Exhibition Review August 2006
Exhibition: Asian Field
Part the 2006 Biennale’ of Sydney
Pier 2/3 Walsh Bay
8 June – 27 August 2006
For me, the figures evoke the spirit of our ancestors and the spirit of the unborn – those who are yet to come. All those mouthless ones seem to be asking or judging us. Antony Gormley, Artist. (Handbook, 2006 Biennale of Sydney).
This remarkable installation is in two parts. Walking upstairs into the outer space the visitor is shown 600 photographs which document the 300 local Chinese makers beside one of their chosen pieces. The inner space contains thousands of these appealing or disturbing figures, depending on how one reacts to the thousands of ‘eyes’ looking up at the viewer. They surround old machinery on the floor of the warehouse and swarm around the pillars to spill towards the open doorway. Made in two tones of clay, they are grouped in such a way as to give the impression of cloud-like shadows.
Anthony Gormley, an English artist has been making the Field project series for over 15 years. The original concept was to make a similar installation on each continent.
Gormley supervised the installation of this travelling exhibition which took 30 people 6 days to install. The pieces were shipped in 2500 containers from China. They were made in Xianxian village in Guangzhou in 2003. The village has a history of clayworks, though the workers are more likely to have been firing clay bricks, not lumpy, unglazed figures.
In this instance the viewer is treated to the accompanying photographs of the makers. Each photograph documents the individual qualities of each piece. The makers range from young children to elderly men and women. Some pieces are holding clay articles such as a ball or seem to sprout a scarf from their shoulders. There are also some variations in size. Some are approximately 30 cm tall while others are barely 10 cm. Some are skinny and some are fat and squat.
Unlike Gormleys’ previous installation at the Art Gallery of NSW, A field for the Art Gallery of New South Wales 1989, the viewer is unable to walk amongst these figures. This is somewhat frustrating for the viewer, as the photographs around the warehouse walls titillate the senses; amongst all these pieces where is the one holding the ball?
This installation differs from the 1989 work in the way it provokes the sense of touch, another unfulfilled frustration for the viewer. Perhaps by being allowed to walk through the 1989 Field for the Art Gallery of NSW these frustrations were less apparent.
If Gormley’s concept was to engage the viewer with these thousands of small beings, then he has certainly been successful. By giving each figure eyes which seem to look up, by crowding them together and by allowing individuality, they also reflect the unknown masses of China today.
Reference:
Personal notes
Handbook, 2006 Biennale of Sydney
Website:
http://www.insideartexpress.com.au/education/quotes/gormley
Friday, September 01, 2006
An Essay Introduction
An Essay July 2006
How has Modernism influenced the way we view art today?
Refer to exhibitions you have seen this year.
Introduction
The early Twentieth century saw a number of new artistic styles which are loosely grouped under the term ‘Modernism’. These included styles such as Cubism, Bauhaus and Surrealism. Modernism has influenced all of our Western culture since the First World War.
Picasso has been quoted as saying, The artist is a receptacle for emotions that come from all over the place: from the sky, from the earth, from a scrap of paper, from a passing shape, from a spider's web. This philosophy would not have been possible prior to the Modernist period as the traditional salon artist was bound to take his or her inspiration from the past not from their present emotion.
Art, Literature, Design and Music have all been influenced by the philosophies of this era. The deliberate rejection of the traditional and its formal approach opened the way for the avant-garde of the visual arts to experiment with expressing ideas and feelings through abstractions that allow the audience to take an active role as observer.
In this, the early Twenty First century, it is interesting to contemplate current exhibitions with a view to seeing how this Modernist influence continues.
The progression of these influences can be seen and compared in the exhibition Self Portrait, Renaissance to Contemporary held at the Art Gallery of NSW earlier this year.
While artists like Annibale Carracci who in the 1600s used interesting compositions to engage the audience, his style of application is still traditional.
It is not until viewing the works of Camille Pissarro that one begins to see a trend towards experimentation with brush strokes and his work is also a prelude to the every day subject matter of people going about their work as in his Factory near Pontoise (1873).
The art of the Australian Aboriginal people can be appreciated more now than at any time since European settlement. This has come about due to the influence of Modernism and the use of new materials. Without the Modernist view the art of the Aboriginal people could well have stagnated and become merely a record of minority culture. The Modernist view allowed the story telling and patterns to be appreciated and in turn allowed the appreciation of new materials and colours that are seen in the exhibition, Colour Power.
Kevin Connors exhibition of Sketchbooks, drawings and studies may well have been dismissed as scribbling in an earlier age and yet when viewed after the influence of Modernism, the viewer is allowed to appreciate the intensity of his observations of the contemporary human existence.
The variety of styles undertaken by the entrants in this years Wynne Prize highlights the influence that Modernism has had on our contemporary art community. Certainly the students exhibiting in Two have been free to express themselves in a variety of styles and mediums.
