Review on Dai Li recent works at the Heiser Gallery

Barbara Vivash

S 2765600

Review on Dai Li recent Works at the Heiser Gallery.

Bruce Heiser, the Director of the Heiser Gallery, established the gallery in November, 2004 in Arthur Street, Fortitude Valley. By definition, a gallery is a long, narrow room and the Heiser gallery is true to the definition, providing an unpretentious venue for a broad spectrum of art. The gallery exhibition schedule presents solo exhibitions of new works from the artists he represents. In addition, the stock room includes some impressive twentieth century pieces from artists such as Ian Fairweather, Ian Crooke and Sam Fullbrook as well as select nineteenth century Queensland art.

As a member of the Australian Commercial Galleries Association, the Heiser Gallery is committed to the ‘Code of Practice’ for Australian commercial galleries and the artists they represent. According to the ‘Code of Practice’, even though the principal service provided by the gallery is the sale of an artist’s work, full gallery representation includes the following list of services:

·        Staging regular in-house exhibitions, producing catalogues and invitations.

·        Archive and curriculum vitae maintenance.

·        Maintaining visual material for promotional purposes.

·        Media archive maintenance/records of promotional activities/post-show summaries of media outcomes and promotional material.

·        Pursuing ongoing sales and exhibition opportunities outside the gallery in the private sector (e.g. in museums, public galleries, festivals, survey shows and biennales).

·        Pursuing commissioning opportunities and advocating for the artist’s interests.

·        Cultivating collectors and corporate clients.

·        Monitoring the artist’s interests and legal rights.

·        Collaborating with the artist on competition, grant and commission submissions.

·        Pursuing critical writing and publishing opportunities for the artist.

·        Recording of all works left on consignment, location of all works sold and on loan.

The document also states that this list is intended as a guide only to the core services a gallery providing full representation may offer. However, not all galleries provide all of the services.

The ‘Code of Practice’ indicates that the artist and the gallery should negotiate the amount of commission to be paid to the gallery, based on the services provided. The suggested amount is forty per cent of the GST exclusive retail price of the art work. During the interview, Bruce Heiser said that the Gallery operated as a business and as such charged a commission on the sales. He indicated that the cost of an exhibition was usually shared by the artist and the gallery.

One of the gallery’s artists, Julie Fragar was interviewed about gallery exclusivity. She clarified that the system was not as rigid as represented by the ‘Code of practice’ with the agreement between the gallery and artist not usually a written contract. With the exception of some gallery proprietors, representation tends not to be exclusive, with artists having additional representation nationally and internationally.

Even though the Heiser gallery represents well known artists such as Alun Leach-Jones and Noel McKenna and Julie Fragar, it was always intended to evolve by including younger and emerging artists as well. As it is with Dai Li. Dai Li was born in China twenty-five years ago and attended the Jingdezhen Ceramic Institute for four years. She relocated to Australia in 2009 after her graduation from the Institute and now lives and works in Queensland.

In recent works, Dai Li has incorporated pieces from her The Games We Play exhibition at the Bundaberg Regional Art Gallery in July this year with her more recent works. The theme of works from The Games We Play evolved from her memories of childhood games. The artist’s figurines sculpted from stoneware express a softness of texture and gestural fluidity, unexpected from such a rigid medium. Each figure expresses an instant of reaction where the stimuli may be the fear of discovery, the thrill of winning, the joy of play. For example, in Cheat 2012 (Fig. 1) the little girl’s expression is confident and satisfied, surprising as she is blindfolded. However closer inspection reveals a fraction of her left eye is unobscured and she is certainly not in the dark. Similarly, I’m not here 2012 (Fig. 2) is a desperate attempt to be invisible as the little girl obscures her head beneath a flower pot.

Some of the 2012 figures allude to more adult reactions. On the rocks I 2012 (Fig. 5) and On the rocks II 2012 (Fig. 3) depict figures having endured a conflict and found stranded on rocky outcrops. On the rocks II 2012 (Fig. 3) is particularly eloquent. A cowed, apprehensive girl peers up through the wet strands of her hair. The viewer is conscious of her sense of dread – did she fall whilst being pursued or was she washed up onto the rocks? On the rocks I 2012 (Fig. 5) is the complete antitheses, with the girl draped limply across the rocks, barely conscious. This figure exudes vulnerability, the result of fear or violence, having given up any further attempt to escape.

