BARI Festival

Lightening Field, Kellie O'Dempsey, Megan White & Luke Jaaniste.

I finally got to attend a performance drawing by Kellie O'Dempsey! After learning about performance works all semester it was great to finally see one in person. Lightning Field was a collaborative performance work involving a visual artist, a butoh artist and a sonic artist. I went in to the performance with an open mind, unsure of what was to come. 

All of the artists created work based off the energy and movements of the others. The outcome of the work was unknown at the beginning but slowly evolved. The energy in the room could be felt as the artists worked together. The colours helped establish certain moods and the whole work felt as if we had been transported into a different world.

The whole performance was an ephemeral creation. The light works that were created, disappeared by the end of the performance, and the drawings that were created with the ink were destroyed during the performance.

I have realised over this semester that seeing performance works are more interesting to me than creating my own. The energy and enjoyment you get from seeing a performance in person is so different to seeing its documentation in a gallery afterwards.

Week #13 - Interview with Kellie O'Dempsey

In this interview Anita and I talked to Kellie O'Dempsey a performance and installation artist from Brisbane. We focused on her studio space, her career path and her interactions with the audience and collaborators during her performances. 

Anh's Brush With Fame

I have recently been watching an ABC show called Anh's Brush With Fame. In this show Anh Do interviews celebrities and while they talkhe paints their portrait. Anh is an exceptional painter that was a finalist for the Archibald Prize in 2014. His painting style is unique and he is able to portray personalities. Anh's interview style is casual and friendly, and he is able to navigate his way through some difficult topics with his guests. 

Lightning Field: A Sonic-Body-Drawing Performance Experiment

Lightening Field, Kellie O'Dempsey, Megan White & Luke Jaaniste.

I finally got to attend a performance drawing by Kellie O'Dempsey! After learning about performance works all semester it was great to finally see one in person. Lightning Field was a collaborative performance work involving a visual artist, a butoh artist and a sonic artist. I went in to the performance with an open mind, unsure of what was to come. 

All of the artists created work based off the energy and movements of the others. The outcome of the work was unknown at the beginning but slowly evolved. The energy in the room could be felt as the artists worked together. The colours helped establish certain moods and the whole work felt as if we had been transported into a different world.

The whole performance was an ephemeral creation. The light works that were created, disappeared by the end of the performance, and the drawings that were created with the ink were destroyed during the performance.

Week #12 - Artist Studios

What would the benefits be of working in a venue with a large number of activities and other artists’ studios?

Working in a venue would be ideal for networking and creating work. There would be constant inspiration and feedback available to artists while they create work. It can be great to be fully immersed in the art world. 

What would the disadvantages be?

Potentially feeling crowded and overwhelmed by events and people. Possible restrictions in space for exhibiting and creating work. 

What would suit the way you work?

I need to be able to work in my own time, I am a night owl and prefer to work through the night. I also like to work on multiple projects at once - I will have one in parts in the garage and others waiting upstairs on my easel. I don't know how I would work being surrounded by people all the time, I need space and music to create work. 

Week #11 - Simryn Gill

Simryn Gill: Sweet Chariot

"Simryn Gill (1959–) has developed a distinctive oeuvre that encompasses an array of media and processes, including drawing, installation and photography.

The series of large black and white photographs, Sweet Chariot (2015), depicts the Strait of Malacca, taken from a fishing boat in the vicinity of the artist’s studio in Malaysia. The title is derived from the African American spiritual “Swing low, sweet chariot”. It conveys a longing for home, which might be earthly or heavenly.

The new series of relief prints Pressing In (2016) was developed with Melbourne printmaker Trent Walter. They are impressions taken off the surfaces of machine-shaped and hand-wrought timbers washed onto the same coast. Various paper types are used, from a catalogue of butterflies, the locations of stars, the moral development of children, industrial design practice, and wage rolls and ledgers.

