IAC Art Talks Series 2 Lecture One: The Accidental Collector by Dr Geoff Raby AO (Catch up Online)
The event was held on Thursday 15 February 2024.
Abstract
Dr Geoff Raby’s China posting as Economic Counsellor at the Australian Embassy in Beijing in 1986 gave him a front row seat on one of the most exciting times in recent Chinese history. It was a period of great hope and optimism. Freedom to express opinions and demand greater transparency in government, media, and all walks of life was, if not officially sanctioned, at least tolerated. It was against this backdrop, as China became a more open and internationally engaged country, that cultural output exploded. The sudden influx of ideas and content from overseas combined with Chinese experimentation in the visual arts and music fields was a heady mix. Young emerging artists in Beijing were busy creating what would become the much-lauded Contemporary Chinese Art Movement. It was a thrilling moment to be there.
Dr Raby began collecting some of these works of art by local Chinese artists in early 1986 and from those initial roots his collection grew into a four-decade project, documenting the growth and maturity of the contemporary China art movement with more than 75 artists represented. Its theme is sex, power and politics, in no particular order, reflecting the speed of change in China and the consequent expanding boundaries of cultural life, and the internationalisation and commercialisation of contemporary Chinese art. The collection includes work from all media – painting, drawing, photography, performance, sculpture, ceramics, textiles and installations – and is a unique window on a particular time and place in Chinese and hence world art history. In this talk Dr Raby will discuss how and why he assembled this collection and share stories of particular works of art and the artists that created them. The Geoff Raby Collection In Our Time is now on show at the National Art School in Sydney and is a vibrant reminder, at a time of heightened geopolitical tensions across the globe, of the power of art to communicate ideas and to promote cross-cultural understanding.
This talk is proudly presented in partnership with the National Art School.
About the Speaker
Dr Geoff Raby AO is an economist and Australia’s Ambassador to China from 2007 to 2011. His first diplomatic posting to China was from 1986-1991 as Economic Counsellor at the Australian Embassy in Beijing. He was Australia’s Ambassador to the World Trade Organisation in Geneva (1998-2001) and Australia’s APEC Ambassador (2002-2004). He has held several senior positions in DFAT, including Deputy Secretary (2002-2006), First Assistant Secretary, International Organisations and Legal Division (2001-2002) and First Assistant Secretary, Trade Negotiations Division (1995-1998). He was head of the Trade Policy Issues Division in the OECD Secretariat in Paris (1993-95). After 27 years in the public service, he completed his Ambassadorial term and resigned to establish Geoff Raby and Associates in 2011.
Dr Raby is a Non-executive Independent Director on the Boards of ASX-listed Yancoal and Netlinkz. He also served as an independent director with Fortescue Metal Group and Oceanagold. He was the Chair of the Advisory Board of the Institute for Austalian and Chinese Arts & Culture at Western Sydney University and the Chair of VisAsia at the Art Gallery of NSW.
Dr Raby is a regular columnist with the Australian Financial Review, publishes occasional travel pieces and his latest book, China’s Grand Strategy and Australia’s Future in the New Global Order was published by Melbourne UP in 2020.
In recognition of his contributions to advancing relations between Australia and China and his contribution to multilateral trade diplomacy, Dr Raby was awarded the Order of Australia in June 2019.He was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Letters by Federation University and also by La Trobe University, both in 2022.
Dr Raby developed a strong interest in Chinese contemporary art in the late eighties as he became acquainted with young emerging artists in Beijing. From there began his passion for collecting artworks which culminated in the extensive Geoff Raby Collection of Contemporary Chinese Art that he has donated to his alma mater, La Trobe University. A selection of this collection covering four decades is now showing at the National Art School in Sydney until the 30th March 2024.
