Christopher Robin Orchard is a South Australian artist and arts educator who began as a sculptor but subsequently specialised in drawing. His character, the Bald Man, is a recurrent motif. Orchard is Associate Professor at

Adelaide Central School of Art Adelaide Central School of Art is an independent, not-for-profit, accredited higher education provider of tertiary courses in the visual arts, located in Adelaide, Australia. Adelaide Central School of Art uses the atelier model of visual arts ...

and was the subject of the 2017

SALA Festival The South Australian Living Artists Festival (SALA, or SALA Festival) is a statewide, open-access visual arts festival which takes place during August in South Australia. SALA features a range of approximately 600 venues including galleries and ...

monograph, ''Christopher Orchard: The Uncertainty of the Poet''. He is also the subject of the 2013 short documentary film ''Everyperson'', by Jasper Button and Patrick Zoerner.

Biography

Orchard was born in South Australia in 1950. Orchard's full name is Christopher Robin Orchard. He completed an Advanced Diploma in fine Art, Sculpture and Painting at the South Australia College of Advanced Education. He is a founding member of the Art Workers’ Union in 1979 and joined Central Studios in 1982. From 1985-1987 he was a member of Air and Space Studios, London. He joined the teaching staff of

in 1989. In 2005, he was appointed Adjunct Associate Professor at

Flinders University Flinders University is a public research university based in Adelaide, South Australia, with a footprint extending across 11 locations in South Australia and the Northern Territory. Founded in 1966, it was named in honour of British navigator ...

. Orchard held his first solo exhibition in Adelaide in 1975. In 1986, he presented his first British solo exhibition in London. In 2011, he presented his first American solo exhibition in New York.

Artistic style and subject

Orchard began as a sculptor but came to specialise in drawing. His works feature an avatar known as the Bald Man who emerged from Orchard’s “fight with the figure” and who, according to Orchard, represents ”the entire history of what it means to be human”.

Awards/Prizes/Residency

* 1985-1986: Berry Street Studios Residency * 2000: Gunnery Space * 2000: Finalist, Dobell Drawing Prize * 2001: Finalist, Dobell Drawing Prize * 2005: Finalist, Dobell Drawing Prize * 2006: Finalist, Dobell Drawing Prize * 2015: Invited Artist, Kedumba Drawing Award * 2016: Finalist, Paul Guest Prize * 2017:

Featured Artist

References

External links

Personal website
* Entry i
Design & Art Australia Online
* Documentar
''Everyperson''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Orchard, Christopher Living people 1950 births Artists from South Australia Australian contemporary artists Artists from Adelaide 20th-century Australian artists 21st-century Australian artists Australian art teachers