At first glance the artists contributing to Botanica 2006 might seem to be the exception but on further consideration, even here the influence of Modernism can be seen in the choice of modern materials and composition by artists such as David Mackay and Catherine Wardrop.
The viewer of contemporary art can thank those early Modernist artists for their influence. Without their experimentation and expressive interpretation of ideas we would be left with a very staid and elitist art community.
How has Modernism influenced the way we view art today?
Refer to exhibitions you have seen this year.
Introduction
The early Twentieth century saw a number of new artistic styles which are loosely grouped under the term ‘Modernism’. These included styles such as Cubism, Bauhaus and Surrealism. Modernism has influenced all of our Western culture since the First World War.
Picasso has been quoted as saying, The artist is a receptacle for emotions that come from all over the place: from the sky, from the earth, from a scrap of paper, from a passing shape, from a spider's web. This philosophy would not have been possible prior to the Modernist period as the traditional salon artist was bound to take his or her inspiration from the past not from their present emotion.
Art, Literature, Design and Music have all been influenced by the philosophies of this era. The deliberate rejection of the traditional and its formal approach opened the way for the avant-garde of the visual arts to experiment with expressing ideas and feelings through abstractions that allow the audience to take an active role as observer.
In this, the early Twenty First century, it is interesting to contemplate current exhibitions with a view to seeing how this Modernist influence continues.
The progression of these influences can be seen and compared in the exhibition Self Portrait, Renaissance to Contemporary held at the Art Gallery of NSW earlier this year.
While artists like Annibale Carracci who in the 1600s used interesting compositions to engage the audience, his style of application is still traditional.
It is not until viewing the works of Camille Pissarro that one begins to see a trend towards experimentation with brush strokes and his work is also a prelude to the every day subject matter of people going about their work as in his Factory near Pontoise (1873).
The art of the Australian Aboriginal people can be appreciated more now than at any time since European settlement. This has come about due to the influence of Modernism and the use of new materials. Without the Modernist view the art of the Aboriginal people could well have stagnated and become merely a record of minority culture. The Modernist view allowed the story telling and patterns to be appreciated and in turn allowed the appreciation of new materials and colours that are seen in the exhibition, Colour Power.
Kevin Connors exhibition of Sketchbooks, drawings and studies may well have been dismissed as scribbling in an earlier age and yet when viewed after the influence of Modernism, the viewer is allowed to appreciate the intensity of his observations of the contemporary human existence.
The variety of styles undertaken by the entrants in this years Wynne Prize highlights the influence that Modernism has had on our contemporary art community. Certainly the students exhibiting in Two have been free to express themselves in a variety of styles and mediums.
At first glance the artists contributing to Botanica 2006 might seem to be the exception but on further consideration, even here the influence of Modernism can be seen in the choice of modern materials and composition by artists such as David Mackay and Catherine Wardrop.
The viewer of contemporary art can thank those early Modernist artists for their influence. Without their experimentation and expressive interpretation of ideas we would be left with a very staid and elitist art community.
Botanica 2006
Exhibition Review July 2006
Exhibition: Botanica 2006
The Masters Exhibition
– Contemporary Botanical Art
Maiden Theatre
Royal Botanic Gardens - Sydney
6 July 2006 to 16 July 2006
The Marian Theatre is a large old fashioned room with high decorative ceilings, a fitting venue for such a traditional art. The scene was further enhanced by soothing classical music and a central table supporting a huge floral arrangement.
Each art work details exquisitely the beauty of the particular plant, leaf or flower chosen by the artist. To be categorized as Botanical Art, and not merely the painting of flora, the artist must know the botanical name and be able to show several stages of growth in technically correct detail.
There are several large works in this collection. One by David MacKay of Telopea aspera, Waratah leaf, is an exception to the above rule as he depicts only the leaf. Produced in acrylic paint rather than watercolour, his contemporary interpretation gives a shiny finish rather like that of a photograph instead of the more traditional soft watercolour.
Mackay’s other large work, also in acrylics, is a collection of Eucalypt Fruit. This large work has been skilfully composed of 10 different gumnuts to create an interesting piece even for the botanically challenged viewer.
Other large works included Susannah Blaxill’s Gymea Lilly (watercolour & gouache), and Phillipa Nikulinsky’s Scent Grass (watercolour, pencil, gouache & ink). Nikulinsky’s work was particularly skilful in its depiction of a grass tussock complete with intertwined leaves and curling roots. The limited palette of greys, soft green and sienna on buff paper was a soothing change from the bright colours of some of the surrounding floral pieces.
Not all of the works are of flowering plants. Fiona McKinnon and Anita Barley chose vegetables as their subjects. The Red Cabbage depicted by McKinnon is shown side on, as a cut base, cut in half, a flower stem and a seedling. The composition is very well balanced and realistically rendered in watercolours. Barley also chose watercolour to depict the Cucurbit, Golden Nugget plant in its various stages. The inclusion of a spent, greying leaf helps to balance the bright orange of the vegetables.
