Sunday, May 23, 2010

Bits and Bobs







From my studio... things are feeling very stalled at the moment, waiting for mid year assesments to be over so I can start properly producing the year's works (where as these are just bits and pieces and works in progress.) It's a very anxious time of year, not just because of assessments, exams etc. but more so that it is so obviously the calm before the storm.

There is some comfort in the fact that I'm fairly sure most of my studying friends feel the same way right about now, but that's not really enough to make me sleep at night!!! The phrase "it'll all be over soon" is less comforting and more stressful as the main residual thought in my mind is that this year is it, and it's my first big chance to prove myself, as my self.

At least the ensuing winter and icy dark nights seem to be on my side, I think I just need a cuddle with Dixie to reenergize me for the semester ahead!

Pictures from Bois







Here are some of the images from the Forest Collective and Exaudi Youth Choir show last night, although I did borrow a dslr from uni specifically, either I'm useless or it was a pretty remarkably bad quality one! Most of the images were rather awful, so please excuse bluriness!

Ceiling Rose Update




Sick of seeing images of these bouquets?! Well, lucky for you I've recently taken some proper photos of them! Still collecting, and just reconsidering where and how these will be installed...

Deon Robertson




Studio and works in progress/ I've been lucky enough to share a studio space with Deon for the last two years, where as his work last year was based heavily in large scale textural abstract paintings and animal bone sculpture and figurines, this year he's moving into new territory including edgy and dimly lit video works, that portray seemingly malevolent and foreboding images, featuring decaying small mammal protagonists and desperate insects shocks with it's inherent darkness and fast shot reversals whislt the accompanied music often subdues and enables viewers to consider Deon's connotations.

Friday, May 21, 2010

Baked.




Pistachio and 70% cocoa organic chocolate & sour cherry and coconut mini cupcakes.

Quilted.



Just thought I'd plug mum's quilting skills again ... it's about time for another I think, considering the weather, maybe dark violets and crimson mmmm

Thursday, May 20, 2010

Get with the times!

My lecturer referred to my camera as a "big old school one" today, sad face, she's not old school she's inherited and has had not only all of my inspiration run through her but also my Dad's!
Anyway, considering deadlines for certain assignments I figured I would have to use a digital camera this weekend in order to have shots of this Saturday's performance in a powerpoint on Monday... I borrowed one from uni... not going so well so far.

Monday, May 17, 2010

HOLY SH*T!!!!!!!!!!



I'm terribly sorry but there is no other way to respond to these, Jamie Vasta's "paintings"
(seeing as it's the second thing I've repostted- just could not resist, probably should mention..)

Saturday, May 15, 2010

Nan Goldin

Nan Goldin (b. 1953, Washington, DC) could be regarded as vaildating the photo diary style prominent within contemporary art discourse, the artist who works in photography, film and slideshows focusses on portraiture.

The indicative intimacy of her oeuvre is acheived through her artistic approach of creating works associated asher own personal visual journal, be representing her surroundings she is empathetically depicting moments that have been influential to the evolution and definition of her sense of self. Therefore, the subtle emphasis of Goldin's work lies in a linear narrative alluding to the artist's sense of self, and it is through the seamless intergration of images of her self into this dialogue that the viewer is reminded of the disjointed protagonist.

Goldin's indicitative aspect of reflection attempts to deconstruct the physical and emotional barrier that she has lived her life through and used to define her existence, her lens, her mirror and the mirror of her subjects which in turn are elements of her self.

Within this jaundiced image Nan and Brian in Bed NYC 1983, the artist portrays her self as the passive female, reclining and tucked into her self, she gazes directly at the male central figure, who is highlighted by a warm golden ephemereal light, who exahles his cigarette smoke utterly disregarding the almost desperately affectionate gaze of his companion.

The warm lighting offers an initial intimacy that signifies the reflection of the ring that dresses the females wedding finger, a symbol presented here as if to solidify the females devotion to the irreverant male.

It is here that the woman confesses to losing her struggle with the accquistion of autonomy within intimacy an endeavour that the artist will later convey whilst surrendering the physical manifestations of the emotional pain she has carried, within for example the work entitled Nan, One Month After Being Battered NYC 1984.

Tracey Emin

Emin's modern assertion of self-portraiture circumvents traditional notions of representation whilst serves to render an oeuvre that interrogates the distinctions between life and art, therefore her produced work burgeons directly from the construct of her internal architecture.

By deploying her self and her life as subject matter she simultaneously rejects preconceived notions that facilitate the linking of the feminine with passivity, although Emin's confessional art may be delineated as narcissistic, even solipsistic it is argued that it is precisely the act of disclosing fragments of oneself that enable an individual's positioning within contemporary society.

Emin (b.London 1963) is a British artist whose work forcefully portrays personal anecdotes through a patchwork of mediums, with the employment of channels such as hand scrawled neon lights she conveys messages alluding to her own traumatic female experiences and not only the role of women but also the treatment of women within society at large.

In My Bed 1999, Emin deploys the detritus of a young woman's quotidian life into the realm of contemporary art, depicting a frozen moment in time, the artist conveys the physical exploitation of her literal lifestyle whilst providing renlentless self-disclosure. Yet, it is the juxtaposition of such absolutely intimate subject matter with a direct lack of explanation that facilitates observer's intrigue.

It is within the public chronicling of her existence, one which is displayed with such immediacy and humility that produces inevitable relative authenticity. Although after reading her autobiography Strangeland I did approach Emin's work with an inherent nauseasnous it is hard to deny that her work provides an endless topic for discussion.

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Forest on Youtube!


As I cannot work out how to post a youtube video (because I'm mildy computer illiterate) I'll just link you - especially check out the video entitled The Sound of Images this was an impromptu musical interpretation or divulgence as I'd prefer to put it of a series of my manipulated dry point etchings! As I was not actually there on this particular occasion I can't tell you who performed it but check out the video, the image quality is not too great but that is really not the point, the listening part is - embarrasingly enough these guys actually make me weep, in public, but I guess that's a good thing as I haven't been able to cry elsewhere of late!

Tim Woodward

Last night a friend and I went and checked out the opening of an exibition at Mailbox 141, in consideration of the title and the fact that I'd never noticed this artist run space before should have triggered some sort of expectation, but no, I was completely pleasantly surprised by what we came across. A small lobby of people and well illuminated antique mailbox housing a series of intimately scaled figurines (as pictured - yep the picture makes it look kind of large huh?)
Anyway as the venue was kind of awkward we simply popped in and out, but it was great, loved the place, the works were insightful and relevant (as I'm using smashed car windows in my installation works this year, and both myself and Woodward have to an extent explored the idea of recreation post catastrophe. Check it out!

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Cleanliness


After much plucking, boiling and filing I'm about ready to start work on the skull pendant, but at this stage I'm actually rather indecisive as how to go about it, I'll be working on a series of test runs with different ideas on shells this week.

Self Portraiture










I've also begun developing a series of self-potraits for my end of year portfolio, these are the best shots from the first three films, there is two more pre-conceived shots that will feature me, that I'm hoping to shoot at th beach near Wonthaggi, and apart from those the rest of the series will act as an autobiography without featuring myself within the composition.

Embroidery






I've begun work on the conceptual basis for a large scale embroidery (large as in over 20cm squared) focussing on my writing and developing an eloquent avenue of self disclosure.

Lampshade


This is just a little floral kinetic piece that I'm not willing to give up to the studio, it's quiet movements tend to draw my attention away from the pages and put me to sleep zzzzzzzzzz