The Great Pretender

RESEARCH BACKGROUND: Established in 1985, Gertrude Contemporary is nationally and internationally respected as a dynamic centre and a key space for the production and presentation of contemporary art. This is evidenced through their strong exhibition program and practice of commissioning a catalogue essay to accompany each major exhibition. 'Lost in Space' was curated by the director and senior curator Alexi Glass-Kant. RESEARCH CONTRIBUTION: Dan Moynihan produced new major work for the exhibition. He is an Australian contemporary artist, evidenced by his inclusion in NEW11 (Australian Center for Contemporary Art's selection of emerging artists in 2011) and his award Australia Council's Liverpool Studio in 2013 (art residency and $10,000). The catalogue essay "The Great Pretender" was a critical and creative reflection on his practice, with careful attention to his nuanced explorations of site and space. The invitation to write the text was jointly offered by Moynihan and the gallery's curatorial staff through the committee selection process. The text was available online and in a printed 8-page catalogue. RESEARCH SIGNIFICANCE: The exhibition was included in Gertrude Contemporary's highly competitive exhibition program in their high profile front space. Over the month-long exhibition 2353 people visited, with 400 on opening night. The significance of the exhibition was demonstrated by media coverage including: 'Lost in the Gallery Within the Gallery' (SMH, April 10, 2013); 'Artist replicates hip inner-city gallery' (The Age, March 20, 2013); and 'Lost in Space/Loosely Speaking/Royalty', (Hilary Simmons, Concrete Playground, March, 2013). Following this exhibition, Moynihan was invited to join Tolarno Gallery, a prestigious commercial gallery. The catalogue text was subsequent re-printed by Tolarno Gallery in late 2013 and Tolarno has also commissioned a second catalogue text for an upcoming exhibition in 2014.