Naomi Jelish: The Recovered Works
September 21 – October 9 2004
THIS exhibition is possible due to several different reasons. That historian/biographer John Ivesmail devoted so much of his time and attention to a previously unknown body of work; that a formerly concealed collection of drawings was recently uncovered by local antiquarians Olive and Jim Nash; that a precocious youngster produced such a munificent series of artworks; all elements allow this new work to be viewed, within an established context, and in relation to the ‘central’ collection of Naomi Jelish’s work currently on display at the Saatchi Gallery in County Hall, should a concerned onlooker wish to cross-reference.
This remarkable discovery of Naomi’s ‘unseen’ work made by Olive and Jim Nash in the shadow of the central corpus of Jelish work going on display across the river, sheds light not only on the events of Naomi’s life but also on many of the conclusions reached by Mr. Ivesmail concerning the youngster’s final year before her, and her family’s disappearance. That many of these drawings suggest Ivesmail’s hand being less than thoroughly earnest should not detract from the mammoth effort and attention Ivesmail awarded Naomi’s output. Indeed, many of the questions and opinions offered during this text would have been impossible without the prior insistence of John Ivesmail’s research. The coming-to-light of this supplementary anthology will hopefully add to the already considerable volume devoted to Naomi by Ivesmail whilst also refining a few of the details he provided.