1996 Diploma of Education Secondary Visual Arts, University of Tasmania
1995 Bachelor of Fine Arts, School of Art University of Tasmania
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2017 Liminal, Stockroom Gallery, Kyneton Victoria
2010 Quiet Voice, The Substation: Centre for Art and Culture, Melbourne
2008 Shhh… ,Schubert Contemporary Gallery, Queensland
2007 She is… ,Dickerson Gallery, Melbourne
2007 She is…. ,Frances Keevil Gallery, Sydney
2002 I Spy, Smyrnios Gallery Australia, Melbourne
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2019 In my World, Chapman & Bailey Gallery, Melbourne
2018 This Wild Song, Hawthorn Town Hall, Melbourne
2018 ANON, Soma Gallery, Melbourne
2018 This Wild Song, Australian High Commission, Singapore
2018 This Wild Song, Fundraiser exhibition, Gallery Smith, Melbourne
2017 Women for Women: Making Space, The Artist Guild, Melbourne
2017 Tutor Exhibition, TAR, Melbourne
2017 This Wild Song, TAR, Melbourne
2016 MUM, Stockroom Gallery, Kyneton Victoria
2016 Virtual Point B, Worklodge Brooklyn, New York City
2015 Discovery Point B, Worklodge Brooklyn, New York City
2015 18 X 8 : From point A to Point B and back again… , Point B, New York
2015 Onefourfour, The Art Room, Melbourne
2014 Onefourfour, The Harrison Gallery
2013 Threshold, Point B, New York
2012 and then there were five, 45 Downstairs, Melbourne
2012 Apple From The Tree, Roslyn Smorgon Gallery, Melbourne
2011 8 Days Before Christmas, Anthea Polson Gallery
2011 Safe at Home Cube, Contemporary Art Projects, Adelaide
2011 Exchange ,Gataker Art Space, Queensland
2010 Net Work, Ballarat Regional Gallery
2010 The Exquisite Palette Show, St Luke’s Artist Colourmen
2010 Melbourne Anniversary Show, Anthea Polson Art, Queensland
2009 New Work, Dickerson Gallery, Melbourne
2009 40 x 40, Anthea Polson Art, Surfers Paradise, Queensland
2009 Gallery Show, Dickerson Gallery, Sydney
2009 Group Show, Anthea Polson Gallery, Queensland
2009 40 x 40 x 40, Dickerson Gallery, Melbourne
2007 Group Show, Frances Keevil Gallery, Sydney
2006 Melbourne Art Fair 06, Exhibition Building, Melbourne
2006 Cocoon, Hobsons Bay, Melbourne
2005 Group Show, Frances Keevil Gallery, Sydney
2005 The artist and the Environment, Domain House
2005 Melbourne Discovery Art Show, Gasworks Art Park, Melbourne
2005 Urban Tide, Toyota Community Spirit Gallery, Melbourne
2005 The Long Dinner, Newport Substation Art Centre, Melbourne
2004 Art in Public Places, Williamstown Festival
2004 Phaze3 Gallery, Melbourne
2004 Sydney Art Fair, Melbourne Independent Artists, Sydney
2003 Work Circles, Dantes Gallery, Melbourne
2002 Lygon St Artists, Lygon St Studios, Melbourne
2002 Kiss my Art, Melbourne Fringe Festival, Melbourne
2000 Summer Salon, Entrepot Art Gallery, Tasmanian University Union, Hobart
AWARDS AND PRIZES
2019 Finalist The Nillumbick Art Prize, Monslavat, Melbourne
2018 Finalist Redland Art Prize, Redland Art Gallery, QLD
2018 Jacaranda Drawing Prize, Grafton Regional Gallery
2018 Finalist Collie Prize, Collie Art Gallery, WA
2018 Finalist Albany Art Prize, Albany, WA
2018 Finalist Wyndam Art Prize, Victoria
2017 Finalist Kennedy Prize, Kennedy Foundation, SA
2016 Finalist Albany Art Prize, Albany, WA
2017 Finalist Kennedy Art Prize
2016 Finalist Adelaide Perry Prize for Drawing
2016 Finalist Paul Guest Prize for Drawing
2016 Finalist Albany Art Prize, Perth, WA
2015 Finalist Grace Cossington Smith Award
2015 Winner People’s Choice Sunshine Coast Art Prize, Caloundra Regional Gallery
2015 Finalist Sunshine Coast Art Prize, Caloundra Regional Gallery
2013 Part Scholarship, New York Studio School, New York
2012 Winner Toyota Community Spirit, Gallery Travel Award
2012 Finalist Redlands Art Prize, Redland Art Gallery, Queensland
2012 Peoples Choice Albany Art Prize, Albany, Western Australia
2010 Finalist Williamstown Contemporary Art Prize, Newport Substation Art Centre
2009 Finalist EMSLA Coffs, Harbour Regional Gallery
2009 Finalist Sunshine Coast Art Prize, Caloundra Regional Gallery
2009 Finalist Mosman Art Prize, Mosman Art Gallery, Sydney
2009 Finalist R & M McGivern Prize, Maroondah Art Gallery, Victoria
2009 Finalist Williamstown Contemporary Art Prize, Newport Substation Art Centre
2008 Finalist City of Albany Art Prize, Vancouver Arts Centre, Albany WA
2008 Finalist Williamstown Contemporary Art Prize, Newport Substation Art Centre, Melbourne
2007 Finalist Tattersalls Contemporary Art Prize, Newport Substation Art Centre, Melbourne
2006 Short listed for the Toyota career Development Award
2006 Finalist Redland Westpac Art Prize, Mosman Art Gallery, Sydney
2006 Finalist Mosman Art Prize, Mosman Art Gallery, Sydney
2006 Finalist Tattersalls Contemporary Art Prize, Newport Substation Art Centre, Melbourne
2004 Highly Commended Smorgon Steel Contemporary Art Prize Customs, Wharf Gallery, Melbourne
2003 Finalist Smorgon Steel Contemporary Art Prize, Williamstown, Melbourne
2001 Finalist Redland Westpac Art Prize, Mosman Art Gallery, Sydney
2001 Finalist Darebin-Latrobe Art Prize Bundoora Homestead, Federation Centre for the Arts, Melbourne
RESIDENCIES
2013 Point B Worklodge, Brooklyn, New York
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Capone, A Six of Best Star Newspaper, March 2010
Dr. Trouton, L First Night: Paintings by Erika Gofton http://artistrun.org/blog/?cat=102, January 2009
Saint Martin, M Sensual Icons in Female Form Weekend Bulletin, December 13 2008
King, R Paintings depict Womanhood The Gold Coast Bulletin, December 10 2008
Press, C Case for Lace Vogue Australia, December 2008
S, Gray Online interview Art Re-Source http://www.stevegray.com.au/blog/erika-gofton/ November 2008
Carapic, V Exhibition Review The Graceful Ladies http://www.australianart.com.au/ , 2007
M, Murphy Brushing on Femininity Hobsons Bay Leader, October 2007
Dann, C About a Girl Herald Sun, September 2007
L, Martin-Chew Exhibition Review Redland Art Awards http://www.redlandartawards.org.au , 2006
Warren, A Workshop: Starters Inside/Out Australia, May/June 2006
Weston, C Newport Artist in running to win a world study trip, September 2006
Scott, C Artists in a flutter over ‘skipper’ Fairfax Community Network, 2006
Ross, K Art Goes Public Thanks to Commercial Mix Star Newspaper, February 2005
Murphy, M Dinner for Art’s Sake The Times, May 2005