ACT Heritage Library Manuscript Collections
HMSS 0413 Amanda Walker Poster Collection
Scope and Content Notes
| Call Number | HMSS 0413 |
|---|---|
| Collection | Amanda Walker Poster Collection |
| Date Range | 1981-1982 |
| Quantity | 0.94m (1 poster box) |
| Access Conditions | open |
| Copying Conditions | unstated |
| Related Collections |
A collection of 24 screened printed posters that either make social or political comment, or advertise exhibitions or events, and are mostly connected with either the Bitumen River Gallery or Megalo Print Studio. They were found by Mandy Walker among her father’s possessions. The family lived in Canberra from the mid 1970s to the late 1980s.
The Bitumen River Gallery was an alternative art space initially occupying a small brick building in the car park near the corner of Bougainville and Furneaux Streets, Manuka. It opened on 4 April 1981 with the exhibition, ‘Bill Posters Appreciated’. It amalgamated in 1987 with Gorman House to form the Canberra Contemporary Art Space, and reopened in 1993 as CCAS Manuka, also called Gallery Three. It was subsequently moved to purpose-built premises in Furneaux Street.
The Gallery exhibited work by several community groups connected with the unemployed and the disadvantaged, providing an outlet for art that was socially critical or that would not be accepted by commercial galleries. In June 1981 the screening printing collective Megalo, which was formed by Jobless Action, staged ‘Names Withheld!’, beginning a long association with the Gallery. Megalo also provided art work and posters for other groups and organisations during this period, including 2XX and the Australian National University Student Union. Alison Alder, co-founder of Megalo in 1980 and a director until 2014, was also coordinator of Bitumen River Gallery.
The National Gallery of Australia acquired the Megalo Collective Archive and has provided digitised copies in its collection database. We link to that record where possible.
Box List
POSTER NO. | CREATOR OF POSTER | DESCRIPTION | SIZE (cm) | DATE/S OF EXHIBITION OR EVENT | Link to Megalo Archive at National Gallery of Australia |
1 |
| Fair dinkum! ‘I never noticed there was any difference between my male and female students.’ ‘I love the flavour of bullshit!’ | 33 x 43 |
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2 | Church, Julia and various artists | Blind Dates. Eden pair in computer dating scandal! Fantasy leads to temptation. A handprinted calendar | 33 x 43 | 1982 | |
3 | Little, Colin | Work resources centre. A campus community project for action on unemployment. F-Block Childers St. Huts 49 4484 | 35 x 43 | 1980-1982 | |
4 | Church, Julia and various artists | As Mona turned she saw a tall woman standing gazing with astonishment (from “Mona’s Dance Band”) (Blind Dates calendar for March) | 33 x 43 | March 1982 | |
5 | Church, Julia and various artists | My Aunt Joan makes Art (Blind Dates calendar for May) | 33 x 43 | May 1982 | |
6 | Church, Julia and various artists | Untitled (Blind Dates calendar for September) | 33 x 43 | September 1982 | |
7 | Church, Julia and various artists | Little girls break their dolls (Blind Dates calendar for November) | 33 x 43 | November 1982 | |
8 | Church, Julia and various artists | Ready to eat. The Australian War Memorial (Blind Dates calendar for December) | 33 x 43 | December 1982 | |
9 |
| Artists against uranium. Exhibition Bitumen River Gallery | 38 x 51 | 13 February – 5 March 1982 |
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10 | Manderson, Roland | Front row seats in the Sinai desert for World War 3. Join the peacekeeping force | 38 x 51 | 1981 |
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11 | Little, Colin and Megalo | Japanese Prints ‘Ukiyo-e’ period woodblocks, originals & reproductions. Bitumen River Gallery. All prints are for sale | 38 x 48 | 7 – 25 April 1982 | |
12 | Megalo Grafix | An Aboriginal treaty is for all Australians. Read “It’s coming yet” by Stewart Harris. Write to the Aboriginal Treaty Committee, PO Box 1242, Canberra, ACT, 2601 | 38 x 51 |
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13 | Radok, Stephanie | The amazing technicolour XXmas radio show – 2XX. Routinos. Un Tabu. Ginny Lowe +10. + more. Civic Hotel, Sat 12th Dec. 8am til late. Supper tickets $9, $7.50. Otherwise $8.00, $6.50. Dress: Gala | 38 x 51 | 1982 | |
14 | Little, Colin and Megalo Grafix | Ho Ho Ho. For: Malcolm. Season’s greetings | 38 x 51 | 1981 | |
15 | Manderson, Roland; Church, Julia | Canberra Youth Theatre’s Troupe presents Treatment, directed by Gail Kelly. Gorman House, C Block, Batman St Braddon. Tickets $4 and $2.50. Bookings: 47 0781 | 38 x 51 | 1980 | |
16 | Little, Colin | Ho Ho Ho It’s the Megalo Poster Show. Bitumen River Gallery, Furneaux Street, Manuka NOTE: The same poster was apparently used unchanged for 1980 – 1982 | 43 x 69 | 5 – 24 December 1981 | |
17 | Little, Colin | A Peace of Canberra Rock. George Washingmachine + the dead wringers, the Incredibillies, Naughty Rythms, the Illustrated Band. $5 ANU Refectory $4 conc. With special thanx to John’s Music, Top Stage Lighting, ANU Union | 43 x 69 | 27 November 1981 | |
18 | Little, Colin | Boing Boing. All steady at the helm? Vote direct. Vote Valium | 51 x 76 | 1981 | |
19 | Alder, Alison | Bill Posters Appreciated. An exhibition of posters from Australia and overseas | 51 x 76 | 4 April 1981 | |
20 | Alder, Alison and Megalo Grafix | Bitumen River Gallery Birthday Party Auction Sale | 51 x 76 | 4 April 1982 | ALDER , Alison MEGALO GRAFIX | Bitumen River Gallery Birthday Party and Auction Sale. |
21 | Misc + Rough K O | The Whitewash of the Year. The money spent on the wedding [of Charles and Diana] is done to move our attention away from police violence, unemployment, exploitation by big business, helping us forget the powers the british monarchy still has over us. A fancy dress affair. Come as befits such a spectacle. B.Y.O. memorabillia | 53 x 69 | 25 July 1981 | |
22 | Little, Colin and Megalo Collective | Feed the man beef for glowing health. ‘Radio-active’ beef warning [newspaper article from Canberra Times 17 September 1981]. Happy Meat Week! | 51 x 76 | 1981 | LITTLE , Colin MEGALO INTERNATIONAL SCREENPRINTING COLLECTIVE | Feed the man beef for glowing health |
23 | Church, Julia; Denton, Mark; Moulen, Cassandra | Names Witheld! Exhibition at Bitumen River Gallery, Cn’r Bougainville and Furneaux Sts, Manuka | 56 x 76 | 13 June 1981 | |
24 | Adrienne Rich | A man’s world. But finished. They themselves have sold it to the machine | 51 x 76 |