Kenneth Jack’s holograph manuscript copy of Aaron Berkman’s book on art theory ‘Art and Space’

[Melbourne] : Kenneth Jack, 1953. Original holograph manuscript in brown ink, foolscap, title leaf, pp. 72, copying the text ‘Art and Space’ by Aaron Berkman (“condensed from the book”), illustrated with over 30 small pen and ink drawings describing the theories of the text, including reproduction sketches after Picasso, Rembrandt, Braque, Monet etc., tape to spine, housed in plain boards 35 x 23 cms, titled ‘Art and Space’ on upper board, signed ‘Kenneth Jack 1953’ inside upper board.

Kenneth Jack commenced his art studies at Melbourne Technical College (now RMIT), completing a Drawing Teachers Primary Certificate and the Secondary Certificate. While serving in the Royal Australian Air Force as a survey draftsman he also studied water colour under John Rowell at the Melbourne Technical College. He met Harold Freedman at this time who was in charge of the RAAF publications and was able to publish some of Kenneth’s work in the RAAF Log and Wings. After the war under the returned soldiers Commonwealth Rehabilitation Training Scheme Kenneth gained the Art Teachers Certificate and the Trained Teachers Certificate as quickly as possible and went on to teach at Box Hill Boys High School and Upwey High School until 1950. He became a professional painter at the age of 39 after giving up his job as senior instructor at the Caulfield Institute of Technology, and continued as a prolific painter until his death on the 10th of June 2006.

This manuscript is a copy of American Social Realist and modernist painter Aaron Berkman’s book on art theory ‘Art and Space’ (1948) which Jack would have used in his teachings.

Reference :

https://kennethjack.com.au/about/