by liam anderson -

Word is the Bird, a Discussion with Jasmine Hearps-Rooney.

Jasmine has works on show opening at Brunswick Street Gallery(322 Brunswick Street,
Fitzroy) this Friday( 27th of November).

Her works combines typography with environmental concern to form a small yet coupling body of work that raises awareness for endangered native birds.

 

The text is the result of a personal quest to define her personal relationship with these birds that are from the Northern Rivers and central Coast of NSW.  The collection of generational observation are coupled with the at risk information about each species.

 

The initial idea was spawned from a conversation about the decline of the local finches that are no longer in her childhood area.  This then was fusioned with Jasmine’s current exploration of typography.

 

The next step in the process began with the research of endangered birds in the childhood town. Discussions with family developed a further personal connection to the plight of these birds. The execution combines traditional and digital. The first stage involves under-drawing in traditional pencil and pen. The finished drawings were then scanned and imported into photoshop to add the typography via a drawing tablet. The text was scaled and aligned to harmonise with the original drawing. The last stage was the printing. The results of this process created engaging works that draw the viewer in.

All works limited edition of 10.

masked owl drawing

Jasmine Hearps-Rooney, Maske Owl, 20 x 15 cm

IMG_0002.2

 

Jasmine Hearps-Rooney, Golden Fininch,15 x 20 cm

 

kingfisher (2)

Jasmine Hearps-Rooney, Kingfisher,15 x 20 cm

orange belly

Jasmine Hearps-Rooney, Orange Belly,15 x 20 cm

IMG2

Jasmine Hearps-Rooney, Willy Wagtail,15 x 20 cm

IMG_0003.3

Jasmine Hearps-Rooney, 15 x 20 cm
by liam anderson -

Doomsday Song by Guy Mathews

Presented by Backwoods until the 22nd of November 2015 at Gallery 5 (5 Easey St, Collingwood VIC 3066).

Installation Photo courtesy of Backwoods Gallery.

Guy Mathews  art combines dying art of signwriting and abstract expressionism with a good dose of the industrial design.  The result is an engaging painterly body of work that straddles different stylistic traditions called bricolage. Guy experiences as an antique dealer had granted him a keen eye for interesting and quirky artifacts. This has allowed Guy to gather antique signs that would be rejected traditional as a transient object and transform them into lovingly crafted tablets with industrial inspired finish.
 

 

7

Make the Docks. 120x 90 x 5 cm

8

Another Network.120x 90 x 5 cm

9

Nursing Mother 120x 90 x 5 cm

Copy of 6

Dark Key 120x 90 x 5 cm

Untitled.2

A Despots Flag 120x 90 x 5 cm

Untitled

Days Gone By 120x 90 x 5 cm

Untitled3

Volley of the Fox 120x 90 x 5 cm

Untitled4

Common Box 120x 90 x 5 cm

Untitled5

Persona Non Grata 120x 90 x 5 cm

by liam anderson -

Shun Kawakami:Snow Landscapes

We have a wonderful new writer Liam Anderson. Enjoy his first post.

 

Opening this Friday, 25th of September at Backwoods Gallery (25 Easey Street, Collingwood, Victoria, Australia) is the new solo show by the Japanese artist/designer Shun Kawakami. I had the chance to see his work before it opens.The show reflects the Japanese tradition of Yohaku, or the love of empty space.

 

The work is broken down into two cycles.They form a panorama when you view them collectively. This creates a barren landscape that is cold and hostile while retaining a deadly sense of serenity and beauty. The imaged landscapes were constructed from photographs originating from a rare snow shower that deposited 20cm of snow in Tokyo in 2012; it normally does not snow in Tokyo. Kawakami then stitched the individual trees to form these snowscapes. The paper and the wall scrolls were created in collaboration with Living National Treasure recipients who are Masters in their respective crafts.

 

I recommend this show to all those who like photography or appreciate excellent craftsmanship on hand made traditional Japanese paper.

 

Shun kawakami, Snow Landscapes:Tokyo 1, Photograph on Washi paper with Translucent Sumi Calligraphy by Gen Miyamura 55 x 79cm

 

You can see the clear Sumi ink brushed over the works in this photograph. It gives the work a sense of motion that may reflect the wind rustling the trees.

 

(Detail) Shun kawakami, Snow Landscapes:Tokyo 3, Photograph on Washi paper with Translucent Sumi Calligraphy by Gen Miyamura 55 x 79cm

(Detail) Shun kawakami, Snow Landscapes:TokyoMoats  3, Photograph on Washi paper with Translucent Sumi Calligraphy by Gen Miyamura 55 x 79cm

(Detail) Shun kawakami, Snow Landscapes:Tokyo 4, Photograph on Washi paper with Translucent Sumi Calligraphy by Gen Miyamura 55 x 79cm

 

The small works shimmer with the the black floating in the gold-leaf background.

 

Shun kawakami, Snow Landscapes:Gold Tokyo 1, Photograph on Hand Crafted Japanese Gold Leaf 27 x 38.5cm

Shun kawakami, Snow Landscapes:Gold Tokyo Moat 2, Photograph on Hand Crafted Japanese Gold Leaf 27 x 38.5cm

Shun kawakami, Snow Landscapes:Gold Tokyo 1, Photograph on Hand Crafted Japanese Gold Leaf 27 x 38.5cm