For detail, the viewer must take in the trilogy of orchids by Fiona McGlynn. While the plants are of subdued tones, the detail of delicate spotted leaves and exotic flowers are a beautiful rendition in the traditional style of this art. Although McGlynn is relatively new to this style of work, her talent is outstanding and it is pleasing to hear she will be having an exhibition in the USA later this year.
In contrast, Barbara Duckworth’s Sturt Desert Pea (watercolour) is a vibrant set of four small works depicting all stages of growth of this Australian native plant. The works capture the energised growth in the spreading habit of the stalk and leaves which are highlighted by the fiery red and shiny black of the flowers.
A very different approach is the Wild Briar Rosehips by Catherine Wardrop. Her mixed media on canvas is an unframed, modern interpretation of the traditional botanical art. The small red and orange fruits cascade down the canvas over a cloud-like textured background in a beautifully romantic composition. This work would not appeal to those looking for a formal work for an office but offers a softer choice for the home decorator.
Eighteen artists have come together in this exhibition and may truly call themselves ‘masters’ of their art. Their technical skills can be appreciated by all, for the detailed replication of each plant and anyone with an appreciation of flora must enjoy the display of exotic flowers and plants which may not otherwise be seen.
References:
http://www.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/
Exhibition: Botanica 2006
The Masters Exhibition
– Contemporary Botanical Art
Maiden Theatre
Royal Botanic Gardens - Sydney
6 July 2006 to 16 July 2006
The Marian Theatre is a large old fashioned room with high decorative ceilings, a fitting venue for such a traditional art. The scene was further enhanced by soothing classical music and a central table supporting a huge floral arrangement.
Each art work details exquisitely the beauty of the particular plant, leaf or flower chosen by the artist. To be categorized as Botanical Art, and not merely the painting of flora, the artist must know the botanical name and be able to show several stages of growth in technically correct detail.
There are several large works in this collection. One by David MacKay of Telopea aspera, Waratah leaf, is an exception to the above rule as he depicts only the leaf. Produced in acrylic paint rather than watercolour, his contemporary interpretation gives a shiny finish rather like that of a photograph instead of the more traditional soft watercolour.
Mackay’s other large work, also in acrylics, is a collection of Eucalypt Fruit. This large work has been skilfully composed of 10 different gumnuts to create an interesting piece even for the botanically challenged viewer.
Other large works included Susannah Blaxill’s Gymea Lilly (watercolour & gouache), and Phillipa Nikulinsky’s Scent Grass (watercolour, pencil, gouache & ink). Nikulinsky’s work was particularly skilful in its depiction of a grass tussock complete with intertwined leaves and curling roots. The limited palette of greys, soft green and sienna on buff paper was a soothing change from the bright colours of some of the surrounding floral pieces.
Not all of the works are of flowering plants. Fiona McKinnon and Anita Barley chose vegetables as their subjects. The Red Cabbage depicted by McKinnon is shown side on, as a cut base, cut in half, a flower stem and a seedling. The composition is very well balanced and realistically rendered in watercolours. Barley also chose watercolour to depict the Cucurbit, Golden Nugget plant in its various stages. The inclusion of a spent, greying leaf helps to balance the bright orange of the vegetables.
For detail, the viewer must take in the trilogy of orchids by Fiona McGlynn. While the plants are of subdued tones, the detail of delicate spotted leaves and exotic flowers are a beautiful rendition in the traditional style of this art. Although McGlynn is relatively new to this style of work, her talent is outstanding and it is pleasing to hear she will be having an exhibition in the USA later this year.
In contrast, Barbara Duckworth’s Sturt Desert Pea (watercolour) is a vibrant set of four small works depicting all stages of growth of this Australian native plant. The works capture the energised growth in the spreading habit of the stalk and leaves which are highlighted by the fiery red and shiny black of the flowers.
A very different approach is the Wild Briar Rosehips by Catherine Wardrop. Her mixed media on canvas is an unframed, modern interpretation of the traditional botanical art. The small red and orange fruits cascade down the canvas over a cloud-like textured background in a beautifully romantic composition. This work would not appeal to those looking for a formal work for an office but offers a softer choice for the home decorator.
Eighteen artists have come together in this exhibition and may truly call themselves ‘masters’ of their art. Their technical skills can be appreciated by all, for the detailed replication of each plant and anyone with an appreciation of flora must enjoy the display of exotic flowers and plants which may not otherwise be seen.
