Kate JAMES – “The other side of despair”

This new space; Daine Singer, was the last gallery on my Flinders Lane visit. I had been looking forward to seeing this space. It was our luck that the heavens had opened and rain was pouring down. The city lunch rush hour was on with people scattering for shelter and frantically checking their mobiles as plans change. We nearly ran past the building in hast to get cover.

Down the stairs to the basement in typical white gallery fashion, is Daine Singer space. You would hardly know of the chaos outside, only a few distant voices and hushed murmurs. The gallery is in an L shape.

I was instantly fascinated by the first installation named Transference. There stood an installation of a glass funnel that was attached at one end. There was an enclosed woven horsehair basket and the other end was the funnel where pieces of coal sat. To me it was a morphed funnel that transferred one substance to end in another substance but the essence remains the same. The woven object of course horsehair could have been a metaphor for a deep emotion, that being despair. The end result may have been the emotion broken down with remanence of the same heaviness that being the coal.

Further along was James installation named Hourglass. This was on the wall where a metal funnel hung with a long metal tube. The funnel and tube looked hand made and raw in construction. The top end of the funnel had a small mound of red pigment. The end had an attached red woven basket of horsehair. It was in the shape of a large half deflated balloon that faced towards the ground. I wanted to wait to see the red pigment fall and go to its end as an hourglass would. Time stood still and the creel seemed to inflate with hours accumulated.

The other installations where just as thought provoking and physically fascinating. There was also three framed pieces. I suggest visiting the show.

I really enjoyed the work by Kate James. My particular interest was the diverse use of materials that worked well depicting for me various states of emotion. Her skill in weaving the horsehair is exceptional. The hours spent must have put her into an almost mediative trance. An aspect of making artwork to be explored.

On until 30 July.

www.dainesinger.com

Dulce PINZÓN – “The Real Stories of the Superheros”

I came across this gallery, the Australian Centre for Photography in Paddington, Sydney by accident.

We where fortunate to view the photographs of Mexican artist, Dulce Pinzón showing in Gallery 3.  She had photographed mainly Mexican migrant workers in New York. Each photograph depicted the person in their place of work dressed as a superhero. The caption described their superhero title, their actual name, place of origin, employment and the amount of money they send home to their families every month.

The superhero in each photograph has an expressionless face as though they are unaware of the camera. Other people starred straight into the camera unsmiling. The type of work each person was involved in varied from taxi driver, union organiser, waiter, courier to demolition worker. The superhero outfit seemed to relate to the employment. The suits where worn as clothing, as though hired or bought from a cheap $5 shop. There wasn’t the sleekness we associate superheros to. The faces painted matching the outfits. This added to the appeal and I’m sure was intentional.

These working women and men, as the title suggests, are superheros. All working hard in physically demanding employment to pay not only for their own necessities but to send money home to their families. They could be forgotten as they serve food to your table, deliver a parcel or work at the Laundromat washing clothes. These series of work does relate specifically to migrants working in North America. These themes could be conveyed to a developed country such as Australia.

 

On view until 10^th of July.

http://www.dulcepinzon.com/

www.acp.org.au

Mark BOOTH – “11XU-PVC.9323745.006474”

I always enjoy visiting First Draft Gallery whenever I’m in Sydney. It’s a gallery that always has quite an eclectic group of work. I find l get captivated by the artists’ work that is showing. It can be from fascination to distaste but either way l am challenged.

The work of Sydney artist Mark Booth in Gallery 4 was appealing. He had cleverly constructed PVC piping twisted and turning onto each other. Each piece was about 1 meter by a metre painted white but it’s joins still visible. The pieces where hanging from the wall at eye level. They where each unique in their twists and turns. You could mistaking think that each piece had a use and where intentionally there to disperse a waste. They where each part of the wall space serving a purpose. It seemed the pipes had gone askew and where feeding onto each other rather than taking waste away.  I can’t help but relate PVC piping to waste.

To see these everyday objects constructed in a quite a beautiful way in a gallery environment makes me want one of these. If they had been painted black or a bold colour, the allure would have been muted.

These wall constructs had an effortless charm about them while contradictory they would have been difficult to assemble.