Escape 2012 (Fig. 4) is another poignant piece where the artist has created an oval tub filled with simulated soap bubbly water. The naked figure is in the foetal position, perhaps simulating the ultimate escape – back to the womb. The viewer is originally arrested by the aesthetics of the work and then experiences empathy as a response to the total vulnerability and reality of the figure.

Of the thirty-seven pieces in the exhibition, my favourite is I don’t need it, but I want it 2012 (Fig.5). It is most likely a sympathetic response to that shopping dilemma, should I buy this totally desirable, but superfluous garment? The artist has completely captured the longing and the guilt as the little lady tenderly holds the garment against her body and considers the effect in a (imaginary) mirror.

At first glance the exhibition consists of a collection of quaint, fun little people, but on closer inspection the viewer realises that, to quote Jess Hall from the Bundaberg Art Gallery:

            Dai Li… seeks to set up metaphorical connections between the games we play

and deeper emotional experiences in life. …Moments of contemplation

or unguarded moments when no one is watching – or we are hiding – are

moments when people can reveal their true nature.

Each piece is a unique, believable character with the power to create an empathetic dialogue with the viewer. Dai Li has achieved this through gesture, uncannily accurate facial expressions and individualising each character through costume and physical attributes.

At first the exhibition appears sparse and uninspiring until the viewer realises that the gallery has become a landscape, a home to Dai li’s little people. Each character has been carefully considered and placed with other similarly emoting characters or floating on the gallery wall. The sparseness emphasises the individuality of each piece and ensures that the viewer travels to each piece, giving it due consideration avoiding the initial impression of a collection of fun ornaments.

Images

References

ACGA 2003, Code of Practice. Retrieved 17 October, 2012 from http://www.acga.com.au/about

Dai Li 2012, Dai Li on Etsy. Retrieved 17 October, 2012 from http://www.etsy.com/people/dailiwonderland

Hall, J. 2012, Bundaberg Regional Art Gallery Exhibition Openings. Retrieved 17 October, 2012 from Http://bundabergartsnetwork.wordpress.com/tag/dai-li/

Heiser Gallery 2012, Dai Li. Retrieved 17 October, 2012 from Http://www.heisergallery.com.au/artists/daili/index.html

Robyn Bauer Studio Gallery - Expressions x 3

Expressions x 3

Robyn Bauer Studio Gallery

Robyn Bauer Studio Gallery advertises itself as one of Brisbane’s leading Art Galleries, with an emphasis on exhibiting sculptural works created by Queensland artists. Upon entering the gallery space, viewers may notice that the layout is similar to the inside of an upmarket home. As the exterior of the building, adjacent to the road, appears to be of a similar size to the neighbouring retail shops, the capaciousness of the Robyn Bauer Studio Gallery is quite surprising. On top of the three standard room sized spaces, there is a deck with a striking view of a Jacaranda tree in full bloom, and a flight of stairs displaying more hidden delights. The Expressions x 3 exhibition showcased three established artists; which included Ann O’Connor, Gerry O’Connor and Patrick Boddington. Ann is a well-known ceramic artist and jeweller, Gerry has worked for more than twenty years in the Western form of the ancient Asian Raku process, and Patrick has focused on painting representational depictions of Girraween National Park.

Expressions x 3 attracted a predominately well-dressed, middle-aged clientele; essentially people with a certain air of sophistication and the appearance of wealth. The atmosphere at this exhibition may come as a shock to Fine Art students who have become accustomed to attending openings where young adults dress in anything from eccentric op-shop attire, to ostentatiously ‘hipster’ paraphernalia. Instead of a mass of twenty-something year olds drinking and smoking just outside the entrance of the gallery, the attendees of the Expressions x 3 politely sip on wine and mingle with one another within the confines of the gallery space. It seems as if everything about this exhibition, and the Robyn Bauer Studio Gallery, exudes commerciality. Each artwork has a price tag attached to it, with prices ranging from $30 to $6,000; perhaps a bit too pricey for your run-of-the-mill university student.

Each artist shares an appreciation of nature in common, as evidenced by their artworks on display. Ann’s practice is influenced by the rainforest in Mt. Glorious, where she lives. Her series of large-hand-built bowls aim to express a deep appreciation of the beauty of nature through the intricate carvings of trees and birds. Gerry has also adopted a practice that is grounded in nature, with an emphasis on nature’s inherent asymmetry (Robyn Bauer Studio Gallery 2006). Correspondingly, Patrick’s gouache paintings intend on capturing the vigour and excitement of what he feels when in the midst of the Girraween National Park’s beautiful landscape (Robyn Bauer Studio Gallery 2006).