An earlier sculptural work Four atlases of the world and one of stars (2009) pulps and reconstitutes into spheres a flattened version of knowledge and classification. Resonances with texts and their role in shaping and triggering but also limiting ideas, play out in this exhibition, where bound objects and those adrift reveal complex global relations at a particular stage in time."

Simryn Gill is an Australian artist that works over a variety of mediums. Her work is very earthly and connects people to objects and places. Gill also represented Australian in the 2013 Venice Biennale. 

Week #11 - Biennales

Biennales are exciting art exhibitions that occur every two years and showcase new work. The most well known of these is the Venice Biennale. 

Great resource for Biennales around the world: http://www.biennialfoundation.org/biennial-map/

------------Follow Up Questions---------------

Name five Biennales or Biennials that will be occurring in 2017:

-The Venice Biennale: Italy (57th)

-La Biennale de Montréal: Canada

-Biennale de Paris

-London Art Biennale

-Documenta: Kassel

What are some of the characteristics of Biennales?

Italian for "biennial" or "every other year", is any event that happens every two years. It is most commonly used within the art world to describe large-scale international contemporary art exhibitions. Biennales are site-specific events that focuses on the here and now and the everyday. 

What have you found out about the Venice Biennale? (Make 5 points)

-The first Venice Biennale was held in 1895.

-It began as a celebration for Italian Art, it is now an exhibition of international artworks.

-It now has an attendance of over 500 000 visitors.

-The 51st edition of the Biennale opened in June 2005 and was curated, for the first time, by two women.

-In 1972, for the first time a theme was adopted by the Biennale, called "Opera o comportamento" ("Work or Behaviour").

Simryn Gill at the 2013 Venice Biennale

Week #10 - Over The Fence

Over the fence: Contemporary Indigenous photography from the Corrigan Collection

Taking its title from an artwork by Destiny Deacon, Over the fence features the work of 18 Indigenous artists engaged in the field of photography. Indigenous art is often political, and these artists address various contentious issues, including identity, representation, racism, religious influence and the exploitation of land. The artworks in Over the fence are drawn from the private collection of art patron and philanthropist Patrick Corrigan AM, a long-time supporter of contemporary Australian art.

Over the Fence, Destiny Deacon, 2000.

Nookanta Rushes, Lake Bonney, Nici Cumpston, 2008.

Scratch an Aussie #1, Richard Bell, 2008.

Right: Invaded Dreams, Christian Bumbarra Thompson, 2012.

Left: Untitled (Yellow Kangaroo Paw), Christian Bumbarra Thompson, 2007.

Majority Rule (Memorial), Michael Cook, 2014. 

---------Follow Up Questions---------

What were the strategies used by the curator of this exhibition Gordon Craig in installing this exhibition? Does the fact that this work is from the collection of Pat Corrigan influence the way we perceive the work in the exhibition? 

Patrick Corrigan approached UQ to collaborate on an exhibition together. Gordon Craig was given access to Corrigan's collection and was able to choose any of the works. The main problem with the exhibition was in choosing the works. The UQ Art Museum has a very limited amount of space, so Craig had to be very selective with the works he chose. These works may be from a personal collection, but the works are an important part of Australian art history. The fact that the work comes from a personal collection does not impact on the viewing of the exhibition.

Are there perceptible themes in this exhibition?

This exhibition explores issues between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians; issues of disconnection and alienation; issues that are still yet to be solved. It highlights the racial tensions that still linger throughout Australia. 

In what ways has photography been a democratic tool to tell of Indigenous experience?

Photography gives the illusion of truth, by using this medium, the artists are able to manipulate the truth. It brings to light Aboriginal issues that have been previously hidden away and exposes the truth. Because of this reality element, photography has become an extremely effective tool for portraying Indigenous issues. 

Week #9 - CV

Cassandra is currently studying a Bachelor of Fine Art at Griffith University, QCA. She is majoring in Drawing and Art Theory and will be graduating in 2017. Her work explores her daily life and usually draws upon her experiences with chronic pain and illness. 