Take a look until 17July.

http://firstdraftgallery.com/

White Rabbit Gallery

Follow the White Rabbit.

If your in Sydney, doing your gallery hop, make sure this is on your itinerary.

This gallery based in Chippendale is a must see if you want to view contemporary Chinese art. It has been a while since l have been into a gallery that has various artists that l could appreciate and be truely inspired on each floor. The artist represented here push the boundries as far as use of materials and subjects. The work ranges from photography, installation, animation to painting. The curating was brilliant and the surprises ongoing. With four floors of work in a converted old factory, there will be something for everyone.
 
http://www.whiterabbitcollection.org/

Jenny Zhe CHANG - "Detente - Reflection"

This artist l found in the June copy of the art almanac. Her work looked interesting and after visiting Trocadero Art Space in the second gallery it really left an impression on me.

The wall is partly painted in lime green in an L shape at eye level. There are around eight pieces of work of table tennis bats at varying degrees of angles. One piece sits on a plinth. They are made out of wood and have been altered. The bold colours are painted on the bats almost as shadows are cast coupled with the gallery lighting. Each piece uniquely painted sits with the table tennis ball sitting in limbo. Some have caused holes and continued to mark each bat. They could have been played between pieces.

The artist Chang is fortunately sitting the gallery on the day l visit. She comes from a small village in China and explains in her past that paper cutting and table tennis where the only activities her family could afford to enjoy. She has integrated the two. Her initial art practise was paper cutting which was encouraged by teachers to transform into wood cutting.

The outcome is contemporary and smart sculptures that reflect a past and future while maintaining a sort of yin yang balance. Well executed.

A must see until 2July.


www.jennyzhechang.com
www.trocaderoartspace.com.au

Lou HUBBARD and Claire LAMBE – “Yakety Sax”

Conceptual Art, so conceptual that l don’t understand it.

Yes, there is a place for it in the visual arts. I’m not going to be the conveyer of what can and cannot be artwork. It took me three laps of the room to understand the concept and then an hour of debriefing to write about my lack of appreciation.

Upon entry l am greeted with a large lump of unfired clay, semi circle of Perspex standing upright in the clay and a set of pink boobs with nipples eyeing me off. I look to my left and there stands two pieces of rectangular Perspex wrapped in plastic leaning against the wall. Between the pieces of Perspex sits a flat basketball which looks to be a cushion cover.  Next to the lump of clay is another installation. It is a cut out of brown paper where circles have been drawn close to its edge. A lamp is lying over it as if it was used to draw the lines. An unused disposal able coffee cup lies on its side and the top of a seat rests there.

There where smaller pieces in the office next door which where subtle and humorous. I didn’t quite grapple with the larger pieces.

These sculptures to me are manmade materials displaying sexual undertones. The materials used are taken out of their usual function and reconceptualized.  Are they the result of conversations between the artists? Is there a method of their exchange of ideas? What comes to mind is the collaboration with artist Brion Gysin and writer William S Burroughs who created the surrealist method of writing called Cut – up.  This involved writing text then cutting it up to recreate a different novel. Is the exchange more important than the result? Is making of the art a form of breaking down the subject rather than the art itself? I’m not looking for aesthetically pleasing work without meaning or a piece of furniture without stability. I can go to IKEA for that.

These two artists are highly accomplished and successful in their field. I want to understand the work and the collaboration involved. Is conceptual art extending beyond it’s subtleties and only for it’s exclusive audience, that being the artists involved? I know art is not made for audiences. Is conceptional art metamorphosis into the Emperors new clothes?

http://www.sarahscoutpresents.com/

http://www.clairelambe.com/

http://www.deathbekind.com/

Hannah GADSBY – Artscape - The NGV Story/ Part 1 and 2

The National Gallery of Victoria recently celebrated its 150 years of operation. As l result, this documentary was made and narrated or rather hosted by the Melbourne comedian Hannah Gadsby and written by Louise Turley. It was fascinating and Hannah’s injection of humour and sarcasm made it an even more interesting watch. It gave a great historical account and for me, a part explanation as to the lack of public Australian art appreciation. A must for high school students.

http://www.abc.net.au/arts/tv_radio/artscape/

http://www.hannahgadsby.com.au/