Although Expressions x 3 does not have the same slap-in-the-face shock value qualities of most contemporary art being produced in Brisbane, these works are still of significance in a move towards social change. The artists’ appreciation of the natural environment coincides with a key objective of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) that involves working towards promoting ecologically sustainable development (Environment Protection Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 2012). Specific to Girraween National Park, the Department of Environment and Heritage Protection established a management plan in 2010 that involved conserving the natural ecosystems of the park, conveying Girraween’s natural and cultural values to the broader community, and identifying and protecting Indigenous and shared history (Girraween National Park – Management Plan 2010 2012). Expressions x 3 purports the ideals of this management plan by raising awareness about the beauty of Girraween National Park to an audience who may not have otherwise known of this location’s existence.   

Expressions x 3 might not appeal to most Fine Art students’ tastes as it is considerably more conservative than what students are generally exposed to during their studies. Nonetheless, this exhibition may be a welcome alternative to students who are in need of a break from all of the politics and intellectualism underpinning typically provocative contemporary art. Viewers may find that some of the works by Ann, Gerry and Patrick allow for quiet, contemplative meditation – certainly a stress relieving activity that any university student may find beneficial whilst busily completing end of year assessment!

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References

Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 2012, viewed 21 October 2012, <http://www.environment.gov.au/about/publications/annual-report/10->.  

Girraween National Park – Management Plan 2010 2012, viewed 21 October 2012, <http://www.nprsr.qld.gov.au/managing/plans-strategies/pdf/mp004-girraween-management-plan-2010.pdf>.

Robyn Bauer Studio Gallery 2006, viewed 21 October 2012, <http://www.robynbauergallery.com.au/about>. 

QUT Art Museum - Tales within Historical Spaces

Tales within Historical Spaces

Beata Batorowicz’ Tales within Historical Spaces, which opened at the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) Art Museum on 1 September 2012 and will be touring Poland in 2013, displayed the artist’s process of unearthing and reconnecting with childhood memories, with a particular emphasis on Polish and German experiences during World War II.

Upon entering the pristine gallery space, it becomes evident that the section reserved for Tales within Historical Spaces is comparatively dimmer than the adjacent section of the gallery; as if to suggest that Batorowicz’ art works have subtexts as dark as the lighting. Pia Robinson, member of the curatorial team at the QUT Art Museum, unveiled the dark subject matter behind the exhibition by highlighting that the artist was informed by Fairy Tales from Auschwitz; a book that was secretly written and illustrated by Polish prisoners in concentration camps for their children (Queensland University of Technology 2012). Jadwiga Kulasza, Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum historian, stated that Fairy Tales from Auschwitz was an “…illegal work of Polish prisoners who had access to paints and paper because they were forced to labour in the S.S offices that produced plans for the expansion of the camp” (Memorial and Museum Auschwitz-Birkenau 2012). It is clear that the influence of the illustrations in Fairy Tales from Auschwitz on Batorowicz’ art works is strong as both share the use of highly saturated colours, tones of varying transparency, and delicate lines. Each body of work exude a sense of purity and youthful wonder that one could associate with the saccharine illustrations in classic children’s books by Beatrix Potter or Enid Blyton. However, like saccharine, the sweetness is only artificial; once the viewer is made aware of the dark subtexts that both Fairy Tales from Auschwitz and Tales within Historical Spaces share; the viewer may be left with an unwavering bitter aftertaste.