Cassandra Vanderkop

Brisbane, QLD | 0403 912 440 | cassandra.vanderkop@gmail..com | D.O.B: 08-08-1991

About

Education

Certificate I and II in multimedia

·      KSHS, Completed: 2008

Advanced diploma of screen & media (animation)

·      SBIT, Completed: 2010

Gobelins animation summer school  

·      Gobelins, Paris, Completed: 2011

Bachelor of fine art (Majors: Drawing & art theory)

·      QCA, Griffith University: 2014 - Current

Exhibitions

Supanova Brisbane: market stall

·      Pop culture event that attracts thousands of people over three days. Attended: 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015.

Experience

Out of the box festival | Brisbane | 2010

·      Helped facilitate animation workshops for primary school students.

Kid’s holiday craft WORKSHOP | Mt Ommaney shopping centre | 2009

·      Helped facilitate craft workshops with primary school students over the holidays.

Volunteer event organiser | Blast off inc | 2005 - 2010

·      Organized music and arts event for young people in Brisbane. Conducted community training with a small team and helped manage the team. 

Week #8 - Artisan

Tijn Meulendijk "Objects of Desire: Contemporary Clay"

"Tijn Meulendijks works with nature and the vegetation in particular.

His lifelong interest in botany and along that the human perception of nature has become the greatest influence in his art works.

Plant material, soil, plant remnants and traces are collected and documented. Isolated from their habitat and rearranged in temporary installations or as interventions and drawings on paper.

These pure and evocative forms are based on Meulendijks's own subjective associations with the matter, it's morphology and observations in the field."

Objects of Desire, Tijn Meulendijk, 2016

Objects of Desire, Tijn Meulendijk, 2016

-------Follow Up Questions--------

Describe what eco-artist Tijn Meulendijks needs to accomplish in order for the exhibition to be ready.

Meulendijks took four days to create this installation. It is a site-specific work that is ephemeral and will only exist in this one space for a specific amount of time. Meulendijks harvested the grass himself and installed it by himself over the four days. 

This exhibition will be travelling around Australia, Meulendijks will go with the exhibition and create an installation for each gallery.



What safe handling practices are being used by the artist and gallery staff? Why should safe handling of artworks be considered by staff in art galleries?

The gallery staff are responsible for the conservation and maintenance of each artwork. In this exhibition there are a number of materials that need extra care. Hard gloves were used for installation of sharp ceramics and heavy objects. The cassowary feathers are a very difficult item to conserve, the staff had to keep them in a certain place, in acid-free tissue paper, away from other items. It is important to conserve these materials correctly for the longevity of the work. This is needed for the possible resale of the work and for future exhibitions. It is also necessary so that people (staff/viewers/artists) are not injured from the incorrect display or maintenance of these works. 

Some other interesting artworks from this exhibition:

Bride pendant series 6, Janet Fieldhouse, 2015.

Death wreath 1 & Death wreath 5,  Clairy Laurence, 2015.

Week #8 - Heiser Gallery

Guan Wei "Bird - Map - Shadow"

"The Guan Wei sculptures and paintings selected for this exhibition are enigmatic and contemporary expressions of the uncertain times in which we live, where place, repose and peace must be arrived at and generated individually. There is an optimistic sensibility in their whimsy, acceptance and wry acknowledgement of historical inequities; in Guan's "everyman" is an advocate for human resilience.

In his land, sea and mindscapes. Guan evokes the difficulties of the present. Yet rendered with beauty, wit and humour, they evoke the spirit that underpins the continuity of the human experience. Their constructed realities orient them amid the history painting tradition: overwritten with narratives old and new, they are compelling in their engagement with the contemporary realities within which we find ourselves struggling."

