Roger Kemp
Encyclopedia
Francis Roderick Kemp OBE (Eaglehawk
, 3 July 1908 - Melbourne
14 September 1987), known as Roger, was one of Australia's foremost practitioners of transcendental abstraction. Working in the tradition of Wassily Kandinsky
, Kasimir Malevich, Piet Mondrian
and Frantisek Kupka
, he developed a system of symbols and motifs which were deployed in his non-figurative paintings so as to reveal cosmic mysteries, striving in particular to explain man's place in a universal order.
He was born in California Gully to Cornish Australian
parents, Frank Kemp, a gold miner, and Rebecca Kemp, nee Harvey. Both the Kemps and Harveys were devout Methodists and proud Cornish people
. In 1913 the family moved to Melbourne after a mining accident. The Cornish were well known for their singing and most Cornish Australian boys at that time joined youth choirs, Kemp being no exception. In 1920 his father died after being hit by a car.
After 20 years of isolated development and unrecognised innovation, Kemp came to prominence in the 1950s as the leader of a small Melbourne-based avant-garde
of Geometric Abstractionists
, including Leonard French
, George Johnson, Inge King
and Leonard Crawford. Increasing attention and critical acclaim saw them vilified by a rival circle of figurative artists associated with the Contemporary Art Society, who formed a controversial exhibiting group, called the Antipodeans
, in order to check the spread of abstract art in Australia.
In 1971, while on a trip to Britain, Kemp visited Cornwall
, the land of his ancestors. While there he purchased a book on Cornish history (Daphne du Maurier
's Vanishing Cornwall). It is remarkable therefore that neither his wife nor his children knew about his Cornish ancestry.
Eaglehawk, Victoria
Eaglehawk is a former gold-mining town in Victoria, Australia and a suburb within the City of Greater Bendigo.The town is situated to the north-west of Bendigo on the Loddon Valley Highway. The highway is known locally as High Street until the intersection with Sailors Gully Road and as Peg Leg...
, 3 July 1908 - Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
14 September 1987), known as Roger, was one of Australia's foremost practitioners of transcendental abstraction. Working in the tradition of Wassily Kandinsky
Wassily Kandinsky
Wassily Wassilyevich Kandinsky was an influential Russian painter and art theorist. He is credited with painting the first purely-abstract works. Born in Moscow, Kandinsky spent his childhood in Odessa. He enrolled at the University of Moscow, studying law and economics...
, Kasimir Malevich, Piet Mondrian
Piet Mondrian
Pieter Cornelis "Piet" Mondriaan, after 1906 Mondrian , was a Dutch painter.He was an important contributor to the De Stijl art movement and group, which was founded by Theo van Doesburg. He evolved a non-representational form which he termed Neo-Plasticism...
and Frantisek Kupka
František Kupka
František Kupka was a Czech painter and graphic artist. He was a pioneer and co-founder of the early phases of the abstract art movement and Orphic cubism...
, he developed a system of symbols and motifs which were deployed in his non-figurative paintings so as to reveal cosmic mysteries, striving in particular to explain man's place in a universal order.
He was born in California Gully to Cornish Australian
Cornish Australian
Cornish Australians are citizens of Australia whose ancestry originates in Cornwall, United Kingdom, one of the six Celtic Nations. They form part of the worldwide Cornish diaspora which also includes large numbers of people in the US, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, Mexico and many Latin...
parents, Frank Kemp, a gold miner, and Rebecca Kemp, nee Harvey. Both the Kemps and Harveys were devout Methodists and proud Cornish people
Cornish people
The Cornish are a people associated with Cornwall, a county and Duchy in the south-west of the United Kingdom that is seen in some respects as distinct from England, having more in common with the other Celtic parts of the United Kingdom such as Wales, as well as with other Celtic nations in Europe...
. In 1913 the family moved to Melbourne after a mining accident. The Cornish were well known for their singing and most Cornish Australian boys at that time joined youth choirs, Kemp being no exception. In 1920 his father died after being hit by a car.
After 20 years of isolated development and unrecognised innovation, Kemp came to prominence in the 1950s as the leader of a small Melbourne-based avant-garde
Avant-garde
Avant-garde means "advance guard" or "vanguard". The adjective form is used in English to refer to people or works that are experimental or innovative, particularly with respect to art, culture, and politics....
of Geometric Abstractionists
Geometric abstract art
Geometric abstraction is a form of abstract art based on the use of geometric forms sometimes, though not always, placed in non-illusionistic space and combined into non-objective compositions...
, including Leonard French
Leonard French
Leonard William French OBE is an Australian artist, known principally for major stained glass works.French was born in Brunswick, Victoria...
, George Johnson, Inge King
Inge King
Inge King is a prominent Australian sculptor, who has many significant public, commercial, and private sculpture commissions to her credit....
and Leonard Crawford. Increasing attention and critical acclaim saw them vilified by a rival circle of figurative artists associated with the Contemporary Art Society, who formed a controversial exhibiting group, called the Antipodeans
Antipodeans Group
-History:The Antipodeans group consisted of seven modern painters and the art historian Bernard Smith, who compiled The Antipodean Manifesto, a declaration fashioned from the artists' comments as a catalogue essay to accompany their exhibit....
, in order to check the spread of abstract art in Australia.
In 1971, while on a trip to Britain, Kemp visited Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
, the land of his ancestors. While there he purchased a book on Cornish history (Daphne du Maurier
Daphne du Maurier
Dame Daphne du Maurier, Lady Browning DBE was a British author and playwright.Many of her works have been adapted into films, including the novels Rebecca and Jamaica Inn and the short stories "The Birds" and "Don't Look Now". The first three were directed by Alfred Hitchcock.Her elder sister was...
's Vanishing Cornwall). It is remarkable therefore that neither his wife nor his children knew about his Cornish ancestry.