Batorowicz’ soft sculptural art works bring the bitter side effects of sickly sweet saccharin to the forefront. In one room it appears that a bizarre take on the process of taxidermy has come to fruition. Across the room’s dimly lit walls, animals are skewered on. The shadows produced through the dark lighting only add to the grim atmosphere, a sense that the animals are attacking one another. Depending on how much of an animal rights activist the viewer is; they may be averse to Tales within Historical Spaces completely on the basis of Batorowicz’ use of leather, let alone the questionably realistic looking fur. Politics aside, it may be evident that not all of Batorowicz’ soft sculptural art works are as confronting as the animals hanging from sticks. Hedgehog (2012) is arguably one of the more subdued sculptures. Parallel to Batorowicz’ other soft sculptures; it is comprised of leather, wire, beads, leather thonging and felt. Hedgehog (2012) is located in the first room on the left-hand side of the gallery, encircled by The Trickster (2011), Tales from Wroclaw (2011), Trickster’s glove (2011) and Paw Warmer (2012). Its presence in this section of the gallery space, combined with the dim lighting and lively colours of the surrounding art works, emanates a sense of cosiness. Cosiness akin to Hayao Miyazaki’s animated fantasy film, My Neighbour Totoro (1988); particularly the scene in which Mei plays outside her home in the countryside and discovers a forested cavern with a gigantic Totoro, a forest spirit only visible to children, sleeping in its den (Miyazaki 1988). Despite the size of this creature, Mei feels safe in its presence, and quickly befriends the Totoro. Likewise, Hedgehog (2012) may have the same ominous undercurrent as Batorowicz’ other art works, but because its intended purpose and appearance is that of a cloak, as opposed to a full-bodied taxidermy animal, it almost invites the viewer to try it on and feel comforted by its ability to conceal them from the atrocities of the real world; atrocities that course throughout the veins of Tales within Historical Spaces.

Tales within Historical Spaces may be regarded as the result of an artist’s inquiry into how to create a balance between light visuals and dark subtexts. From an initial glance, it is almost hard to believe that such cheerful imagery could be informed by such devastating horror. 

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References:

Memorial and Museum Auschwitz-Birkenau 2012, viewed 29 September 2012,

<http://en.aushwitz.org/m/index.php?option=com_contexts&task=view&id=740&Itemid=8>.

Miyazaki. H 1988, My Neighbour Totoro, video recording, Madman Japan.

Queensland University of Technology 2012, viewed 29 September 2012,

http://www.artmuseum.qut.edu.au/exhibit/2012/tales_historian_spaces.jsp >.

Boxcopy - She'll Be Right

She’ll Be Right

Clark Beaumont

Boxcopy

She’ll Be Right, which was exhibited at Boxcopy artist-run initiative from 6 to 20 October 2012, demonstrated Clark Beaumont’s ability to take risks, experiment with new media, as well as undertake collaborative processes. The audacious duo, comprised of Nicole Beaumont and Sarah Clark, formed in 2010 at the Queensland University of Technology whilst completing their Bachelor Degree in Fine Arts (Visual Arts) (Meet Clark Beaumont 2012). Through drawing on the idiosyncratic language evident in iconic Australian films, She’ll Be Right has manipulated the cinematic representation of everyday life. The influence of Australian films, including Muriel’s Wedding and The Castle, reflect a notion of Australian identity that is pertinent to the stereotypes of ‘Aussie battler’ and ‘under-dog’. It may be contended that there are Australian people who would not have an affinity with these particular views of identity; which poses the question, what does it mean to be Australian?

Within Boxcopy’s cosy gallery space resides several television screens affixed across three walls. On one screen, the viewer may notice Clark Beaumont sitting under a tree singing Abba’s Fernando, a nod to Muriel’s own Abba-fuelled delusions. Several of the other screens display the duo re-enacting scenes from The Castle, such as Darryl Kerrigan’s speech at the family’s kitchen table. Collectively, each performative video piece is played on a repetitive cycle, however not entirely in unison. It is apparent that some of the dialogue on a couple of the videos ends while other videos are still running; which video starts and finishes first seems almost interchangeable. It is difficult to discern if there is any particular order to the video sequence as a whole.

It may be evident that the notion of Australian Values is intrinsic to the way in which Australian Identity has been defined in films like Muriel’s Wedding and The Castle. Through the implementation of the stereotypes of ‘Aussie battler’ and ‘under-dog’ evident in these films, Clark Beaumont has made links to Australian Values relating to a belief in mateship, and giving another person a fair go (Ahlawat 2012,  p. 65). It could be argued that this particular view on Australian Values is not inclusive of Indigenous people and the quarter of Australia’s population that is born overseas (Ahlawat 2012, p. 64). Education Minister Brendan Nelson reinforced this by stating:

“… if people don’t want to be Australians and they don’t want to live by Australian values and understand them, well basically they can clear off” (Ahlawat 2012, p. 65).

