Both artists come from a craft background and although in recent years they have moved into large scale commission sculpture, they still maintain a very hands on approach to object making, no matter if it is a small brooch, a domestic light or a temporal installation for the gardens opposite Parliament House in Canberra. Not that they are slaves to the making process; when the work demands it, they are equally at ease working with other artists and artisans who have the specific technical skills needed to produce the desired end result.

One element that draws them together in their studio practice is a love of re-working and assembling known domestic objects in a way which retains the 'aura of the old' ⁽¹⁾ but injects the new works with new life and wit - many people will remember their exhibition 'A little bit of Salt and Tepper' at the Door Gallery in 1993, which showcased a range of functional, domestic artworks made from, amongst other things, old bakelite light switches, ironing boards and electric bar heaters re-incarnated as lights.

But it would be wrong to only consider Anne Neil and Steve Tepper as one entity because while they do collaborate on a number of projects, they both maintain their own practice and accept public commissions individually.

One of the most engaging and witty products of Steve Tepper's fertile imagination is his range of lights which seem to be part of an ongoing fascination. Before beginning his studies at Curtin University in 1990, he worked for ten years in the illuminated sign industry in graphic design, cabinet making, and spray painting. At Curtin, he began his studies in Interior Design in the School of Architecture and transferred to 3D Design in the School of Visual Arts for his final year. This diverse background has produced a very versatile artist who can pull together the qualities of trade skills, conceptual artwork, craftsmanship and an understanding of large architectural spaces.

Anne Neil's practice has been equally eclectic; following graduation from Curtin, she concentrated on developing a practice as a jeweller making individual pieces and small scale production runs in non-precious materials. Then, after working in slightly more commercial areas, firstly as the Marketing Officer for the Fremantle Artists Foundation (now AFWA) and later as a consultant designer for the highly successful Puritan Man interior design company, Anne decided to return to study and did her post graduate degree in sculpture at the Australian National University, Institute of Arts in Canberra.

Since returning to Perth at the end of 1992, a large proportion of Anne's art practice has been concerned with art in public spaces; her most recent work is her most controversial. Even though the series of three site specific pieces for the upper end of St. George's Terrace close to the Barracks arch, have not yet been completely installed and finished they have excited a barrage of both positive and negative comments.

The choice of the kangaroo as the central subject has caused the most consternation in spite of the fact that it was in the original brief given to her. Yet the work is not a simple appropriation of a hackneyed icon; there are specific reasons why Anne felt the kangaroo is appropriate to that site. As well as the most obvious connection between the symbol on the back of our coinage and the commercial nature of the street, it is now so widely known that that area was very close to the main herding grounds used by Aborigines, not has it been understood that Anne intended a degree of irony to reflect the cultural dichotomy that allows us to use the animal as a potent national marketing tool while at the same time selling its flesh as pet food.

What is next on the agenda for Anne Neil & Steve Tepper? They have other commissions to complete such as the carved brick wall at the Juvenile Detention Centre in Cannington, and then early in 1997, they will take up a three month residency at the Asialink Studio in Kuala Lumpur; time out to explore their own studio practice and to look at a completely different culture and art history. What will be the result? Expect only the unexpected!

Page last updated 03 December, 2001

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