Uncategorized – Art and Artists Blog

by zhen - September 28, 2015September 28, 2015

Anna Pappas Gallery: Simon MacEwan & Karyn Taylor

Recently I visited Anna Pappas Gallery (2-4 Carlton Street, Prahran, VIC, 3181). There are two wonderful artists showing; Simon MacEwan's 'The Floating World' and Kᾱryn Taylor's 'Immaterial Alchemy', both showing from 3 September 2015 to 3 October 2015.

'The Floating World' has wonderfully beautiful drawings created by a drawing machine which is also part of the exhibtion. 'Immaterial Alchemy' is a show which plays with light. The perspex artworks look like they are iluminated from within with lights, however it is actually the fluorescent coloured perspex inside creating this illusion.

Enjoy the images.

Simon MacEwan, Australian Dollar, Iron Ore Price 7-2014 – 7-2015, 2015, ink on 100% rag paper, unique state mechanical drawing, 70x70cm (Image courtesy the artist & Anna Pappas Gallery)

Simon MacEwan, Bitcoin 2009 – 2015, 2015, ink on rag paper, unique state mechanical drawing, 70x70cm (Image courtesy the artist & Anna Pappas Gallery)

Simon MacEwan, Gold 1968 – 2001, 2015, ink on rag paper, unique state mechanical drawing, 70x70cm (Image courtesy the artist & Anna Pappas Gallery)

Simon MacEwan, Gold 1968 – 2015, 2015, ink on rag paper, unique state mechanical drawing, 70x70cm (Image courtesy the artist & Anna Pappas Gallery)

Simon MacEwan, Silver 1960 – 2015, 2015, ink on rag paper, unique state mechanical drawing, 70x70cm (Image courtesy the artist & Anna Pappas Gallery)

Simon MacEwan, Floating World. 2015, Drawing machine Programing, and automation assistance, by Finn Roberston, 120 X 120 X 110cm

Simon MacEwan, 'Floating world', 2015

Karyn Taylor, Looped Equation II, 2015, Perspex, 40 x 64 x 6.5cm

Karyn Taylor, Shift, 2015, perspex, 42 x 30 x 2cm

Karyn Taylor, Time Loop In 2 Parts, 2015, Perspex, 70 x 42 x 6.5cm

Kᾱryn Taylor's 'Immaterial Alchemy', 2015

Karyn Taylor, Holographic Field Event II, 2015, Projected animation, gouache, Dimensions variable

by zhen - August 19, 2015

Mary Tonkin: Two spots

Sometimes you see an art exhibition and it just makes your heart sing. Mary Tonkin's show 'Two spots' (4- 23 August 2015) at Australian Galleries is a stunningly beautiful show. These lushly painted landscapes need to be seen in real life as pictures don't do them justice. Enjoy the pictures.

Mary Tonkin, 'Two spots', Australian Galleries

(Left to Right) Mary Tonkin, Between two logs…, 2014, oil on linen 54 x 487 cm & Mary Tonkin, Above the white gums…, 2014, oil on linen, 54 x 447 cm

(Left to Right) Mary Tonkin, Madre, Kalorama 2008 oil on linen 244 x 508 cm & Mary Tonkin, Impasse, Kalorama, 2009, oil on linen, 41 x 66 cm

Mary Tonkin, Above the white gums…, 2014, oil on linen, 54 x 447 cm

Mary Tonkin, Buffeted, Above the…, 2015, oil on linen, 73 x 182 cm

Mary Tonkin, Days like this, Kalorama, 2014, oil on linen, 58 x 77 cm

Mary Tonkin, Flow, Kalorama, 2014, oil on linen, 45 x 63 cm

Mary Tonkin, Impasse, Kalorama, 2009, oil on linen 41 x 66 cm

Mary Tonkin, On the edge (for Jess)…, 2014, oil on linen, 53 x 60 cm

Mary Tonkin, Sparkle, Kalorama, 2014, oil on linen, 30 x 40 cm

Mary Tonkin, Witness, Kalorama, 2009, oil on linen, 41 x 55 cm

Mary Tonkin, Totem, Kalorama, 2009, oil on linen, 36 x 36 cm

Mary Tonkin, Gully study 1, Kalorama, 2002, pencil on paper, 38 x 57 cm

by zhen - July 24, 2015

Guest writer: What’s on in Queensland? Cairns Indigenous Art Fair 2015

Art and Artists blog is excited to included Jack Wilkie-Jans third guest post. Enjoy!

It's no secret that the Indigenous art of Far North Queensland (including Cape York Peninsula and the Torres Strait Islands) in recent years is some of the best, not to mention progressive, which Australia has seen, giving fresh competition to the output of the Northern Territory and central desert. Therefore, when discussing what's going on in the arts in the sunshine state one cannot go past the Cairns Indigenous Art Fair (CIAF). Australia's premier contemporary and traditional Aboriginal art fair is set in the picturesque Cairns in Far North Queensland. Overlooking the blue waters of the Trinity Inlet and blue skies above the Marray Prior Range, it is definitely a must see, must attend event!

There is even an opportunity for two people to receive a free trip to Cairns with complimentary tours to the Great Barrier Reef and tickets to attend the CIAF VIP Launch Party event.

Since its inception in 2009 (now in its sixth official art fair year, with a new funding and organisational model) CIAF is continuing to expand the interest in the Far North region, capturing the eclectic nature of contemporary and traditional visual, dance, theatre and musical artistic expression of the Indigenous peoples of the region. This year's programme features some of the best, inclusive and also "avante garde" works by both established and emerging Indigenous artists, including a conceptual film exhibit by Djon Mundine OAM, Indigenous fashion show, cabaret, short films, artists' talks and a fine art exhibition- the work of both CIAF's Artistic Director, Janina Harding, and renowned curator & arts academic Hetti Perkins. I must not forget to mention the Gimuy Fish [a food] Festival and affordable art market. These events ensure the accessibility to fine art and a holistic presentation of Indigenous culture and lifestyle.