Nelson’s declaration about Australian Values has attempted to justify the continuous political debate on who has what claims on the country, in addition to how these values shape Australian society (Ahlawat 2012, p. 65). Beginning with British settlement in Australia in 1788, government policies have been established that neither encourage fair treatment towards immigrants and Indigenous people, nor adhere to the spirit of mateship. With this in mind, the concept of the ‘Aussie battler’ and the ‘under-dog’ is challenged. Despite any hardships that the typically working class ‘Aussie battler’ may encounter, they continue to persevere through their commitments. Likewise, ‘under-dog’ also refers to an individual dealing with some sort of disadvantage in their life. The White Australia Policy, which emerged during Federation in 1901, was introduced to preserve:

“…the noble idea of a White Australia – a snow white Australia if you will…let it be pure and spotless” (Ahlawat 2012, p. 59).

If there was a scale that measured each Australian individual’s level of disadvantage, The White Australia Policy automatically crowned immigrants and Indigenous people as the absolute ‘under-dogs’; with the flow on effect of being ‘Aussie battlers’ – despite not being recognised as Australian. The ramifications of this guiding principle has created a Pandora’s box effect on governmental policies, as evidenced by John Howard’s endorsement of a cautious approach towards Asian immigration in 1984, as well as Pauline Hanson’s blatantly racist agendas put forth before the electorate in 1996 (Ahlawat 2012, p. 61 – 62). Keyser Trad, head of the Islamic Friendship Association of Australia stated that:

“…when John Howard talks about them (Australian Values), they are little more than clichés…they are encouraging racism through national pride…it’s a recipe for a highly polarised society” (Ahlawat 2012, p. 65).  

The relevance and accuracy of an Australian identity being represented by films like Muriel’s Wedding and The Castle is questionable. Although Australia is dominated by Western values, Australia’s geo-strategic proximity to the Asia-pacific region suggests that an understanding of increasing Asian influences is of far more significance than revisiting out-dated stereotypes. As artists, Clark Beaumont have the power to change culture. Although She’ll Be Right demonstrates the artists’ ability to take risks by experimenting with new media, there is arguably no push for cultural change. Viewers, particularly Fine Art students, may feel inspired to ‘one-up’ Clark Beaumont by creating art with more substance.

References

Ahlawat, D 2012, ‘Reinventing Australian Identity’, International Journal of Business and Social Science, vol. 3, no, 11, pp. 59-66, viewed 21 October 2012, via Griffith University database.

Meet Clark Beaumont 2012, viewed 21 October 2012, <http://safari.org.au/meet-clark-beaumont>. 

Review on the open closed exhibition

Barbara Vivash

S2765600

Review on the open closed Exhibition

The exhibition, open closed, at the QUT Art Museum was launched on September 1, 2012 by David Broker, Director of Canberra Contemporary Art Space. The exhibition presents the work of Lincoln Austin, Sean Phillips and Arryn Snowball

The QUT Art Museum has a reputation for presenting thought-provoking contemporary art. In open closed, the three artists present works in diverse media actively exploring a shared comprehension of the basic elements of the everyday. Even though each artist’s work is innately different, the shared proximity reveals their inspirations and corresponding concerns.

The juxtaposition of Lincoln Austin’s geometric hard-edge sculptures with Sean Phillips’ poetic text scrolls and the monochromatic images of Arryn Snowball, highlights the differences in form and media. And yet, the invitation to the viewer to share the fleeting insights of each artist creates the intimacy of a secret. As one transverses the gallery, one is enveloped in an intrigue.

“Their work presents the viewer with objects or atmospheres for contemplation: repeating modes, shifting visual motifs, words and phrases.” This is a quote from the curator’s synopsis at the entrance to open closed. Immediately to the right, is a definitive enclave with the Sean Phillips engraving, open closed 2011 (Fig. 2), Lincoln Austin’s Imperfect Pattern LXIII, 2012 (Fig. 3) and Arryn Snowball’s video installation, Slow Dance (Sticks and Shadows) 2012 (Fig 4).

In Rosemary Hawker’s review, she writes: “Their interests coalesce in the ease with which seemingly stable materials and their relations can be made to appear as their opposites.” In this enclave, Sean Phillips uses simple black on white text demonstrating this concept in his engraving, open closed 2011 (Fig. 1), where ‘open’ becomes enclosed and ‘enclosed’ becomes open. Echoing the concept, Arryn Snowball creates a video with sticks and shadows where shadows become solids combining with solids to create volume and depth from the angular silhouettes. Lincoln Austin weaves mirrored glass and silicon to create an Imperfect pattern from perfectly aligned squares of mirrored glass while the viewer’s reflection distorts its perfect regularity.