References:
- Exhibition card
- Exhibitors List
- Personal notes
http://www.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/
Wednesday, July 19, 2006
Two
June 2006
Exhibition: Two
Second Year Fine Arts Students
TAFE NSW SI - St George College
Pd Art Gallery - Gymea
26 May – 23 June 2006
This very eclectic collection of works by the Fine Arts students’ of St George TAFE College augers well for the future of art in our region. The collection includes photography, print, sculpture and a variety of painting styles. These styles range from Louise Bowles’ Pop Art to Anita Shirley’s Expressionism and to the realism styles of Li Jin and Olsa Ru. An extra-curricula project, this exhibition displays a quality of emerging professionalism by this group.
The lay-out of this gallery is perhaps a little disjointed as there are 3 rooms opening off a long hallway at the top of some rather steep stairs off the street entrance. The need to watch ones step while climbing the stairs means that the artworks hung in the foyer are missed until one is leaving. This is unfortunate as in this case some of the most interesting pieces are hung on the walls around the stairwell.
This includes a large work by Anita Shirley, titled Raining Over Us, in bright heavily textured reds. Another of her works is hung in the hallway. This second work is titled Urbano and is also predominately red in colour. As its title suggests, this work is of an urban landscape in the style of Kevin Connors work, Mid City Mile. Urbano depicts layers of buildings and people in bright contrasting red, orange and purple with lots of movement.
On the opposite wall is a black and white piece, Regn II by Olga Cisternas which fits very well with the white walls of the gallery. This and her other piece, Regn I, a larger work hung in the opposite room, are very interesting styles of textured droplets just like rain falling, in white, grey and black. Unlike the untidy drips of Jackson Pollock’s abstract works, Cisternas has made her marks in a more controlled technique which gives a calmer feeling to her pieces.
Of the few drawings, Sitting Quietly, by Frances Attard shows a relaxed figure nicely worked in pencil.
There are an interesting array of collages and colligraphs in various styles in this exhibition. Three untitled works by Armani Raad are of particular note. While small works, the texture and pattern is very interesting and the variety of tones relate well to those interested in ceramics, as the colours are reminiscent of the oxides, iron, manganese and cobalt.
Photography in many forms also contributes a large number of pieces to this collection. Christie Stylian chooses a dreamy soft portrait style to her Innocence – in a Sense and repeats this style in her Awakening series; her series, Imitating Forms are an interesting close up of the nude female figure; Matt Peeters’ La La Land is a realistic photograph of inner city life in the gutter while Pamela Gregory’s enhanced, long exposure photos capture the movement and light around Harbour Ferries, Customs House and the Harbour Bridge at night.
Stopping carefully on the stairs on the way out allows the viewer to take in a pair of clever works by Louise Bowles. Titled Cliché and Michelin respectively, these large black and white acrylic on board pieces are clever satirical works of Pop Art. Michelin has the cartoon logo character as the central figure along with other characters from this time. Cliché takes Picasso’s Guernica and mixes it with Mickey Mouse and Andy Warhol’s Campbell’s Soup leaving the viewer amused and somewhat puzzled as to the meaning behind it all.
All of these emerging artists have works of interest. As this is work from their second year of study, we can look forward to even more interesting pieces for their graduation show and beyond.
Reference:
Exhibition: Two
Second Year Fine Arts Students
TAFE NSW SI - St George College
Pd Art Gallery - Gymea
26 May – 23 June 2006
This very eclectic collection of works by the Fine Arts students’ of St George TAFE College augers well for the future of art in our region. The collection includes photography, print, sculpture and a variety of painting styles. These styles range from Louise Bowles’ Pop Art to Anita Shirley’s Expressionism and to the realism styles of Li Jin and Olsa Ru. An extra-curricula project, this exhibition displays a quality of emerging professionalism by this group.
The lay-out of this gallery is perhaps a little disjointed as there are 3 rooms opening off a long hallway at the top of some rather steep stairs off the street entrance. The need to watch ones step while climbing the stairs means that the artworks hung in the foyer are missed until one is leaving. This is unfortunate as in this case some of the most interesting pieces are hung on the walls around the stairwell.
This includes a large work by Anita Shirley, titled Raining Over Us, in bright heavily textured reds. Another of her works is hung in the hallway. This second work is titled Urbano and is also predominately red in colour. As its title suggests, this work is of an urban landscape in the style of Kevin Connors work, Mid City Mile. Urbano depicts layers of buildings and people in bright contrasting red, orange and purple with lots of movement.
On the opposite wall is a black and white piece, Regn II by Olga Cisternas which fits very well with the white walls of the gallery. This and her other piece, Regn I, a larger work hung in the opposite room, are very interesting styles of textured droplets just like rain falling, in white, grey and black. Unlike the untidy drips of Jackson Pollock’s abstract works, Cisternas has made her marks in a more controlled technique which gives a calmer feeling to her pieces.
Of the few drawings, Sitting Quietly, by Frances Attard shows a relaxed figure nicely worked in pencil.
There are an interesting array of collages and colligraphs in various styles in this exhibition. Three untitled works by Armani Raad are of particular note. While small works, the texture and pattern is very interesting and the variety of tones relate well to those interested in ceramics, as the colours are reminiscent of the oxides, iron, manganese and cobalt.