Basically, CIAF this year has levelled-up with much effort by the whole CIAF team being made to see CIAF's new incarnation be a formidable success.

As always CIAF will be attended by some of Australia's leading collectors and international curators so if you attend you'll definitely be in good company!

My picks are: Opening Night Party (30th July), Birrimbi Dulgu Bajal Indigenous Fashion Performance (31st July), Gimuy Fish Festival & Corroboree (2nd August), Djon Mundine's Bungaree's Farm film exhibit (28th July), Mapping Memories / Reclaiming Culture : Stories from Far North QLD (1st August), Blak Release short film festival (2nd August) and Umi Arts' Freshwater, Saltwater 10th anniversary exhibition (31st July)…

…Though there isn't a thing featured in the programme, at the art fair at the Cruise Liner Terminal or part of the satellite events, which isn't worth attending.

Author: Jack Wilkie-Jans
Jack is an artist and writer as well as an Alumni of the National Gallery of Australia's Wesfarmer's Indigenous Arts Leadership program from Far North Queensland.
www.jackandrewwilkiejans.weebly.com

***Images sourced from CIAF's Media Kit

Brian Robinson 'Charms to defeat the kracken' 2015

Aurukun Art Centre Dingo sculptures

Girringun Aboriginal Art Centre 'Bagu' 2015

Bernard Singleton bark figures 2014

Elizabeth Queenie Giblet, Untitled 2014

Elizabeth Queenie Giblet, 'Untitled' 2014

Detail, Brian Robinson, Exotic Landscape, mixed media sculpture 2014

Brian Robinson, 'Exotic Landscape' (Detail), mixed media sculpture 2014

Elliott Koonutta. Crocodile Spirit. 2014

Elliott Koonutta. 'Crocodile Spirit', 2014

Sue Pascoe Úntitled' 2013

Sue Pascoe 'Úntitled' 2013

Wallaroo 2015, custom-printed linen by Gordon Hookey

Wallaroo 2015, custom-printed linen by Gordon Hookey (Detail)

Djon Mundine's 'Bungaree's Farm' conceptual film to be presented at CIAF

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Performace images

by zhen - March 24, 2015

James Makin Gallery|Hayley Megan French & Georgie ROXBY SMITH

Last week I was lucky enough to go to a few different galleries. The stand out gallery was James Makin Gallery in Collingwood; there was a show by Hayley Megan French (12th – 28th March 2015) and Georgie ROXBY SMITH 'Uncensored Data Flow' (7th – 28th March 2015). The paintings by Hayley Megan French were very beautiful in person. 'Uncensored Data Flow' was a collaboration with Town Hall Gallery, a very interesting work worth playing in person, yes this work is interactive. Enjoy the images below.

iHayley Megan French, image courtesy of James Makin Gallery

Georgie ROXBY SMITH, image courtesy of James Makin Gallery

by zhen - December 17, 2014

Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery: Ken Smith, Arthur Boyd, Richard Simpkin

Last week I went to the Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery (MPRG) to see three exhibitions, 'Ken Smith: Walking by water', 'Arthur Boyd: An active witness' and Richard Simpkin’s 'Richard & Famous'. All three exhibtions run from 5 December 2014 to the 15 February 2015.

I was also able to attend the artist talk by Ken Smith about his exhibition and method. I have been following Ken’s career for a while now (long before he was my supervisor at Monash). As an art collector (okay I only have few pieces), I get very excited when I see artwork that is amazing and I get even more excited when I find out that the prices are quite reasonable (because the secret of the artist's awesomeness isn’t out yet). So if you want to get a hold of his work I highly recommend to do it sooner rather than later.

So a few key things I took from Ken’s Artist talk:

– It is okay to use black when mixing paint especially if it is for the Australian landscape (you can’t get the right colour otherwise)

– Digital screen cannot interpret as many colours as the naked eye

– Ken worked in an artist paint factory (where they create and mix paint) when he was younger which taught him a lot about how to mix colour.

– Everyone has a different level of colour perception (the ability to distinguish between different colours and tones)

So what did I take out of this wonderful show/talk? Yes, colour is not the same on the screen (*sigh* the difficulty of photographing this show… the photos just don’t do the work justice) this show must be seen in person to see the subtlety of the colour and light he creates.

Also, Ken will be running an exciting painting workshop on January 28th 2015, see here for details.

Please enjoy the following photos from the exhibitions:

'Ken Smith: Walking by water'

Ken Smith, '9 headlands' 2013, oil on canvas (detail)

Ken Smith, 9 headlands, 2013, oil on canvas (detail)Ken Smith, 9 headlands, 2013, oil on canvas (detail)

Ken Smith, 9 headlands, 2013, oil on canvas (detail)

Ken Smith, 9 headlands, 2013, oil on canvas

Ken Smith, Six times Six days, 2007, oil on paper

Ken Smith, 10 days 10 horizons, 2012, oil on panel

'Richard & Famous'

Richard Simpkin, 'Richard & Famous'

'Arthur Boyd: An active witness'

Arthur Boyd Jonah on the Shoalhaven - outside the city 1976 _ art and artists Blog Arthur Boyd, Jonah on the Shoalhaven – outside the city, 1976,oil on canvas, Bundanon Trust Collection (Image provided by the gallery)