Artists in Contemporary Society

http://cs.nga.gov.au/Detail.cfm?IMG=141001_l&IRN=141001&vID=12

Jonathan Tse is a printmaker who has made himself very well established in the art world through numerous group, solo and traveling exhibitions - both in Australia and around the globe. Jonathan was born in Hong Kong in the 60s and moved to Australia with his family during his early childhood. This move has influenced his art work as he explores identity, family connections and diaspora. His works hold a certain child-like quality and a nostalgic playfulness as he incorporates old family photos, souvenirs or toys and other elements that suggest travel - such as passports or postcards. He is currently working as a Print Technician at QCA whilst continuing to explore his own projects. Jonathan kindly agreed to be interviewed by my partner and I for our final assessment.

Play it again Sam, 2003, screen print, 15.2 x 10cm, artist postcard series

Dreams, 2007, screen print, 10x 16 cm, Christmas and New Years greeting card from the artist - for his 2008 travelling exhibition In Your Dreams

Untitled (Mask), 2010, screen print on ply wood, 11.7 x 11.9 cm, Christmas and New Years greeting card, one in a series of ‘souvenir mementos’ 

http://www.grahamegalleries.com.au/index.php/jonathan-tse-at-trag

Interview Questions: - Jonathan, in your time as an artist you have made yourself very well established with numerous exhibitions, work in prestigious galleries’ collections and of course, a very important role here at QCA using your outstanding print making knowledge. When did this career in art begin for you?  - When was your first solo exhibition? - How much did you have to organise yourself? - How was that experience? - Did you have to approach the gallery yourself? If so, was that difficult? - The use of the internet, particularly for art and portfolios, has become substantially more popular in your lifetime and time as an art professional, how has this changed your approach to exhibiting and sharing your work with others?  - You moved to Australia from Hong Kong at quite a young age, how has this influenced the content and process of your work? - Do you feel this has developed over time? - Has your family been an influence in your work? - How so? - Do your visits home create new inspiration for work? 

Symposium: What Can Art Institutions do? http://www.ima.org.au/category/ima-talks/  ---> A panel of established artists, curators and academics explore the concept of an institution to help celebrate the past 40 years of the IMA. 

INSTITUTION - an organisation founded for religious, educational, professional, or social purpose

“An institution is a tool or a resource. It’s pre-production - used to do other things in other ways, to speak in public in a different body.”

“An institution can’t be framed.”

“An encompassing space that gives comfort and inclusion.”

“Alternates between a vehicle and a prison.”

What can art institutions do?

- they gather together significant artistic talent to improve society - organise and create activists - improve economic position of artists -> raising funds for renting fees, materials etc. - may show/support works that public galleries may not - artists may institutionalise due to lack of government support - seeking a sense of belonging, security, control and community  - security leads to a safety net and willingness to experiment and explore new things, grow as an artist - we’ve never been so institutionalised whilst the institution has never been to precarious  - not critiquing culture but constructing culture and creating the art world, the artist as the engine of critical culture 

http://www.sarairannejad.com/

http://www.vanghoua-anthonyvue.com/

Anthony Vue is currently completing his Postgraduate studies at QCA. He works with a range of mediums including painting, drawing, sculpture, installation and street art. Although Vue was born in Sydney and has grown up in Australia, his work shows strong cultural influence from his Hmong heritage (Chinese). He explores concepts of identity, memory, migration and diaspora in his works - in particular, a reoccurring motif of traditional Hmong textiles combined with new/modern symbols of society and consumerism. Vue has ventured into the world of collaborative/community based art projects and public art, with the specific Hmong community (in both Australia and China) and also the general public.

Paj khoom #13, 2014, mixed media and materials on mounted board, 60 x 90cm

The Painter’s Reach exhibition discussed by Angela Goddard (who worked on the exhibition for 2 years before the opening) and curator at GOMA.

Notes from the Goddard’s talk: - MacPherson rejects being described as a QLD artist - ‘A Thousand Drover’s’ took 20 years to produce and is Angela’s proudest piece to have helped acquire - 2400 portraits in a specific order - Kerry Crowley; MacPherson’s art dealer, representing the artist in meetings, a completely trusting and close relationship - MacPherson refuses any public talks, but allowed one interview to be released for this exhibition - ‘machine’ of people required to organise, curate, publish etc.  - organisation of the publication runs parallel to the exhibition; photographing, recording titles, names and numbers etc.  - scale model of gallery space is produced to plan the position of the artworks - the list of works constantly rotates as the walls and space changes - the publication must be printed ready for the opening night (printed and posted with colours matching the works, details, photos, writing, representing works of different scales, page positioning etc.) - conscious of works entering gallery storage space -> natural materials (coffee stained pages, indigenous weavings etc.) must be frozen for at leat a week to kill any unwanted insects and bacteria  - MacPherson attended art school for 2 days/weeks but decided it wasn’t for him