Photography in many forms also contributes a large number of pieces to this collection. Christie Stylian chooses a dreamy soft portrait style to her Innocence – in a Sense and repeats this style in her Awakening series; her series, Imitating Forms are an interesting close up of the nude female figure; Matt Peeters’ La La Land is a realistic photograph of inner city life in the gutter while Pamela Gregory’s enhanced, long exposure photos capture the movement and light around Harbour Ferries, Customs House and the Harbour Bridge at night.
Stopping carefully on the stairs on the way out allows the viewer to take in a pair of clever works by Louise Bowles. Titled Cliché and Michelin respectively, these large black and white acrylic on board pieces are clever satirical works of Pop Art. Michelin has the cartoon logo character as the central figure along with other characters from this time. Cliché takes Picasso’s Guernica and mixes it with Mickey Mouse and Andy Warhol’s Campbell’s Soup leaving the viewer amused and somewhat puzzled as to the meaning behind it all.
All of these emerging artists have works of interest. As this is work from their second year of study, we can look forward to even more interesting pieces for their graduation show and beyond.
Reference:
- Personal notes
- Exhibitors List
Saturday, July 01, 2006
Kevin Connor - Sketch books, Drawings & Studies
May 2006
Exhibition: Kevin Connor
SKETCH BOOKS, DRAWINGS AND STUDIES
Art Gallery of NSW
28 April – 25 June 2006
I could live without painting and making sculptures but I could not live without drawing. Drawing is the very basis of everything. I could happily take my sketchbook and draw for the rest of my life and show nobody. - Kevin Connor
The importance of sketching for Kevin Connor is brought home to the viewer by the amazing impact of wall upon wall of pages from his sketch books.
His prolific draughtsmanship shows him to be an interested observer of inner city life, a voyeur of private conversations, people’s foibles and personal characteristics. From art gallery to church, to street, to café, his sketches capture everyday people going about their lives and the atmosphere of the spaces they inhabit.
The works that evolve from these sketches take on extra dimension. For example, his bronze sculpture titled, The Man Who Drinks Milk Outside the Art Gallery (2000) relates to his sketch books #75 and #77 as well as being influenced by a photograph taken by Paul Green which Connor had hanging in his studio at the time. The photo was of a man who drank milk each morning outside the art gallery in order to cope with his alcohol problem. Connor’s charcoal drawing, Smoker 1999 also relates to this sculpture. It shows the same head angle and prominent nose.
Connor’s clay models did not always develop into sculptures. Instead they were allowed to destroy themselves after he had used them to get the right light for his large works in oils.
One model which survived this process and developed into a bronze casting is Group of Four (2000), a small sculpture that Connor used at the same time as painting a preliminary work in gouache and black ink of the same title. The small painting was then developed into a large oil painting, a monochrome with yellow touches titled Four Figures, Stanley Street (Sydney 1998).
It is a rare privilege to be able to view such a comprehensive collection of an artist’s life time works. Starting with sketch book number one in 1976, the collection shown in glass cases record Connors travels to Paris and Baghdad as well as Australia. While most of his sketches are in black ink some books include watercolours. His earlier works are somewhat sparse when compared to the later works which include more detail and are consequently darker and heavier, almost gloomy.
We are told that his sketches in books 37 and 38 relate to Mid City Mile (Sydney) 1994. The sketches include views of the monorail from Pitt Street which are not as apparent in the large painting in black ink and gouache. Perhaps reminiscent of the winner of the Archibald Prize this year, Marcus Wills's The Paul Juraszek monolith (after Marcus Gheeraerts), the painting is full of tiny details of city life stacked in layers throughout rather than the story of one character.
The exhibition is dominated by the large oil paintings on the back wall of the gallery rooms. Of an expressionist style in greys, greens and yellow they show large profiles of heads. Each painting has a sombre tone, evocative of the Van Gogh painting, The Potato Eaters, with similar exaggerated facial features of the subjects. These major works are impressive but may not be to everyone’s taste as the subjects expressions are not of a friendly nature.
Instead, take the time to look on the other side of the room to view Paris Sunset (2000) which is also a large work but without as much texture to the brushstrokes and with subtle touches of red, yellow and green in the background and on the walls of the buildings. With the typical exaggerated features his subject sits at a café table scratching his ear. The accompanying study for this work, also titled Paris Sunset is of approximately A3 page size and Connor has used black ink, wash and red crayon to capture the scene.
Nearby are two more studies of interest. Showing Connor’s fascination for inner city spaces and the people who use the underground railway, these studies have been undertaken using pastels. The first shows the Bastille Metro Paris (1999) and the second Townhall Station Sydney (1999) and are very similar in style and content. Using quick strong marks on the paper, the use of pastels gives more colour than his larger works. Here the study of Sydney uses red, blue and green while the study of Paris uses green, yellow and purple. These studies have been taken from Connor’s sketch books number 66 and 69.
