From impulse to action

‘From impulse to action’ centres on Arthur Boyd’s drawings in ink, both brightly coloured and monochrome, as the starting point for 12 new commissions by Australian contemporary artists working in a diverse range of disciplines.

A central example of the expansive power of Boyd’s drawings are his 1963 designs created for Robert Helpmann’s ballet Elektra. They represent the potential for small, experimental works to translate into large-scale, interdisciplinary projects, and to shift from image to performance. In parallel, the commissioned artists reflect the immediacy of Boyd’s drawings through choreography and film, photography and sculptural installation, weaving and sound. Nearly all the works were developed through site visits and residencies.