GOMA curator tour notes: - what’s the difference between an artist and an artisan - Robert worked through night shifts, giving him the illusion of freedom during the day - went through many different jobs - Clement Greenberg + Duchamp inspired - focused on the medium of paint itself, primacy of support, flatness of support - Scale from the Tool - hung at height that demonstrates the movement of painting gestures/strokes, series of skinny + tall works - painterly incidents, ‘ what happens if I do this?’ etc. - painted during his lunch breaks, 15 minutes to produce works, avoids self-consciousness, responds to the objects/tools -> Black/White (Kilram) for O.M. (1975) - works are both straight forward and ridiculously complex - ready-mades (brushes) as installation objects  - abandonment of painting, ephemeral works; using text, obsession with the Mayfair text - Russian Constructivism - important that the art handlers play a central role in installing the works, the enormous trust in the curators/gallerists - always been inspired by the situation where he finds himself working - incredibly private - as soon as you understand the specificity of his work, it opens itself to multiple approaches and readings - loves unpunctuated lists of unconscious writing, embarks on a play between words and objects, open-ended interpretations, mind games, associations constantly growing and changing - signage works; true Australian landscape in his opinion, human endeavour, human hands - incorporates signage as homage to the landscape, strong tension between words to be seen and pictures to be read - tension between representation and abstraction

1000 FROG POEMS: 1000 BOSS DROVERS (“YELLOW LEAF FALLING”) FOR H.S. 1996–2014

The Bureau of Writing is a collaborative writing program that will be presented as part of the 20th Biennale in Sydney, 2016. The six participating artists were chosen from over 70 applicants and have recently been announced:

Andrew Brooks (Sydney) 

Beth Caird and Aodhan Madden (Melbourne)

Kelly Fliedner (Melbourne)

Benjamin Forster (Sydney)

Astrid Lorange (Sydney) 

Sarah Rodigari (Sydney) 

“...Great works of art do not just arise; they are made - not just by artists and their assistants but curators, critics, viewers etc.” - Sarah Thornton, 7 Days in the Art World - Social, political and economical forces shape the artistic production and distribution that comes together in an exhibition

“An exhibition as a cultural format owes its success to he fact that it establishes and enacts a set of values that are fundamental to Western Societies.”  - Dr. Dorothea van Hantelman

The Biennale 

- A spectacular cultural event - infiltration to the reaching parts of the world - A site for experimentation in exhibition making  - Full of receptive, even Utopian values/possibilities - A platform for grappling with politics, race, identity, globalization etc. - Refers to a vast range of different exhibition projects  - Estimated to be around 200 a year (all around the world) - Slow proliferation in many ways mirrored the transformation of the art world - more widespread interest in contemporary art

Venice Biennale, 1895 - began as an attempt to lift the slump in culture/trade, invited countries to join not specific galleries Sao Paul (Brazil), 1951 Sydney Biennale, 1973 

The Biennale full reading ---> https://bblearn.griffith.edu.au/bbcswebdav/pid-1685264-dt-content-rid-5903191_1/courses/1314QCA_3155_SB/Biennales_Seven%20Days%20in%20the%20Art%20World.pdf

The Fair - A group celebration of art not necessarily an individual experience, similar to a festival - Performance art, entertaining, colourful, bold - Entertainment and social aspects seem to dominate the actual art

‘The Great Exhibition’, Britain, 1851 -  to bring together the world and share what everyone was doing, layout similar to a department store - assertion of a linear notion of time (display setup) - progressive self formation of the individual - importance attributed to the production of material objects Sydney Contemporary Art Fair - different galleries come together to exhibit their art works, they apply and wait for acceptance, galleries pay to exhibit  - a yearly exhibition 

http://sydneycontemporary.com.au/

The Jan Manton Gallery is in Jan’s own home (Unit 1, 93 Fortescue Street, Spring Hill) - an almost hidden apartment. It’s only open to the public on the weekends or with an appointment. I actually felt like part of the real art world as I entered Jan Manton’s beautiful space. It’s obviously quite a personal gallery visit, like intruding someone’s home but in a comfortable and invited way, as bizarre as that sounds. The exhibition areas were mostly bare, excluding the art works of course - there were no explanations or artist statements on the walls, only tiny numbers that corresponded with text on A4 sheets that floated around the room.