In open closed Arryn Snowball has included three of his ‘sheet’ paintings which were inspired by the fluttering sheets on a backyard clothesline. Untitled 2009 (Fig. 5) is more reminiscent of his earlier ‘sheet’ works, where the fluttering forms are represented as translucent veils of uniform tone and scale overlaid to create the sense of an ethereal materiality. In Ashes to diamonds I and II, 2012 (Fig. 6 and Fig. 7), the sheets have evolved into more stylised forms in different tones that suggest depth. The forms have become more abstract and in these works the representation of the light filtering through the fabric has been supplanted by the artist’s interest in spatial composition and the suggestion of form.

One painting represents the transient wonder of the everyday, transforming a banal sheet into an object of contemplation, while the other two images create tension between individualised fluttering shapes, solidifying a moment in time.

The love song of Alfred J Prufrock by T.S. Eliot, is an illusion to the mental monologue of Alfred J. Prufrock as he rehearses a proposal of marriage while walking through the streets of London to have dinner with the woman of his dreams. He tries to resolve his emotional conflicts and attempts to be reconciled to approaching old age. The poem is written as a continuous stream of consciousness as the man considers his surroundings, slips into literary parallels, imagines the actual proposal and dreads the possibility of a refusal.

Sean Phillips renders The love song of Alfred J. Prufrock from corrected poems of T.S. Eliot 2012 (Fig. 8 and Fig. 9) by a collection of used typewriter ribbons and the resultant two pages of text. In his work he transforms a continuous stream of consciousness, the ribbons, into a solid reality – the typed poem. According to ‘SparkNotes’, Eliot’s Poetry , 2012, even though sections of the poem resemble free verse, the rhyme scheme is irregular but not random with the most prominent formal characteristics of the work being the use of refrains.

Sean Phillips has deconstructed the poem to form an actual non-stop stream as he types the work, creating a more plausible representation of the thought process. The type is in pale grey, (grey matter?), with the exception of two sentences; “a minute will reverse. For I have known them all al” and further on; “Come back to tell you all, I shall tell you”, which are typed in black ink. Are these excerpts of significance or picked at random? It does have the effect of making the viewer think and delve into the actual poem, creating a dialogue, a sense of mystery.

Lincoln Austin assembles stainless steel, mirrored glass and wood into precise, intricate constructions. Through geometry, pattern and repetition the artist utilizes mathematics and poetic metaphor to transform these resistant material forms into sculptures which, according to Rosemary Hawker, “are so light and precise as to appear like drawings suspended in air, something that we may expect of computer imaging but far more elegant and far more present and affecting in their material precision.” No end in sight 2012 (Fig. 10), is an inspirational sculpture in stainless steel mesh which is a combination of triangles, cubes and illusion created from transparent, seamless mesh which suggests endlessness. Yet again one alludes to the possible brief, where “seemingly stable materials and their relations can be made to appear as their opposites.” Here a sharp, heavy, impenetrable form appears as light as air - as if it could float like the kite it resembles.

I really enjoyed the exhibition and appreciated the clever placement of the pieces. Similar forms were echoed in other works in close proximity. A good example is No end in sight 2012,(noted above), placed beside Sean Phillips Untitled 1 – 7 2012 (Fig. 11). The work by Phillips is a series of framed lengths of text, where the text has been overlaid and moved so that the continuous stream also forms a zigzag pattern in the list. From a distance the text appears to have been woven, echoing the geometric design in Lincoln Austin’s sculpture. On a nearby wall is a video installation by Arryn Snowball Slow Dance (Sticks and Shadows) III 2012 (Fig. 4) where the revolving ‘sticks and shadows’ pause and a freeze-frame of zigzag pattern resonates with the other two works. Wonderful!

References

Eliot’s Poetry, SparkNotes. Retrieved 5 October, 2012 from http://www.sparknotes.com/poetry/eliot/section 1.rhtml

Hawker, R., Dissolution: Paintings by Arryn Snowball exhibition catalogue, Institute of Modern Art, Brisbane 2004.

