WE ARE HERE: An exploration of contemporary portraiture as a response to hatred and hope

Today is the last day of this really wonderful exhibition which if you have time I encourage you to go see. I found this show very poignant and moving. Running from 6th to the 29th May 2016 at the Glen Eira City Council Gallery which is on the corner of Glen Eira and Hawthorn Roads in Caulfield (Monday to Friday 10am–5pm, Weekends 1pm–5pm).

"Presented by The Contemporary Collective, this exhibition features photography; painting; sculpture; jewellery; video; mixed media; and installations by renowned artists  Benjamin Armstrong, Irene Barberis, Godwin Bradbeer, Bindi Cole-Chocka, Carmella Grynberg, Linde Ivimey, Shoshanna Jordan, Jane Korman, Lillianne Milgrom, Victor Majzner, Hedy Ritterman, Avital Sheffer, Lousje Skala, Linda Wachtel and Guan Wei.

Curated by Dr Helen Light AM, this exhibition includes works by these artists who have responded to personal and collective histories and viewpoints regarding the trauma of war, and The Holocaust in particular. The artists' interpretation of contemporary portraiture further encourages a critical engagement with ideas around memorialization and representation. This exhibition honours post-war refugees who journeyed across the globe in order to establish new lives and families. Their stories are pertinent to current debates concerning refugees and asylum seekers." -Glen Eira City Council Gallery

Enjoy the following photos from the show.

000Linda Wachtel,We are here, 2015, Pigment print on archival cotton rag, 100 x 1400cm

001'WE ARE HERE: An exploration of contemporary portraiture as a response to hatred and hope' gallery view. (Linda Wachtel & Godwin Bradbeer)

002

'WE ARE HERE: An exploration of contemporary portraiture as a response to hatred and hope' gallery view. (Godwin Bradbeer, Lillianna Milgrom, Linde Ivimey & Lousje Skala)

003

'WE ARE HERE: An exploration of contemporary portraiture as a response to hatred and hope' gallery view. (Shoshanna Jordan, Irene Barberis & Carmella Grynberg)

004

Shoshanna Jordan, Mir Zehnen Do, 2016, pigment print on acid free cotton paper 100 x100cm each

005

Guan Wei, up in the clouds, No.5, 2012, bronze sculpture, 52 x 32 x 24cm

006Linde Ivimey, Heirloom, 2012, antique and vintage crystal, glass, silver, brass, water, electricity, 28 x 33 x 33cm

007

Jane Korman, Whistle While You Work, 2014, Video, 05:05min (Still Video)

009'WE ARE HERE: An exploration of contemporary portraiture as a response to hatred and hope' gallery view. (Hedy Ritterman, Avital Sheffer & Linde Ivimey)

010

'WE ARE HERE: An exploration of contemporary portraiture as a response to hatred and hope' gallery view. (Lousje Skala, Shoshanna Jordan & Hedy Ritterman)

Waldemar Kolbusz – ‘Rudiment’

Last week I visited the Flinders Lane Gallery (137 Flinders Lane, Melbourne 3000). The exhibition 'Rudiment' (13 Oct – 7 Nov 2015) features large gestural paintings of contemporary artist Waldemar Kolbusz. I really liked the spontaneous patches of paint and colour. 'This expressionistic project is abstract yet altogether unambiguous.' – Kate Britton.

Waldemar Kolbusz Rudiment Even Higher 2015 12

Waldemar Kolbusz, Even Higher 2015, oil on linen, 91cm x 91cm

 Waldemar Kolbusz Rudiment Frisson 2015

Waldemar Kolbusz, Frisson 2015, oil on linen, 122cm x 91cm

Waldemar Kolbusz Rudiment Looking 2015

Waldemar Kolbusz, Looking 2015, oil on linen, 91cm x 91cm

Waldemar Kolbusz Rudiment West 2015
Waldemar Kolbusz, West 2015, oil on linen, 140cm x 140cm

Waldemar Kolbusz Rudiment Popcorn 2015

Waldemar Kolbusz, Popcorn 2015, oil on linen, 91cm x 76cm

Waldemar Kolbusz Rudiment Slippers 2015

Waldemar Kolbusz, Slippers 2015, oil on linen, 183cm x 122cm       

 

 

Koorie Heritage Trust: Wominjeka – A New Beginning

The Koorie Heritage Trust have a new home at Federation Square (Levels 1&3, Yarra Building, Federation Square, Corner of Flinders and Swanston Streets, Melbourne Vic 3000) and celebrate their 30th birthday with an exhibition 'Wominjeka – A New Beginning' (19 Sep – 22 Nov 15).

"The exhibition shows the work of five early career artists, exhibited alongside pieces from the Trust's collection that have been the muse for their own artistic expression and stories." The five artists are Aunty Marlene Gilson, Georgia MacGuire, Mitch Mahoney, Josh Muir and Raymond Young. "Working with mentors, these artists have created new works in response to selected items from our collections."

The Trust collection artists are Stephen Glassborow, Wally Cooper, Tommy McRae, Glenda Nicholls, Letty Nicholls, Vena Ingram, Mandy Nicholson, Kelly Koumalatsos, Brian Firebrace, Treahna Hamm, Dorothy Lovett, William Barak, and Darren Pattie-Bux.

Wominjeka new begining 1 Wominjeka new begining 2 Wominjeka new begining 3 Wominjeka new begining 4

Gallery shots of the exhibtion Wominjeka –  A New Beginning, 2015

Occupy Art (what happened)

So this post is almost a week late but it's finally here. Sorry guys I have been super busy.

