Stuckism in Australia

The Stuckists take a strong pro-painting and anti-conceptual art stance, and were co-founded by Charles Thomson and Billy Childish.

Besides Tamanui, the other initial members were Justin Grub, Ben Blanchette, Malcome Mmackie and Dave Freeman Rose.

A subsequent line-up was Basil Kouvelis, Justin Grubb, Ben Frost, Nigel Stein, Daniel Gorzadek, Stephen Sperling and Dennis Roper.

Stein, an RMIT art student, was prompted to join the group after Karen Ward was given the inaugural $105,000 Helen Lempriere Award for her minimal sculpture The Hut, derided by him as a "Wendy House".

In December 2001, The Stuckist demonstration outside the Turner Prize at Tate Britain, London, was broadcast on Australian national TV news.

In September 2004, Blow exhibited in the movement's first major show in a national museum, The Stuckists Punk Victorian at the Walker Art Gallery during the Liverpool Biennial.

In February 2003, Tracey Emin was interviewed in The Sydney Morning Herald while in Australia: In August 2003, Australian performance artist Stelarc's plan to have a human ear grafted onto his forearm drew virulent criticism from UK Stuckists.

"[13]In July 2005, State of the Arts Australian art magazine gave a survey on the UK and Australian Stuckists, and found: In December 2005, the Stuckists demonstrated about the Tate Gallery's purchase of their trustee Chris Ofili's work, The Upper Room, wearing monkey and elephant masks, outside the Turner Prize at Tate Britain in London.

A syndicated report covered the demonstration in The Sydney Morning Herald,[14] The Age, Yahoo Australia, ABC News Online, SBS, Seven and The Australian.

[15] The Stuckists were founded in the United Kingdom by Charles Thomson and Billy Childish with ten other artists in 1999 to oppose conceptual art and champion painting as the radical medium of self-discovery.