Chips Mackinolty
Encyclopedia
Chips Mackinolty was born in 1954 in Morwell. He was involved in the campaigns against the war in Vietnam
by producing posters. He was a key figure in the radical poster movement and was introduced to screenprinting in Goulburn Street, Sydney.
During the 1970s posters became an art form artists using the cheap posters as a political tool. The Earthworks Poster Collective, established in 1971, was the most active and well known of these groups. Earthworks operated from the Sydney University Art Workshop, commonly known as the Tin Sheds, finally demolished in 2007. Mackinolty used sharp, flat colours and increasingly professional techniques to produce posters such as "For the man who said life wasn't meant to be easy - make life impossible". The poster is a multi imaged send-up of former Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser
. It was posted up at night around Sydney
, helping to politicise a generation.
With the dissolution of Earthworks Poster Collective in 1980, Mackinolty moved first to Townsville, North Queensland, as a community arts officer, and then to the Northern Territory of Australia. He worked as an art adviser to Aboriginal art centres in Katherine (Mimi Aboriginal Arts and Crafts, 1981–1985) and Mutitjulu (Maruku Arts, 1985). From then until 1990 he worked at the Northern Land Council
in Darwin
as a journalist, designer and field officer. He produced a number of posters in that period under the name Jalak Graphics, although most were printed at Redback Graphics in Wollongong and Sydney. Many used Aboriginal languages in their text.
During the 1990s Mackinolty worked with others from Darwin under the banner of Green Ant Research Arts and Publishing. Mackinolty also accepted assignments from the CLP government including the euthanasia education program. He also acted as a go-between between the CLP government and the Jawoyn traditional owners of Katherine. As well as graphic design, Mackinolty worked as a correspondent for newspapers including the Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, The Australian and The Bulletin. It has also been claimed that Mackinolty has been an occasional anonymous correspondent for "Crikey". Work in this period included a controversial exhibition of posters with colleague Therese Ritchie If you see this exhibition you'll know we have been murdered which was attacked by the then Country Liberal Party
government (1998). Mackinolty was employed as an advisor to the Northern Territory Labor Government 2002-2009, under various minsters, then quit to work for the Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance Northern Territory (AMSANT)
as a policy worker. In 2010, along with Therese Ritchie, he held a retrospective at Charles Darwin University
, "Not Dead Yet". In the same year he won the 4th Togart Award for contemporary visual art. He continues to exhibit art in the Northern Territory and interstate.
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
by producing posters. He was a key figure in the radical poster movement and was introduced to screenprinting in Goulburn Street, Sydney.
During the 1970s posters became an art form artists using the cheap posters as a political tool. The Earthworks Poster Collective, established in 1971, was the most active and well known of these groups. Earthworks operated from the Sydney University Art Workshop, commonly known as the Tin Sheds, finally demolished in 2007. Mackinolty used sharp, flat colours and increasingly professional techniques to produce posters such as "For the man who said life wasn't meant to be easy - make life impossible". The poster is a multi imaged send-up of former Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser
Malcolm Fraser
John Malcolm Fraser AC, CH, GCL, PC is a former Australian Liberal Party politician who was the 22nd Prime Minister of Australia. He came to power in the 1975 election following the dismissal of the Whitlam Labor government, in which he played a key role...
. It was posted up at night around Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, helping to politicise a generation.
With the dissolution of Earthworks Poster Collective in 1980, Mackinolty moved first to Townsville, North Queensland, as a community arts officer, and then to the Northern Territory of Australia. He worked as an art adviser to Aboriginal art centres in Katherine (Mimi Aboriginal Arts and Crafts, 1981–1985) and Mutitjulu (Maruku Arts, 1985). From then until 1990 he worked at the Northern Land Council
Northern Land Council
The Northern Land Council is in the Top End of the Northern Territory of Australia. It has its origins in the struggle of Australian Aboriginal people for rights to fair wages and land. This included the strike and walk off by the Gurindji people at Wave Hill, cattle station in 1966. The head...
in Darwin
Darwin, Northern Territory
Darwin is the capital city of the Northern Territory, Australia. Situated on the Timor Sea, Darwin has a population of 127,500, making it by far the largest and most populated city in the sparsely populated Northern Territory, but the least populous of all Australia's capital cities...
as a journalist, designer and field officer. He produced a number of posters in that period under the name Jalak Graphics, although most were printed at Redback Graphics in Wollongong and Sydney. Many used Aboriginal languages in their text.
During the 1990s Mackinolty worked with others from Darwin under the banner of Green Ant Research Arts and Publishing. Mackinolty also accepted assignments from the CLP government including the euthanasia education program. He also acted as a go-between between the CLP government and the Jawoyn traditional owners of Katherine. As well as graphic design, Mackinolty worked as a correspondent for newspapers including the Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, The Australian and The Bulletin. It has also been claimed that Mackinolty has been an occasional anonymous correspondent for "Crikey". Work in this period included a controversial exhibition of posters with colleague Therese Ritchie If you see this exhibition you'll know we have been murdered which was attacked by the then Country Liberal Party
Country Liberal Party
The Northern Territory Country Liberal Party is a Northern Territory political party affiliated with both the National and Liberal parties...
government (1998). Mackinolty was employed as an advisor to the Northern Territory Labor Government 2002-2009, under various minsters, then quit to work for the Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance Northern Territory (AMSANT)
Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance Northern Territory
The Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance Northern Territory is the peak body for Aboriginal community controlled primary health services in the Northern Territory of Australia. It has offices in Alice Springs and Darwin but works across the entire Northern Territory...
as a policy worker. In 2010, along with Therese Ritchie, he held a retrospective at Charles Darwin University
Charles Darwin University
Charles Darwin University is an Australian public university with about 20,000 students in 2007.The University offers a wide range of Higher Education degrees and Vocational Education and Training courses with flexible study options, including part-time, external and online.CDU has campuses in the...
, "Not Dead Yet". In the same year he won the 4th Togart Award for contemporary visual art. He continues to exhibit art in the Northern Territory and interstate.
External links
- http://nga.gov.au/Federation/Detail.cfm?WorkID=40352&ZoomID=3 famous poster
- http://www.karenbrowngallery.com/karenbrowngallery/Chips_Mackinolty.html