Adrianne Strampp, ‘The Landscape Remembered’, is the current exhibition. Her works are on square canvases (linen) of varying sizes, striking monochromatic palettes built up with what seems to be layers to create subtle images of landscapes. The art works are complimented by the clean and crisp space around them, creating an almost minimalist atmosphere that draws all the viewers’ attention to the paintings themselves. 

I enjoyed this visit to Jan Manton’s gallery, thoroughly appreciating the colour scheme of Strampp’s series in particular. I’m not sure if I’d be brave enough to go back, especially by myself - maybe that’s a challenge I should set for myself.

An active artist: - collaborates, creates works constantly/often - attends exhibitions/openings - utilises the social media platform to get their name out there, blog/website  - attends or holds work shops - travels 

How not to approach a gallery about exhibiting your work: - don’t send generic letter - don’t ring up - don’t just turn up with your art works

Do: go to gallery website to enquire 

Commercial galleries I’ve visited in Brisbane:  - GOMA, QAGOMA - UQ, QUT, Griffith Uni Art Gallery, IMA - Artisan, Edwina Corlette, BMA, Jan Murphy, Jan Manton

Adirane Strampp’s, The Landscape Remembered Series

‘Rise’, 2015, oil on linen, 152 x 152cm

‘Passing’, 2015, oil on linen, 36 x 41cm

‘Absence’, 2015, oil on linen, 122 x 122cm 

John Stafford talking with Jan Manton -

Connecting with Commercial Galleries

Getting your art to Market 

I love using a range of mediums, materials and methods - predominantly methods of crocheting and sewing (sometimes to paint over), creating small clay things and other classic art materials such as paints, pencil, pens, watercolours, etc. I have my beloved collection of tiny crochet cotton (sadly in only a fraction of the colours), my palette plate cemented with a growing layer of paints, and a selection of small trinkets and images/artworks that support and inspire me. I’m the kind of person that prefers to be surrounded by special little things - like a nest I create to comfort myself. 

Oda Projesi (1997 - 2005) - a group of three artists, Özge Acıkkol, Günes Savas and Secil Yersel, who base their lives around a three room apartment in Instanbul (the Galata district). They use this space as a platform for community art based projects, collaborating with the neighbours and creating a space for dialogue/connection between people who normally wouldn’t have contact. The projects include activities such as a children’s workshop with Turkish painter Komet, community picnic with sculptor Erik Gongrich and a parade for children with the Tem Yapin theatre group. Oda Projesi don’t aim to heal or improve a situation through these participatory activities, but to encourage a more creative, artistic and united community; ‘exchange not change’. 

odaprojesi.blogspot.com.au

Above is the Oda Projesi space, Instanbul, Turkey 

Images and information source ---> http://www.spatiul-public.ro/eng/Oda%20Projesi/Oda_Projesi.html

I absolutely love Hiromi Tango’s use of media, inclusive creations and conceptual approach to art making. Her love and desire of fun resonates from every element of her work. The concept of using art as a form of therapy and self reflection, through meditative wrapping and repetitive movements, is something that I use myself and support. Tango’s artworks listen to people/the community as she weaves voices and stories. 

I also appreciate the materials and methods she uses. Wool in particular is a medium that I’m familiar with and love using. Her technique of winding and knotting it with other bits and bobs creates quite aesthetically pleasing forms, especially when Tango transforms the forms into wearable pieces. 

Monster Hotel, Out of the Box Festival, QPAC, 25th June - 2nd July 2014

Dust Storm, Australian Centre for Photography, 31 May – 17 August 2014 

Insanity Magnet, photographed by Yuki Crawford

Fluorescence, photographed by Greg Piper, 2015

Participatory Art and Aolitics of Spectatorship Chapter 1 - The Social Turn: Collaboration and Its Discontents 

What is the social turn? It’s the turn from a passive audience to participatory art that relies on an active collaboration with the viewer. 

What does Bishop argue is at the heart of participatory projects?  She argues that participatory projects bring the community together and are effective at addressing issues (public issues) such as human rights, animal rights, government issues etc. In Bishop’s opinion, collaborative works suggest and encourage a strong sense of collectivity, revolution and utopia - ‘it’s perceived to channel art’s symbolic capital towards constructive social change’. 

Why does Bishop think it’s important to critique participatory projects as art? She questions their effectiveness as art and how we can assess this. To use art as a medium for therapy and group development may filter the quality of art being art - are the participants even artists? Must all art be created by artists?

