Silvana MANGANO and Gabriella MANGANO – “Shapes for Open Spaces”

The latest work of this duo comprises of four video works shown on four large screens that hang in succession.

The first screen titled “Monument for Air” has what looks to be the sky with rose tinted clouds. A black material is sporadically thrown into the air punctuating the serene sky above. A piece of haunting music plays on cycle, which is broken by the sound of material being lifted by the air.

The second video work titled “Monument for Monument” begins with the camera scanning the top of a desolate area, which looks to be on a sea cliff. There appears to be a partly demolished historical landmark made of bricks. The camera then scans down towards the long unkempt grass as it blows in the wind. A body in a black envelope lifts up and down as though it too is being directed by the wind. I get a feeling of emptiness, isolation and coldness.

My interpretation of these pieces is an artistic ode to the elements. The hypnotic soundtrack contributes to the overwhelming feeling of meditation and contemplation which links all four works together. Each video work seems to represent a component of nature. I enjoy the contradiction that the work signifies both the unpredictable behaviour and beauty of the elements.  I also got the feeling of the immense space contrasted by the black human forms. Hence the title of the exhibition.

Until the 17^th of Dec.

http://www.annaschwartzgallery.com/

Ranjani SHETTAR – "Dewdrops and Sunshine"

The National Gallery of Victoria has opened a new exhibition space, which will host contemporary artists. Ranjani Shettar is the first artist to be exhibited. What a fantastic artist to showcase. I was truly in wonder and excitement to see this artist’s pieces. I would have to say it was one of the best exhibitions l have seen this year.

The artist Shettar has constructed seven installations in all. Each piece varies in both material and form. There where two pieces that l was in awe of and that is not to say the other pieces were of lesser content or brilliance.

The first titled “Heliotropes” were long toffee coloured tentacles protruding from the wall. They were comparable to life size exaggerated hollow spaghetti growing organically out of the wall. The piece made me think of a magnified skin with hair similar to that seen in illustrated body encyclopaedias. There was also a feeling these limbs were being blown by a natural element such as wind as they all lay in one direction. This piece was made out of opaque latex.

 “Touch me not” is the second sculpture that begins on one wall and took over a corner. It was like a beautiful fungus or coral that spread to give an illusion of movement. It looked like it was constructed by small rounded pins made of a ceramic head that where the size of a cherry. There would have been hundreds of the pins in all and they are grouped together by forming various directions. It resembled sweat beads on skin.

These pieces are also complemented by the shadows made from the installations. It emphasizes the organic form. The materials the artist uses is also significant in the works. The descriptions of the work are my own interpretations and that is the beauty of these installations, as they could represent various amplified objects.

This exhibition by artist Ranjani Shettar is a must see.

On until 26th of Feb, 2012.

http://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/whats-on/exhibitions/exhibitions/ranjani-shettar 

Sean BAILEY – “Union of Opposites”

These were a series of small collages on board with various areas painted. Each work painted various colours as though the board were a mixing palette. The difference here was that the blocks of paint were the objective rather than the constructed image. I felt that the paint was obtrusive and l wanted to scratch away to see what was underneath. There were 25 pieces in all.

I felt l was being told a story or it was a link the chain of events to come to a conclusion. The exhibition seemed blurry and convoluted. I would have liked to see a time lapsed documentation projected of the artist working on each of the pieces. The painted areas displayed some sort of code or symbols. It seemed each piece was marked in a crude and unsympathetic fashion. It could have been two artists working together. 

The more l look at these works online and reminded of what l viewed at the gallery, they seem to coerce me. They did need to be viewed as a whole as mentioned it was a sequence. By reading the titles, they could have been banal daily acts or small fragments of ideas. I would like to view this exhibition again to get a better understanding.

On until the 19Nov.

http://www.dainesinger.com/

John NIXON – “EPW: Silver”

A steamy hot day in Melbourne and l feel instantly cooled down and refreshed as l am greeted by the ever so cool work of John Nixon’s latest dialogue of “EPW: Silver”. 

These paintings consist of various sizes of canvases and chipboard painted mainly in enamel silver chrome dispersed with white, black and red. The canvases are propped unconventionally, sometimes arranged on top of each other, vertically protruding from the wall, up above eye level or simply made in 3 d as a vertical canvas box.

The artist Nixon is continuing his Experimental Painting Workshop or “EPW”. The project begun in 1995.

In my opinion, the artist is deconstructing conventional painting both in product and sentiment. I believe it is the artists own off shoot of Modernism were traditional format is dispelled and experimentation of material is replaced. The artist seems to also explore the viewer’s relationship to the work.

I found myself wanting to investigate the constructed canvas by trying to stand inside the partitioned work. The subtlety of shadows made from the gallery lights on the chrome silver was also compelling. The shapes that could be seen that were made from the various coloured constructed canvases when standing back was interesting. You certainly start looking at these traditional canvases as sculptural. Each piece was named “Silver Monochrome” with the year it was made. I wonder if the exhibition was hung in chronological order, would this change the outcome or is this own traditional bias appearing? This artist is certainly prolific and l feel it would be necessary if you were to participate in an ongoing project such as this.

I look forward to the next development.

http://www.annaschwartzgallery.com/