Untitled no.1, Guan Wei, 2016

Left: Untitled no.8, Guan Wei, 2016

Middle: Untitled no.6, Guan Wei, 2016

Right: Untitled no.5, Guan Wei, 2016

Salvation no. 1, Guan Wei, 2016.

The Heiser Gallery is located in the arts precinct of Fortitude Valley and represents the work of leading Australian artists and deals in Australian works of art dating from c1920 onwards.

--------Follow Up Questions---------

What nationality is the artist?

Guan Wei is a Chinese artist that works in both Beijing and Sydney.

Describe 2 themes the artist is interested in.

Guan Weir is interested in globalisation of the 21st Century and the political unrest that surrounds the world at this time. He is also interested in the pursuit of the self and the 'happy life of Zen' which he portrays using images of Buddha. 

Week #8 - Philip Bacon Gallery

Ralph Wilson

"My earliest memories are full of water and boats and shorelines seen from boats on the water. It feels as if these elements held me with their own gravitational pull from the beginning and there was no possibility of turning away. 

From my father and grandfather I learnt that the water and sky have stories to share with us. The fleets of clouds that sailed over us whispers things that Dad understood and he would translate for me. Grandpa would listen to the water with his eyes and sniff the wind and feel the clouds, then quietly mention that I shouldn't delay returning to harbour after the sailing race that afternoon. A storm would be visiting later. And visit it would, with all hell breaking loose over our little fleet after its calm and dark approach.

After most of a lifetime spent on or near the water, the obsession has only deepened and the sea and the sky continue to cast their spell with a power that will tolerate nothing less than my undiluted attention. So there is no choice in the matter really. Some sort of homage must be paid to these fundamental elements. And if I do turn away now and then, it is only to return and find that spell fall on me again - but stronger.

I can't imagine my future without the sea and attempting to make some sort of record of its wonders."

Storm at sea, sundown, Ralph Wilson, 2015

Gallery - installation view.

---------Follow Up Questions----------

What is Ralph Wilson's predominate medium and surface?

Wilson is a painter that works with oil on board. He is predominately a landscape painter.

What is Wilson’s major theme?

Wilson has a passion for landscape paintings, usually of the sky/sea. 

Briefly discuss your favourite painting by Wilson and why it is so.

My favourite painting is Storm at sea, sundown. This painting caught my eye straight away. It is a beautiful work that shows the relationship between the sky and the sea during a storm. There is so much energy and movement in this work. The colours are beautiful and they really resonate with me. When I look at this painting I can picture the storm, I can see the sea battling with the sky. 

In what way does architecture contribute to the notion of value in Philip Bacon Gallery

The Philip Bacon Gallery is a high art gallery. The architecture is modern and there are a lot of wooden elements. There are also many different gallery spaces, each with their own attendants, both upstairs and downstairs. The space reflects the calibre of art that is shown. The whole gallery screams "expensive".

Week #8 - Jan Murphy Gallery

Guy Maestri – ‘Unearth'

"Known for his bold en plein air paintings, the landscapes in this exhibition are the result of a three month residency in Hamilton, Western Victoria. These works acknowledge the affect that farming has had on this ancient landscape and pay tribute to a number of iconic Australian artists who have painted this area throughout history. 

Unearth  also contains a number of Maestri's richly painted road kill. Viewing these works as an extension of his landscapes, they are both a celebration of beauty and a homage to Australia's native fauna.

Maestro states:

These self-portrait sculptures are not about preservation or beauty and have instead been brought about in a different way to the paintings. The raw material can be pushed, kneaded, frozen, split, melted and carved. The perfect medium to explore oneself, They're more about deconstruction, exploration, and understanding, Unearthing."

Wreck no 22, Guy Maestri, 2016

After D Davies, 1892, Guy Maestri, 2016

Ghost no. II, Guy Maestri, 2016 

Xerox, no. III, Guy Maestri, 2016 

The Jan Murphy Gallery is located on Brunswick Street in the Fortitude Valley, Brisbane. In March 2015 the Gallery celebrated 20 years. This is a high art gallery that exhibits and sells contemporary art. 