Viewing this exhibition brings one to understand why it is that Kevin Connor is the only artist to have won the Dobell Prize for Drawing twice. His output is truly remarkable. He has also won the Archibald and the Sulman Prize twice. Allow yourself plenty of time to peruse the walls of his many sketches and don’t be surprised to find an observation of city life that may intrigue you.
References:
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,19155002-5001562,00.html
Exhibition: Kevin Connor
SKETCH BOOKS, DRAWINGS AND STUDIES
Art Gallery of NSW
28 April – 25 June 2006
I could live without painting and making sculptures but I could not live without drawing. Drawing is the very basis of everything. I could happily take my sketchbook and draw for the rest of my life and show nobody. - Kevin Connor
The importance of sketching for Kevin Connor is brought home to the viewer by the amazing impact of wall upon wall of pages from his sketch books.
His prolific draughtsmanship shows him to be an interested observer of inner city life, a voyeur of private conversations, people’s foibles and personal characteristics. From art gallery to church, to street, to café, his sketches capture everyday people going about their lives and the atmosphere of the spaces they inhabit.
The works that evolve from these sketches take on extra dimension. For example, his bronze sculpture titled, The Man Who Drinks Milk Outside the Art Gallery (2000) relates to his sketch books #75 and #77 as well as being influenced by a photograph taken by Paul Green which Connor had hanging in his studio at the time. The photo was of a man who drank milk each morning outside the art gallery in order to cope with his alcohol problem. Connor’s charcoal drawing, Smoker 1999 also relates to this sculpture. It shows the same head angle and prominent nose.
Connor’s clay models did not always develop into sculptures. Instead they were allowed to destroy themselves after he had used them to get the right light for his large works in oils.
One model which survived this process and developed into a bronze casting is Group of Four (2000), a small sculpture that Connor used at the same time as painting a preliminary work in gouache and black ink of the same title. The small painting was then developed into a large oil painting, a monochrome with yellow touches titled Four Figures, Stanley Street (Sydney 1998).
It is a rare privilege to be able to view such a comprehensive collection of an artist’s life time works. Starting with sketch book number one in 1976, the collection shown in glass cases record Connors travels to Paris and Baghdad as well as Australia. While most of his sketches are in black ink some books include watercolours. His earlier works are somewhat sparse when compared to the later works which include more detail and are consequently darker and heavier, almost gloomy.
We are told that his sketches in books 37 and 38 relate to Mid City Mile (Sydney) 1994. The sketches include views of the monorail from Pitt Street which are not as apparent in the large painting in black ink and gouache. Perhaps reminiscent of the winner of the Archibald Prize this year, Marcus Wills's The Paul Juraszek monolith (after Marcus Gheeraerts), the painting is full of tiny details of city life stacked in layers throughout rather than the story of one character.
The exhibition is dominated by the large oil paintings on the back wall of the gallery rooms. Of an expressionist style in greys, greens and yellow they show large profiles of heads. Each painting has a sombre tone, evocative of the Van Gogh painting, The Potato Eaters, with similar exaggerated facial features of the subjects. These major works are impressive but may not be to everyone’s taste as the subjects expressions are not of a friendly nature.
Instead, take the time to look on the other side of the room to view Paris Sunset (2000) which is also a large work but without as much texture to the brushstrokes and with subtle touches of red, yellow and green in the background and on the walls of the buildings. With the typical exaggerated features his subject sits at a café table scratching his ear. The accompanying study for this work, also titled Paris Sunset is of approximately A3 page size and Connor has used black ink, wash and red crayon to capture the scene.
Nearby are two more studies of interest. Showing Connor’s fascination for inner city spaces and the people who use the underground railway, these studies have been undertaken using pastels. The first shows the Bastille Metro Paris (1999) and the second Townhall Station Sydney (1999) and are very similar in style and content. Using quick strong marks on the paper, the use of pastels gives more colour than his larger works. Here the study of Sydney uses red, blue and green while the study of Paris uses green, yellow and purple. These studies have been taken from Connor’s sketch books number 66 and 69.
Viewing this exhibition brings one to understand why it is that Kevin Connor is the only artist to have won the Dobell Prize for Drawing twice. His output is truly remarkable. He has also won the Archibald and the Sulman Prize twice. Allow yourself plenty of time to peruse the walls of his many sketches and don’t be surprised to find an observation of city life that may intrigue you.
References:
- Personal Notes of Exhibition
- Websites:
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,19155002-5001562,00.html
Colour Power Review
24 March 2006
Exhibition: Colour Power: Aboriginal Art Post 1984
Wollongong City Gallery
18 February 2006 to 23 April 2006
A celebration of the daring and visionary use of colour by Indigenous Australian Artists.