In what way was participatory art seen to be political? It had benefits such as increasing employability, minimising crime and fostering aspiration. It explored what art can do for society which was reason to fund and encourage the arts. The term ‘New Labour’ was developed and helped the arts to be socially inclusive.

What are some of the ethical issues at stake in collaborative/participatory art? Participatory artworks seem to often be less about the artist and aesthetic value and more about community engagement and problem solving. This again raises questions of what really is art - does all art have to be created by and artist and in turn, if a creation is deemed as art (either by the creator, viewer, bystander etc.) then does that not make the creator an artist?  

Hyperobject: Homeland, Paula Dawson, 2013, digital hologram, 120 x 120 cm 

Paula Dawson’s piece Hyperobject: Homeland was in the first room of UQ’s exhibition Light Play, surrounded by large works with bold colours and lights. When I first saw this artwork I wasn’t sure that it was an art work - as I approached it, it seemed to be a plane black square on the floor. Faint colours began to appear as I stepped closer and soon they were almost overwhelming. I felt compelled to lean closer and attempt to dive into the screen. Dawson has created a holographic box, displaying a range of technicoloured lines and forms. The work displays something similar to what I’d imagine the very deep ocean would look like - with bizarre, glowing organisms moving about and illuminating the space. The colourful forms are actually digitally enhanced and edited palm lines, deconstructed and altered into 3D shapes. The layout of the piece was influenced by landmass maps used by war pilots. Dawson addresses the concept of humanity by breaking the individuals down to these beautiful, intriguing creatures. She has used the palm lines, which are such a trademark for identity, to relate everyone to each other and find a balance of understanding, admiration and acceptance between people. 

Image retrieved from --->  http://www.artmuseum.uq.edu.au/filething/get/14288/Light%20Play-Images-for-Media.pdf

Video of the holographic movements, sourced from: http://www.pauladawson.com/artwork_item.phpartwork=20120608144818&item=20131218113518

Twilight, Katarina Vesterberg, 2009, oil on linen, 176 x 200cm 

One of my favourite artworks from the Light Play exhibition was Katarina Vesterberg’s Twilight. This piece is one of her largest oil paintings (2 metres long!) and is quite a personal work. Born in Sweden, Vesterberg and her family moved to Moreton Bay, Australia when she was quite young. Both her herritage and this move have been influential in her art practice. Twilight depicts Moreton Bay as Versterberg sees it, each section of the painting is coated in love and is of equal importance. With help from the size of the work, she invites the viewer to join her in absorbing every aspect of the landscape and lose themselves within the work. This work pays homage to painters from the Romantic period, Johan Christian Dahl and Casper David Friedrich in particular. Vesterberg explores light in the atmosphere - through her depiction of the sky and contrasting shadows - contributing to overall a very successful exhibition.

The Light Play exhibition at UQ Art Museum was split into three rooms, each with a collective theme under the overall concept of light. I thought this was a very clever way of exhibiting the works. Each room had a completely different atmosphere and they were in just the right order - each mildly preparing us for the next.

Room #1: Ideas

The first room was full of predominantly conceptual pieces, each incorporating some kind of illuminated or fluorescent element. Paula Dawson, Brook Andrew and Sam Cranstoun are just some of the artists in this room, their works addressing topics of historical inequalities, scientific considerations and the fragility of life. Room 1 was a perfect introduction to the exhibition, a visual representation of ‘light play’ as the colours bounced into each other and reflected on the floor boards and other shiny surfaces - giving the works a sense of togetherness as the colours combined.

Room #2: Optics/Kinetics 

Room 2 had a more techno feel to it, displaying works that consider movement and optical illusions. In this room I felt the need to move myself and wander around, viewing the works from multiple angles to get their full effects. They explored the eye’s relationship with light, and also light’s relationship with itself and other objects. The large work in the centre of the room Input Ruins by Ross Manning (pictured below) incorporated a lot of everyday objects such as tv screens, a fan, cardboard etc. This piece caught my attention (otherwise I would’ve walked into it) as it displayed an everchanging show of colours, creating a kaleidascopic illusion.

Room #3: Atmosphere

The third room felt completely different to the first two. Featuring large photography prints and paintings, it referred to the sublime and Romantic period eg. Katarina Vesterberg’s Twilight (2008-09). This last room was a complete contrast to the first two - moody and intense. These studies of light had an atmospheric sense, exploring the sky, steam and other more earthly elements, focusing on perhaps more traditional forms of art (at least compared to tv screens and electronics).