-------Follow Up Questions-------

List 3 mediums artist Guy Maestri uses in his art practice and describe his style of work.

Maestri primarily uses painting and sculpture throughout his art practice. He uses bronze or plasticine for his sculptures, and also covers some in oil paint. In his painting practice Maestri explored landscapes, portraits and, in this exhibition, road kill (animals).

I would consider Maestri's style to be similar to impasto. He tends to use thick obvious brushstrokes to capture something unique in the work.

What major Australian award did Maestri win in 2009?

The Archibald Prize.

Briefly describe the relationship(s) between Maestri’s paintings and sculptures.

Maestri's sculptures take on a very painterly form. He covers many of his sculptures in oil paint, making them appear almost like paintings. The sculptures are kneaded and moved around so much that it looks like a painting come to life. The sculptures look like they are made of brushstrokes.

In both of these mediums, painting & sculpture, Maestri explores beauty in different ways.

Week #8 - Edwina Corlette Gallery

CRAIG WADDELL ‘MEXICO DREAMS’

"From a very young age I’ve been afraid of flying, plagued by the notion of being trapped in a vessel in the sky. On a recent flight to Los Angeles the pilot announced he was turning the plane back, there was a bomb threat. My heart stopped. Luckily the threat was a hoax.

This experience gave me a greater understanding of life and death and how they run as parallel forces which was timely, as we were enroute to Mexico, a country that so beautifully and openly celebrates life and death.

I returned to Mexico a few months later to revisit the bright colours, textures, flower offerings, masks, skulls, local traditions and antiquities from ancient times which still play a significant role in their society. Immersed in a foreign land and challenged by new cultural influences, I delved into a world of mythological figures and narratives which led me to question my own morality and desire to attain enlightenment.

Mexico Dreams references ancient Mayan and Aztec artefacts sighted in the anthropology museums of Oaxaca, Puebla and Mexico city, spiritual healers I visited on the outskirts of Oaxaca and the indigenous people of San Cristobal’s elaborate textiles and folk stories."

Gallery Entrance 

Speak to me my love, Craig Waddell, 2016

Left: Night has yest to arrive, Craig Waddell, 2016

Right: Beauty is its charm, Craig Waddell, 2016

The Edwina Corlette Gallery is located on Brunswick St in Fortitude Valley, Brisbane. It opened in 2008 and is a contemporary art space for emerging to mid-career artists. 

-----Follow Up Questions -------

What themes does artist Craig Waddell explore in his work?

Morality. Exploring his understanding of life & death. He also references Mayan & Aztec artefacts throughout his work. Themes from Mexican culture also appear in Waddell's work -including bright colours, skull motifs, flowers and masks.

What event has caused him to consider these themes in painting?

Waddell was on his way to L.A and there was a bomb threat on the plane. This caused him to consider his own morality and try to better understand life and death.

Week #8 I.M.A

Our second gallery visit was to the I.M.A where we got a curator talk as we went around the Gallery. The I.M.A is an interesting gallery space that commissions their works and exhibits contemporary artists from all over the world, but a lot of the artists are Australian. The exhibition that we saw dealt with quite controversial topics, but topics that need to be discussed. 

Vernon Ah Kee, corpse table negotiation, 2016.

Vernon Ah Kee is a well-known Aboriginal Australian artist that deals with distressing topics that are important to Indigenous Australians. The work at the I.M.A is no different. I feel that the placing of this work is quite important. It is placed outside the Gallery, in the public space and the colours of the work make it quite eye-catching. 

"The outdoor work confronts the unequal dynamic at the heart of any dialogue between Aboriginal people and the state: there is an implicit rule that nobody should talk about the dead bodies (massacres, detention, deaths in custody, etc.); yet for Aboriginal people, the spectre of history must be addressed before proceeding with any negotiations.