Hawker,R., openclosed exhibition catalogue, (Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, 2012)

Kubler, A. Lincoln Austin: Capturing Sculpture, “Australian Art Collector” Issue 58, 2011. Retrieved 4 October, 2012 from, http://www.artcollector.net.au/Lincoln Austin Capturing Sculpture

Phillips, S., e-books, kiss-boxes and captive women, 2011, Andrew Baker Art Dealer. Retrieved 4 October, 2012 from http://www.Andrew-baker.com/Exhibitions.html

T. S. Eliot, 1920, The Love Song of Alfred J. Prufrock (Bartleby.com). Retrieved 5 October, 2012 from http://www.bartleby/198/1.html

Return to Sender review by Sam Rohweder

Return to Sender is one of a series of exhibitions the Queensland Art Museum has planned over the coming three years. The theme for this series is the  investigation of different happenings in Queensland during the second half of the 20^th century.

Return to sender is the first in the series and begins with the volatile period of Joh Bjelke-Petersen’s ultra conservative leadership. Feeling hobbled by bourgeois constraints and lack of support in Queensland many local artists escaped interstate or overseas where they were able to cultivate their practice and be major contributors to Australia’s post modern society.

Predominately a photographic and video presentation it is worth noting that none of the artists participating in this show were actually recognised artists at the time when civil liberties and anti discrimination debates were rife in Queensland (1967-1987). Even though many of these works were created post Joh Bjelke-Petersen’s government they are still an interesting description of the artists work practices and sentiments in Queensland at that time.

“Ice” and “Flame” are the titles of the large direct positive photographs on perspex that catch your attention from the moment you walk into the show. These two works from Robyn Stacey’s “Redline 7000” series fill the wall. The images of theatrically lit heroines could easily be stills from a 1960s cult movie. In 1985 Robyn Stacey saw an investigative report by Chris Masters on the ABC entitled “The Moonlight State” which drew attention to the Police Corruption in Queensland. This series filled with its shady characters, drama and corruption was echoing what she saw happening in Australia’s society, especially in Queensland. Created in 1989 these are astounding works not only for the message that they convey but also for the craftsmanship. These images were carefully hand coloured and remarkably produced without the assistance of digital technology. Robyn Stacey also has three works from her “Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang” series of which the “Nowhere to go” Photograph, depicting a forlorn man behind bars, was used as the poster image for the exhibition.

Tracey Moffat also has two photographic works in this exhibition; however it is one of her Self Portrait from her infamous “Something More” series that epitomizes what the exhibition is all about. Just like Robyn Stacey’s previously mentioned series Tracey Moffat again draws attention to the darkness and corruption that surround Queensland in the 70’s and 80’s. “Something More #9” stands over a meter high and nearly 1.5 meters wide; the black and white staged image looks like a still from an old Hitchcock movie. Tracey poses as if unconscious or dead her is face turned from the camera with disheveled clothes, suitcase cast aside in the middle of the road.   The sinister image tells a dramatic story 300 miles from Brisbane.

For my money Fiona MacDonald’s seven woven photographs from a series entitled “Universally Respected” stole the show.  a work she began when she returned to her home of Rockhampton in 1993 and started exploring the archives for historical images. This is a wonderfully gentle and poignant work that exposes the ugly veneer of “colonial white Australia” and the historical truth of our multi cultural past by interweaving photographs of Rockhampton’s chronicled community. These works intricately entwine race, gender and station together to create haunting images that appear to morph before your eyes. What makes these compositions even more significant is the fact that they were created at a time before permissions and protocols were set in place that would restrict the use of indigenous images of any artist who wished to emulate Fiona’s work.

These are just a few of the works on display. Jeff Gibson’s “dis Poster” series, his untitled No’s 1-10 and his “Trigger Happy” wallpaper speaks volumes about the political unrest in Queensland at the time. Barbara Campbell’s “Conradiana” Text (Joseph Conrad’s novella “Heart of Darkness”on a scroll of rice paper with accompanying video that will take you on a journey down a river and into the wild jungles of Asia. and Rosemary Laing’s three works  take you in a whole other direction of the colour spectrum. Then there is Lindy Lee’s beautiful experimentations and the skillfully constructed video works by Ross Harley, Mark Titmarsh and Gary Warner will captivate you.

This is an interesting start to the University of Queensland Art Museum’s series that will allow local artists to interpret the political unrest of Queensland in later part of the twentieth century. I for one look forward to the next installment.

Apertivo

The 3rd Year Sculpture Miniatures Show. 

Everyone is Welcome!