Colourful indeed! Every piece in this exhibition challenges the traditional use of colour by Australian Indigenous artists.
There are very few earth tones – even in the beautifully elaborate woven object by Mati (Bridget) Mudgidell (1935 – 2002) of Balgo WA. This piece which was made for the opening of a cultural centre, features woven fibres decorated with paint, bright woollen threads, painted eucalyptus nuts and painted feathers.
While most of the pieces in this exhibition are paintings on canvas, there are also included a set of woven figures which incorporate such materials as hair, grasses and colourful wools by Kantijupayi Benson.
Of the many intriguing works I found three of particular interest. Preparing for Ceremony (Artist deceased) Garadalpurru – The Kangaroo 1988 Ngukurr NT has contrasting lime green and red animal figures. The artist was the caretaker for a kangaroo ceremony where the performers dance and hop.
In this work the red kangaroos appear to be defending themselves against attack by lime green dogs. The colours are highlighted by the surrounding cross-hatch pattern of white and lime green over a black background. The patterns and placement of figures and trees make it a traditionally aboriginal work while the outstanding colours bring it right into the contemporary art world.
Bessie Liddles’ Iltjiltjari Country (2000 Alice Springs NT) depicts everyday life. The use of blocks of bright primary colours of red and blue with black is as far from traditional colours as possible. The subject is very contemporary showing a truck on a road to a few buildings. This is an interesting juxtaposition of aboriginal mapping of a story and almost Cubist depiction of a village.
Lumbanbardee by Nancy Naninurra Napanangka (2004 Balgo WA) would be a traditional work if it wasn’t for the brilliant colouring. Representing water rock holes of importance to her people, the bright contrasting colours are almost fluorescent. The water holes are depicted in black and surrounded by white which in turn is surrounded by oranges, yellows and a vivid pinky purple. The colouring brings a new focus to the work. It is no longer telling a story to the artists’ people alone. It now brings to the non-indigenous viewer a sense of place and an appreciation of pattern.
It would have been helpful to the viewer to have more information available to interpret these works. The catalogue was not readily available and was relatively expensive to order.
Several questions go unanswered. Was there a relationship between the different works or are they purely examples of the new use of a colourful material? Was the use of colour significant to the story being told?
Certainly the viewer can appreciate both the Aboriginal traditions of pattern and story as well as the original use of colour in this exhibition.
References:
Personal notes from viewing exhibition.
Gallery advertising card
Websites:
http://www.wollongongcitygallery.com/
http://gallery.discoverymedia.com.au/artzinePub/story.asp?id=271§ion=ExNews
Exhibition: Colour Power: Aboriginal Art Post 1984
Wollongong City Gallery
18 February 2006 to 23 April 2006
A celebration of the daring and visionary use of colour by Indigenous Australian Artists.
Colourful indeed! Every piece in this exhibition challenges the traditional use of colour by Australian Indigenous artists.
There are very few earth tones – even in the beautifully elaborate woven object by Mati (Bridget) Mudgidell (1935 – 2002) of Balgo WA. This piece which was made for the opening of a cultural centre, features woven fibres decorated with paint, bright woollen threads, painted eucalyptus nuts and painted feathers.
While most of the pieces in this exhibition are paintings on canvas, there are also included a set of woven figures which incorporate such materials as hair, grasses and colourful wools by Kantijupayi Benson.
Of the many intriguing works I found three of particular interest. Preparing for Ceremony (Artist deceased) Garadalpurru – The Kangaroo 1988 Ngukurr NT has contrasting lime green and red animal figures. The artist was the caretaker for a kangaroo ceremony where the performers dance and hop.
In this work the red kangaroos appear to be defending themselves against attack by lime green dogs. The colours are highlighted by the surrounding cross-hatch pattern of white and lime green over a black background. The patterns and placement of figures and trees make it a traditionally aboriginal work while the outstanding colours bring it right into the contemporary art world.
Bessie Liddles’ Iltjiltjari Country (2000 Alice Springs NT) depicts everyday life. The use of blocks of bright primary colours of red and blue with black is as far from traditional colours as possible. The subject is very contemporary showing a truck on a road to a few buildings. This is an interesting juxtaposition of aboriginal mapping of a story and almost Cubist depiction of a village.
Lumbanbardee by Nancy Naninurra Napanangka (2004 Balgo WA) would be a traditional work if it wasn’t for the brilliant colouring. Representing water rock holes of importance to her people, the bright contrasting colours are almost fluorescent. The water holes are depicted in black and surrounded by white which in turn is surrounded by oranges, yellows and a vivid pinky purple. The colouring brings a new focus to the work. It is no longer telling a story to the artists’ people alone. It now brings to the non-indigenous viewer a sense of place and an appreciation of pattern.
It would have been helpful to the viewer to have more information available to interpret these works. The catalogue was not readily available and was relatively expensive to order.