And at any negotiating table set up by the government, participants are strategically selected in advance to ensure that the conversation can be controlled and the outcomes predicted. Despite this management, corpse table negotiation is a potent reminder that the bodies are always under the table, staring upward."

Luke Willis Thompson, Untitled, 2012.

Luke Willis Thompson is a New Zealand born artist that deals with sites and objects. In his exhibition Misadventure he explores the social and racial traumas associated with colonisation. 

"Untitled (2012) comprises three garage doors, custom metal stands, and an active security light and sensor. These everyday industrial objects bear visible traces of a grafitti act performed in 2008 by a Maori teenager, Pihema Cameron, which resulted in the pursuit and killing of Cameron by the owner of the property, a two-storey house with a double garage at its base."

Week #8 - Jugglers Art Space

We started off the day with a talk by the owner of Jugglers Art Space, Peter Breen. He set up the space to help emerging artists exhibit their work. There are two main exhibition spaces at Jugglers; upstairs which is a small space, ideal for one person; and the main gallery space downstairs, which is great for large group exhibitions. Peter really believes in helping young artists exhibit their work, this is evident in the prices the Gallery charges for exhibiting work. Jugglers also holds many competitions throughout the year, giving artists even more opportunities to exhibit. 

I would really like to exhibit with Jugglers, especially in a group exhibition. I really like Peter's motto and what the Gallery stands for. 

This is Peter Breen's blog (A very intersting resource!):  https://peteskibreen.wordpress.com/

Graffiti outside the Gallery.

On the day we were there, Jugglers was setting up a new exhibition. Unfortunately there were no didactic's next to these pieces, so I am unsure of the artist. But they were so beautiful I needed to get a photo. 

Leonie Chinn, Bliss Permeated Mother, 2015

Leonie Chinn, Eternal Springtime - after Rodin, 2015

In the upstairs Gallery, Leonie Chinn was finishing up her installation. Her works are beautiful and are a homage to some of the great artists of the past. You can see the movement and life in each piece. I use charcoal and pastel in my own art practice, so I feel really drawn to her work. 

Week #7 - Reflection

What have you found most useful in the discussions in class and the visits to exhibitions and galleries? 

Visiting all the different galleries and discussing the exhibitions with people that understand art is very beneficial to my understanding of the work. I enjoy slowly walking through exhibitions and discussing the works with other people, but that is difficult to do with friends and family members. I also found the curator talks interesting and informative. It's nice to know how people got to these jobs and the journey they took to get there. 

What have you discovered that you didn’t know before?

I actually didn't know about The Churchie Prize, so it's good to know about local art prizes for the future. I have also discovered new artists and art works that may influence my work in the future. 

My favourite exhibition so far this semester is Time of Others. I love On Kawara's date paintings and it was great to see them in person. On Kawara definitely influenced my drawing projects this semester and it's great that these subjects can overlap sometimes and help me with my own art practice. 

Week #6 - My Studio Space

My studio space is wherever I have the space. I live in a small apartment and my study isn't very big. When my work gets too big for my easel or desk I move to whatever space I have available. Sometimes it is the doors around my house or the garage floor downstairs. 

When I am creating art I always need something playing in the background. Usually music, or a TV show. I also work on different pieces at the same time. I need to be able to leave a piece of work and then come back to it with fresh eyes. 

My desk is always messy. No matter where I work the messiness consumes me. There will always be coffee and snacks somewhere in the area, and a pile of uni work that I am pretending doesn't exist.  

This trolley can be moved anywhere I need it in my study, but it is usually next to my easel.

When I run out of space for projects I end up using all available surfaces. Including the doors of my apartment. 

My desk is only just big enough for my light-box to fit on. 

If I need a large, flat surface I tend to go downstairs and use my garage floor. 

Sometimes I also cover my couch in art supplies and play something on the TV in the background.