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. 

Week #6 - The Artist's Studio

Francis Bacon's Studio & Constantin Brancusi's Studio

Francis Bacon's studio is a mess of creativity. It is organised chaos. It is fantastic. This is a studio space that resonates with me. There is paint splattered all over the walls and doors. It is filled with creative energy. If I ever had a big studio space to myself then it would probably look like this.

Francis Bacon's studio in Dublin City Gallery.

Constantin Brancusi's Studio is the total opposite of Bacon's studio space. It is organised and neat, echoing his own work. Brancusi needed space for his sculptural pieces and his studio seems to showcase his works. He also needed a large variety of tools and these took up space. 

Constantin Brancusi's studio.

These two studio spaces showcase just how different artists are. We all thrive in different work environments. Some people need to be organised and have space to create while others work better surrounded by creativity and chaos.

Why is there a large public for viewing artists studios? What do you think viewers can learn about an artist through their studio?

People are interested in seeing where art works are created and what goes on behind the scenes. Seeing the artist's studio is a glimpse into the artist's mind and their creative process. It is such a creative and personal space and it can be really inspiring to emerging artist's. 

Week #6 - Jens Hoffman

Jens Hoffman's Introduction/The Artist's Studio in an Expanded Field

How has the artist’s studio been imagined over history?

The artist's studio is is an imagined space that people like to think exists. It usually includes a lonely, isolated artist standing in front of their canvas. Usually this is in an empty attic or loft. There is a romanticism surrounding the artist's studio, and many people see it as the birthplace of art. 

"Traditionally the studio has been considered the working space of artists, a place where artworks - conventionally mostly paintings or sculptures - are created." (Pg. 12)

How might the studio be described today?

Today an artist's studio can be anything/anywhere. It could be an easel, a desk, a floor space or even an outside space - anywhere art can be made.

"The studio is now that place where we know we can always find the artist when we need to, where she or he is always plugged in and online, always accessible to and by an every more integrates and ever more dispersed art world." (Pg. 17)

Many artists also drew inspiration from their studio space. Matisse is one artist that liked to paint his own studio space. I really enjoy Matisse's work and his own depictions of his studio. 

 

Matisse in his studio, Vence, 1948.

"The Red Studio", Henri Matisse, 1911.

Week #5 - Sarah Thornton

Sarah Thornton’s Seven Days in the Art World.

Chapter 5, the Prize.


What are the pros and cons of entering prizes?
There is a certain legitimacy to winning a prize. Being acknowledged for your work is always a good thing and the publicity from the competition can lead to further exhibition opportunities. There is also, usually, prize money which can help out the artist quite a lot.

Competition between artists can also be a bad thing. It can lead to artists always looking over their shoulder and judging their work instead of freely expressing themselves. The media can also critique and scrutinise the work so intensely that the publicity can be harmful to the artist.

"There is nothing sacrosanct about the status of any prize. It will only carry authority while it continues to be awarded to artists who are held in high regard or who are seen, in a relatively short time, to have merits that perhaps people didn't recognise at the moment. It's only as good as its last outing." (Pg. 118)


What were some of the criteria used by the judges in arriving at the prize-winner?
The judging of a competition can be bias to the judges personal tastes in art. The criteria for the four short-listed contestants is: they must be based in Britain, be younger than fifty and have attracted the jury's attention with an outstanding exhibition in the last year. Apart from that it seems like there is no definitive criteria for selecting a winner. It's up to personal choice and the judges agreeing on the 'right' artist. It may not be the best artwork of the four, but it is the right choice for that time. 

Week #5 - The Churchie Questions

Why would a school with substantial reputation have an exhibition at QUT Art Museum?

By hosting the Prize at an established Gallery, the school is given the opportunity to form new partnerships and bring in extra publicity for the Prize. This may also open up the competition to extra artists and bring in a greater variety of art works. 

Why would QUT Art Museum host it?

By hosting The Churchie Prize the QUT Art Museum gets the opportunity to showcase new artists and bring in new viewer's. Some people may not know about the Gallery and this is a great opportunity for publicity. It also gives the Gallery the opportunity to acquire new works, even though the Prize is non-acquisitional, the Gallery can still purchase some works. 

What are some art prizes you have visited or know about?

The biggest art prize I know of is the Archibald Prize. This prize is awarded annually to the best portrait of a distinguished man or woman. It is an open competition that is judged by the trustees of the Art Gallery of NSW. My favourite portrait from the Archibald Prize is by Sam Fullbrook. 

"Jockey Norman Stephens", Sam Fullbrook, 1974. 

Here is a (small) list of art competitions that are currently open for entries:

Clayton Utz Art Award (Closes 2 September 2016)

Clayton Utz is proud to support the arts through the Clayton Utz Award. The award is open to Queensland-based artists or artists with a strong connection to the state, offering a $10,000 winner’s prize and exhibition space for the finalists.

