Miriam Stannage

Miriam Stannage (1939–2016) was an Australian conceptual artist. She was known for her work in painting, printmaking and photography, and participated in many group and solo exhibitions, receiving several awards over her career. Her work was also featured in two Biennales Her younger brother was the historian Tom Stannage (1944–2012). In 1943, Stannage and her parents moved to Perth In 1962 and 1963, Stannage travelled extensively, visiting Europe, the US and Canada. Upon her return, she began taking art classes at the University of Western Australia (UWA), where she studied under William Boissevain, Within this time, she became a Secretary of the Western Australian Contemporary Art Society, and after her first solo exhibitions in Perth, Miriam began teaching in 1971 with the Education Department of Western Australia.

In July 2016, a monograph of Stannage's life and work was published. Shortly after, on 11 September, Stannage died.

Stannage favoured simple structure and minimal use of form in her works, opting instead for text and collaged tableaux. She has been described as having ‘minimalist sensibilities.’

Her subject matter was engaged with contemporary events and news reportage, often utilising and subverting the visual language of newspapers and magazines. While her body of work is extensive, Stannage's works always maintained their collage aesthetic, and were always founded upon her ongoing exploration of existential themes such as mortality, the spiritual and a quest for the meaning of life.

Selected exhibitions

1969

Miriam Stannage: Solo, Old Fire Station Gallery, Perth, Western Australia.

Bunbury Art Prize, City of Bunbury, Western Australia.

1970

Albany Art Prize, Albany, Western Australia.

1974

Miriam Stannage: Solo, Hogarth Galleries, Sydney.

Boxes (Group Exhibition), Ewing Gallery, Melbourne.

1975

Grid Show, Ewing Gallery, University of Melbourne.

Art and the Creative Woman, Royal Society of Arts, Adelaide.

‘It’s Great to be an Australian Woman?’, Hogarth Galleries, Sydney.

1977

Annual Exhibition, Printmakers Association of WA, Undercroft Gallery, Perth.

1978

Ten Western Australian Print-Makers (Group Exhibition), Art Gallery of Western Australia, Perth.

1981

Miriam Stannage, Quentin Gallery, Perth.

1989

Perception: Miriam Stannage, Australian Centre for Contemporary Art, Melbourne.

2006

Sensations: Miriam Stannage, John Curtin Gallery, Perth.

2016

Miriam Stannage: Survey 2006–2016, University of Western Australia's Lawrence Wilson Art Gallery, Perth.