WORK IN PROGRESS

Tanya Brereton’s, “The Killing Streets” tells a chilling story about serial killers in Sydney, Australia, mainly in the Depression era. In a radio interview, the author was captivating in her description of young women from the “unfortunate class” who became prey to violent murderers.

The murders occurred in the area near to where I live and other areas that I am familiar with. Her book is the inspiration for a series of works exploring the vulnerability of women and how disposable they are.  The following images are some experiments playing with these ideas.

Online gallery exhibitions – Sydney

Now that everything has gone online in the art world along wiht everywhere else, where do you start your gallery hopping?

Here are a few to start with in Sydney’s eastern suburbs.

MARTIN BROWN CONTEMPORARY

Martin Brown Contemporary

Michael Muir | Chasing Rainbows, 2 – 26 April 2020 (left image)

Michael Muir

Troy Emery

Troy Emery | Online Exhibition 2020 (right image)

NATIONAL SCHOOL OF ART

National School of Art  

NAS has a whole range of activities and exhibitions online to check out including:

Margaret Olley Drawing Week Exhibition 2020. Link:

Studio sessions ion Instagram

Gallery links across the globe and much much more!

STACKS PROJECTS

Todd Fuller
Billy’s Swan (animation/video) 2017
8 – 14 April, 2020

online exhibition, courtesy of MAY SPACE:
https://youtu.be/6TkbEGpxIa0

 

 

 

recent work practice 2020

There are two main themes in my recent work:

• Botanic gardens and signifiers in these landscape from previous land uses. Exploring the influences of different ethnic groups on landscapes such as the Chinese in Cairns. The Flecker Botanic Gardens are the located where there were Chinese market gardens. They are also said to have introduced Giant Bamboo to the area.

• Women and their emotional spaces ‘Miss-heard’ develops traces of women into narratives by using new marks to give them voice and as an index of their presence like the #MeToo Movement.   Murders of women in the 19c The Bessy O’Connor murder of the early 1930’s in Sydney.

 

Sydney Contemporary, 12-15September

Sydney Contemporary is becoming embedded in the Sydney art calendar now. This year’s art fair held at Carriageworks, had a great representation of established and newer galleries, Artist Run initiatives (ARI’s) and galleries from Singapore, Japan and New Zealand. It was also refreshing to see work from other states such as Western Australia and Tasmania as well.

Capstone project blog

For the past few months, work has focused on a climate change project.

Simon Schama’s remake of Kenneth Clarke’s book and television documentary series, Civilisation (1969), Civilisations episode 1:3 was screened on SBS TV in 2018. He looks at the work of Pieter Bruegal the Elder (1526-30-1569) at the Kunst Historiches Museum, Vienna amongst other master pieces. Schama refers to three main works, The Gloomy Day (1565), The Return of the Herd (1565) and Hunters in the Snow (1656) all done for the same patron’s house. The narrative is not about nature but rather the philosophical relationships that humankind has with nature and people; that there is a universality to the human experience.

There has been a fundamental shift in the relationship between  God/religion – nature – man since the 1500’s. Climate change is an example of a crisis of technology; its impact on nature is undeniable.

The project looks at this shift as it pertains the seasons and contemporary Australian climate. These are the works that the project will be based upon.Hunters in the SnowThe Gloomy Day                      The Return of the Herd

 

Just Not Australian – Artspace challenges contemporary Australian nationhood

The dichotomy between what is Australian and what is not Australian is explored by a range of Australian artists at Artspace. They look at ethical, moral, social and historical dimensions amongst others. They are largely challenging the colonial narrative and over-laying it with a First Nations reading of it.

For what is now a pejoritive expression, after former Prime Minister, John Howard used it to embody Australian values,  ‘un-Australian’ is now embraced as complimentary. It is addressed head on by various artists especially Soda Jerk in their brilliant film,Terror Nullius. Being un-Australian is a device that is used for political purposes and  those who are challenging the status quo. As that changes so does its’ connotations.

Terror Nullius, Soda Jerk

Terror Nullius, Soda Jerk

Terror Nullius, Soda Jerk

Terror Nullius, Soda Jerk

Liam Benson

Richard Lwer

Gordon Hookey

Vincent Namatjira

Karla Dickens

Tony Albert

 

 

 

Mid north coast, NSW – family holiday homes and caravan parks where everyone is easy going.

It’s always such an insight into cities when you go to small coastal places no matter where you are in the world. On Australia’s mid- north coast around Stuarts Point and Grassy Head where the Macleay River branches out into salt water lakes and the beaches are endless. Which is true of much the coastline as well.

Stuarts Point is a stand out as the old beach/holiday houses are so intact and there are so many wonderful DIY touches and details that are so personal and functional like the ones shown here.

Release- Class of 2018- National Art School undergraduate exhibition

National Art School in Darlinghurst, Sydney, held its Class of 2018 Exhibition from 6-16th December 2018. There was some great work and the works were on sale online Here is a selection of works by the talented artists from all disciplines.

 

John Russell – an Australian artist abroad

He rubbed shoulders and drew exquisite drawings of Van Gogh and yet he is less well known here in Australia. Russell (1858-1930), was fortunate enough to be able to go to the Slade School of Art, London and pursue a career in art following the death of his father. It was timely as he also attended the Atelier Cormon from 1885 to 1887 where a fellow student was Vincent van Gogh. He was in Paris at a formative period when Henri Matisse, Auguste Rodin, Claude Monet and others were compatriot artists.

It was a great exhibition at the NSW Art Gallery.

 

 

Sydney Contemporary, 2018

A selection from this year’s Sydney Contemporary – Australia’s Premier International Art Fair that ran from 13-16 September 2018.

The Field – Patricia Piccinini.