Olive Cotton

(Australia 11 Jul 1911–27 Sep 2003)

Title

Tea cup ballet

Year

circa 1935

Media

Photograph

Medium

gelatin silver photograph

Dimensions

37.3 x 29.6cm image; 38.0 x 30.2cm sheet

Signature & date

Signed l.r. sheet., pencil "Olive Cotton". Not dated.

Credit

Gift of the artist 1980

Accession number

218.1980

Location

Not on display

Further information

'This picture evolved after I had bought some inexpensive cups and saucers from Woolworths for our studio coffee breaks to replace our rather worn old mugs. The angular handles reminded me of arms akimbo, and that led to the idea of making a photograph to express a dance theme.

When the day’s work was over I tried several arrangements of the cups and saucers to convey this idea, without success, until I used a spotlight and realised how important the shadows were. Using the studio camera, which had a 6 ½ x 4 ½ inch ground glass focusing screen, I moved the cups about until they and their shadows made a ballet-like composition and then photographed them on a cut film negative. The title of the photograph suggested itself.

This was my first photograph to be shown overseas, being exhibited, to my delight, in the London Salon of Photography in 1935.' Olive Cotton 1995 1

Olive Cotton and Max Dupain were childhood friends and, although she graduated in English and mathematics from the University of Sydney in 1934, her interest in photography led her to work in Dupain’s studio from this year. Cotton was employed as a photographer’s assistant in the studio, however she worked assiduously on her own work and continued to exhibit in photography salon exhibitions. ‘Tea cup ballet’ is one of Cotton’s most well-known photographs and yet it is somewhat eccentric to her main practice, being at first glance typically modernist with its dramatic lighting and angular shapes. Her longstanding interest in organic forms provides a deeper reading. The abstraction of form by the lighting and the placement of the cups and saucers enables the relationship to dancers on a stage to become clear.

1. Ennis H 1995, ‘Olive Cotton: photographer’, National Library of Australia, Canberra p 25

Bibliography (10)

Great collections (2008), John McPhee (Author), Museums and Galleries NSW (Australia), New South Wales, Australia.

Photography: Art Gallery of New South Wales Collection (2007), Judy Annear (Australia) (Editor), Art Gallery of New South Wales (Australia, estab. 1874).

Soft Shadows and Sharp Lines: Australian photography from Cazneaux to Dupain (2002), Natasha Bullock (Australia) (Curator), Art Gallery of New South Wales (Australia, estab. 1874), Domain, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

Olive Cotton (2000), Helen Ennis (Australia) (Author), Art Gallery of New South Wales (Australia, estab. 1874), Domain, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

Art Gallery of New South Wales handbook (1999), Bruce James (Australia) (Author), Edmund Capon (England; Australia, b.1940) (Director), Trustees of the Art Gallery of New South Wales (Australia), Domain, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

Review: works by women from the permanent collection of the Art Gallery of New South Wales (1995), Deborah Edwards (Australia) (Author), Daphne Wallace (Australia, b.1964) (Author), Margo Neale (Australia) (Author), Victoria Lynn (Australia) (Author), Sandra Byron (Australia) (Author), Art Gallery of New South Wales (Australia, estab. 1874), Domain, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

The Art Gallery of New South Wales collections (1994), Ewen McDonald (Australia) (Editor), Art Gallery of New South Wales (Australia, estab. 1874), Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

Masterpieces of Australian Photography (1989), Josef Lebovic Gallery (Australia, estab. 1977) (Author), Helen Ennis (Australia) (Author), Josef Lebovic Gallery (Australia, estab. 1977), Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

Seeing is believing: the art in photography (1985), Ursula Prunster (Australia) (Author), Art Gallery of New South Wales (Australia, estab. 1874), Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

Australian Art Review (1982), Leon Paroissien (Australia) (Editor), Warner Associates, Rozelle, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

Exhibition history (10)

Great collections (2009), (06 Feb 2009–15 Mar 2009), at Tweed River Regional Art Gallery (Australia), PO Box 816 Tumbulgum Road Murwillumbah NSW Australia 2484.

In a certain light: Clarice Beckett and Olive Cotton, (08 Mar 1995–15 Apr 1995), at Ivan Dougherty Gallery (Australia, estab. 1977), Cnr Albion Ave and Selwyn St Paddington, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia 2021.

Review - works by women from the permanent collection of the Art Gallery of New South Wales, (08 Mar 1995–04 Jun 1995), at Art Gallery of New South Wales (Australia, estab. 1874), Art Gallery Rd Domain, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia 2000.

Works from the Photography Collection, (10 Feb 1989–15 May 1989), at Art Gallery of New South Wales (Australia, estab. 1874), Art Gallery Rd Domain, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia 2000.

Great collections (2009), (12 Dec 2008–18 Jan 2009), at Campbelltown Arts Centre (Australia), cnr Camden & Appin Roads Campbelltown Sydney New South Wales Australia 2560.

Seeing is believing - the art in photography, (13 Dec 1985–19 Jan 1986), at Art Gallery of New South Wales (Australia, estab. 1874), Art Gallery Rd Domain Sydney New South Wales Australia 2000.

Olive Cotton, (13 May 2000–02 Jul 2000), at Art Gallery of New South Wales (Australia, estab. 1874), Art Gallery Rd Domain, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia 2000.

Olive Cotton, (14 Jul 2000–08 Oct 2000), at National Library of Australia (Australia), Parkes Place Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia 2600.

Shades of Light, (1988–1988), at National Gallery of Australia (Australia, estab. 1982), Parkes Place Parkes, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia 2600.

Soft Shadows and Sharp Lines: Australian photography from Cazneaux to Dupain, (30 Sep 2002–17 Nov 2002), at Art Gallery of New South Wales (Australia, estab. 1874), Art Gallery Rd Domain, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia 2000.