St George Art Awards (Closes 9 September 2016)

The biennial St George Art Awards provide an important opportunity for members of the local and wider community, including youth, seniors and multicultural communities, to display their artistic talents. Responding to the theme ‘reflection’, artists from all over Australia are invited to submit 2D paintings.

Paddington Art Prize (Closes 10 September 2016)

This National acquisitive prize is for a painting inspired by the Australian Landscape, painted in the last 12 months and not previously exhibited at an art prize. $25,000 prize money will be awarded to the winning entry, as well as the opportunity to create a limited edition print and a gift certificate.

Myself Prize (Closes 14 September 2016)

Myself Prize is Australia’s only dedicated self-portrait prize open to all artists where submissions can be made in the form of an illustration, painting, photograph or sculpture. The winner will be awarded $4,000 in acquisitive prize money.

Rio Tinto Martin Hanson Memorial Art Awards (Closes 8 October 2016)

Queensland artists are invited to submit easel paintings, works on paper, three dimensional and fibre works and digital works. Prizes worth over $30,000 will be awarded on Saturday 15 October 2016.

Week #5 - The Churchie: Lisa Sammut

Lisa Sammut is a Sydney-based emerging artist. Her practice focuses around cosmic time and the intimacy and infinity of space. For the time being is a mixed media installation consisting of different types of timber, collage, paint, wire, rocks, clockwork mechanisms and more. Sammut has laid out her work in reference to the solar system, resembling constellations. Through this she attempts to create the imaginary time of possible worlds. 

Interwoven throughout this piece are elements of time and the cosmic. Sammut has created shapes to resemble planets and constellations and arranged them in a specific way. These shapes are either made from timber rings, geological remnants or made to resemble these with found images. By using these Sammut attempts to gain a tangible sense of the infinite universe and has laid out the work to embody a sense of never ending space. 

By using tree rings and geological remnants Sammut has expressed notions of passing time. She has also incorporated metronomes and pendulums within the work to enhance this theme of time. Time is a popular theme in contemporary right at the moment and For the time being expresses time in a different way. It's a beautiful installation that could be expanded even further. The layout of this work wraps around the corner of the gallery. I can easily picture this piece being larger and along one big wall, which I understand is difficult to do in this particular gallery space. 

"For the time being", Lisa Sammut, 2015-2016. 

"For the time being", Lisa Sammut, 2015-2016. 

"For the time being", Lisa Sammut, 2015-2016. 

Personally I really like this work. It is different to other art works I have seen recently. I enjoy seeing the theme of time within art and I feel like this installation expresses a new relationship with time. 

Week #5 - The Churchie: Sara Morawetz

How the stars stand (All sols) and (Dear NASA) is a large mixed media installation, of a performance work, created by Sara Morawetz. This performance work lasted for 37 days and primarily focuses on the theme of time as an invisible constraint. Morawetz adjusted her personal time to the solar time on Mars, which is 2.7% longer than a normal 24 hour Earth day. She allowed her life to drift completely out of sync with the world around her and documented her daily life in different ways. 

The large frame on the wall consists of a series of photographs that Morawetz took everyday at 9am 'Martian time'. The layout of these photographs resembles a calendar layout and gives the viewer a clear picture of how this time adjustment affected her day-to-day schedule. In the glass case, Morawetz decided to display the ephemeral objects that she accumulated throughout this time. On each of the receipts she received, Morawetz altered the time to reflect her 'Martian time'. 

Morawetz also wrote to NASA asking for advice on how to survive the emotional struggle of altering her personal timeline. She wrote these letters on a typewriter, which references the passing of time. It is also used to resemble a professional documentation of this performance as a scientific experiment. It's interesting to note that she did not include any responses to her letters.

This performance piece explores a different notion of how time passes. This work took 37 days to complete and to do this you would have to be fully committed to the outcome. It is difficult to adjust your entire schedule to a different time and Morawetz has documented her emotional struggle and the ramifications of the process during this time. 

"How the stars stand (All sols) and (Dear NASA)", Sara Morawetz, 2015. 

"How the stars stand (All sols) and (Dear NASA)", Sara Morawetz, 2015. 

"How the stars stand (All sols) and (Dear NASA)", Sara Morawetz, 2015. 

"How the stars stand (All sols) and (Dear NASA)", Sara Morawetz, 2015. 

"How the stars stand (All sols) and (Dear NASA)", Sara Morawetz, 2015. 

"How the stars stand (All sols) and (Dear NASA)", Sara Morawetz, 2015. 

"How the stars stand (All sols) and (Dear NASA)", Sara Morawetz, 2015. 

"How the stars stand (All sols) and (Dear NASA)", Sara Morawetz, 2015. 

"How the stars stand (All sols) and (Dear NASA)", Sara Morawetz, 2015. 

"How the stars stand (All sols) and (Dear NASA)", Sara Morawetz, 2015.