Melbourne's Occupy art movement was split up into a few different places. I went to the one in city square and this is what happened…

The mini protest:

I think it was great that the public got involved in making signs for the figures…

Here are some of my favouites…

The chalk:

The Boxes:

 

As a teacher, this was my favouite…

The Grayden Shelley's stickers:

I really injoyed that the 'City of Melbourne Man' also got involved

The Ballons:

 

The Chairs:

A psychedelic chair…

The  Briony Barr'sTape:

Most people ignored the tape unless someone was in it the square.

The Artist working in the space:

This photo of me was taken by Briony Barr

I really enjoyed Sam Petersen

Tim Denton as 'GARY FROM ADMINISTRATION' made quite an impact…

15 mins before the end mother nature decided to kick us out…

 

Artists involved: Briony Barr, Nathan Gray, Alex Desebrock, Tim Denton, Grayden Shelley, Sam Petersen, Lauren Simmonds, Teigan Evans, Gregory Crocetti, Jacqui Smith, Jodi Newcombe, Daiana Voinescu Suprize Trauma, Lucreccia Quintanilla, Jason Heller, Kaela Drew, Sarah Corynder Forde, Dan Goronszy,  Joel Hynes, Zhen & more.

Overall it was a fun day packed full of art.

For more info click here

ARTISTS’ OCCUPY (#F12)

Firstly Welcome to my 1st blog post!!! Yay! I wanted to launch this Blog as part of Occupy Art a world wide art movement. Which is why it is fitting for the first post to be about Melbournes own Occupy ART movement.

 

So I am really excited about the Occupy ART movemnt today in Melbourne, below are the details…

 

SOCIETY IS A WORK OF ART. BE PART OF (RE)CREATING IT.

 

This Sunday as part of the Occupy Movement’s International Day of Creative Action, Melbourne artists will descend on City Square to present works which deal with the concept of public space. They ask how public is it, really? What does it mean to create in a public space?
 
Part protest, part art festival, the event will incorporate performance, participatory installation, sculpture, sound art and more.
 
Without official event status or gallery context, artists and artworks will collectively explore new ways to engage the public in this global movement for change.
 
Attend, participate, engage, occupy with your art.
 
All welcome.
 
ARTISTS' OCCUPY (#F12)

Date: Sunday 12th February

Location: City Square, Melbourne

Time: Noon to 3pm

Loose theme: Public Space. Is it really Public?

 

SOCIETY IS A WORK OF ART. BE PART OF (RE)CREATING IT.

 

Proposal.

An invite. An offer. A proposal.

 

A group of artists have proposed the below as a way of commenting on the Occupy Movement. This is part of the larger Occupy Art – International Day of Creative Action (#F12), that is happening in other cities around Australia and the world on February 12th.

 

All artists are welcome and encouraged to contribute any project they feel engages with the themes

 

We have also created frameworks for artists to contribute/collaborate/engage with. Please see below.

 

We hope that through collaboration and organisation, we will create a larger impact.

 

1. Chairs

Artists, bring a chair.

= A collection of chairs in City Square.

This is an echo of other artist actions such as the protest against Chinese artist Ai Wei Wei's recent imprisonment. German artist Joseph Beuys notably used chairs in his work. Inventor of the concept of 'Social Sculpture', Beuys regarded all of society as a Work of Art and everyone in it as capable of contributing creatively to its evolution.

Please bring a chair, not a couch or a milk crate.

 

2. Public Space as Studio Space:

Use city square as your own studio. Bring something you are working on?

(A chair will probably become practical here too!)

Artists will also be installing & performing works in the space. Please feel free to do this too.

 

3. (Non)-Official Lanyards & Name Badges:

Mock lanyards will be provided to artists so we seem "official".

“Member of the Public” badges will be given out to members of the public.

Nathan Gray is working on this.

 

4. Balloons Occupying Space:

As an evolving performance and installation, balloons will be blown up continuously during the three hours and tied together to represent one mass of occupied space. Participating artists and members of the public will have the option of contributing their lungs to this activity. Alex Desebrock is managing this.

 

5. Tiny Protestors: Public Space and Scale

You know those little figurines we all have that you get in Kinder surprises or Christmas crackers? Make a protest sign for it to hold and we will make a tiny protestor assembly in one square of City Square. This will be a great photo op for passers by. Idea inspired by this creative action in Siberia.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jan/26/doll-protesters-problem-russian-police?newsfeed=true

 

Is this illegal?

In the strictest terms, yes. As we will be doing it without a permit.

However, we believe that if the work is creative, interactive and clever that the police will be unwilling to move us on, let alone arrest anyone.

Because, let’s be honest, if this was part of Moomba or a wedding – it wouldn’t be considered a problem at all….

We do suggest, however ,that works be kept mobile so that if confronted by authorities you can simply move on. Similarly, we suggest no tents, stalls, tables are erected as there has already been a history of these being removed from City Square.

 

Artists involved so far: Briony Barr, Nathan Gray, Alex Desebrock, Tim Denton, Tony Adams, Grayden Shelley, Sam Petersen, Lauren Simmonds, Conor Fox, Dylan Matorell, Charlie Sofo, Dell Stewart.

 

There is a facebook group you can also link into if you wish:

http://www.facebook.com/groups/209675442457905/

This has examples of work & discussion. Feel free to join in.

 

We hope to see you there!

 

X Artist’s Occupy Melbourne

 

via Art + Occupy (Melbourne)