Several questions go unanswered. Was there a relationship between the different works or are they purely examples of the new use of a colourful material? Was the use of colour significant to the story being told?
Certainly the viewer can appreciate both the Aboriginal traditions of pattern and story as well as the original use of colour in this exhibition.
References:
Personal notes from viewing exhibition.
Gallery advertising card
Websites:
http://www.wollongongcitygallery.com/
http://gallery.discoverymedia.com.au/artzinePub/story.asp?id=271§ion=ExNews
The Wynne Prize 2006
26 April 2006
Exhibition: Wynne Prize
Landscape
Art Gallery of NSW
25 March – 28 May 2006
Run in conjunction with the Archibald and the Sir John Sulman Prize, the Wynne Prize has produced a magnificent collection of styles and subject matter. While purporting to be for landscape painting or figurative sculpture, some of the pieces seem to fall far outside these criteria.
For example, although an interesting allegory, the blanket covered furniture and everyday objects that create Homeland Security by Kenny Smith are neither traditional landscape nor figurative. The mixed media piece by James Powditch using found objects and titled On the Beach also stretches the criteria of this exhibition. Mounted on board, this collection of Penguin book covers, prints, signs and plastic model cars is not the conventional idea of a landscape, yet it bridges the gap between painting and sculpture. His use of old illustrative prints which includes white swans floating under willow trees, and toy plastic cars inserted between bare timbers somehow evokes the beach side holiday of our childhood.
Certainly the winner of this prize, The Gap by John Bennett, a large monotone of wax and oil on canvas, which has a soft misty post-impressionist feel, is a worthy recipient. The use of wax softens the texture of the pointillist like brush strokes and the soft greys give it a more European feel than other paintings in this exhibition which often use Australian desert tones.
For those preferring a realistic style there is Ocean Violet Green No.81 by Chris Langlois. One can almost smell the sea and feel the misty cloud while looking at this work. His definite horizon line draws us into the picture and the variation of grey to blue to green gives the depth evocative of gazing seaward on a cloudy day.
Other pieces that also have a realistic style are the charcoal, ashes and acrylic After the Fire at Kariong by David Rose and the outback dust storm of Ian Waldron titled Who Knows What Lies Beyond the Bloodwood Scrub. The dramatic centrally placed orange tree trunk of Rose’s almost photographic realism is highlighted by the real ashes giving texture to the nearby rocks and the painted grey ash disappearing into the background under the burnt trees. Waldron’s piece is dominated by what appear to be totem poles within and without the main view. Framed by a black border top and bottom the work is reminiscent of an oncoming dust storm viewed through a windscreen or widescreen TV. Perhaps the poles represent telegraph poles being passed by on the road. The heavy marbling of paint in Aboriginal colours of black, red, ochre and white gives the poles a certain significance and adds to the mood of the painting by contrasting with the softer yet dramatic rolling dust-storm in the background.
Despite containing elements of realism in his rendition of plants and the bushfire ravaged fence, John Wolseley’s watercolour, Poet’s Fence 1 has a much softer abstract composition. Mandy Martin’s work, Boonderoo Rocks and Japonism which uses oil, ochre and pigments on linen, also mingles the harshness of the Australian landscape with muted colours to create a pleasing tableau. Her use of sprayed on warm orange in the lower foreground and the ochre which stands out from the surface of the canvas contrast around the slightly right of centre, tree and cloud of green and black evoking remembered images of Chinese mountains. The Japonism in the title is clearly reference to the composition of rocks and tree, however given her involvement with environmental issues, perhaps there is also a deeper meaning in this work. Then again it may just represent her way of looking at a landscape in more than one way within a work.
Showing the Australian landscape in cooler colours, and showing mist in a different mood to Chris Langlois’s Ocean, Cloud on the mountain, Jamberoo by Guy Warren has introduced just enough orange to contrast with his predominately, green, white and blue contemporary depiction of this Illawarra valley. Here the mist is looked down on from the hills above and is shown giving a white cloak to the trees. His expressive use of free flowing brushstrokes and diagonal line gives movement to the mist as it swirls through the trees and around the gullies.
One of the last pieces in this exhibition seems to have combined all of the criteria in a light hearted manner. By Anita Larkin and titled, terra firma this fibreglass sculpture of the female figure is covered in maps which are stitched together to create a patterned skin which draws the eye to closer examination.
This exhibition showcases the talents of Australia’s current artists even as it stretches the idea of what constitutes a landscape or figurative sculpture. The varied and interesting styles and mediums used in the different works for this exhibition have combined to make viewing it, an extremely memorable experience.
References:
Exhibition: Wynne Prize
Landscape
Art Gallery of NSW
25 March – 28 May 2006
Run in conjunction with the Archibald and the Sir John Sulman Prize, the Wynne Prize has produced a magnificent collection of styles and subject matter. While purporting to be for landscape painting or figurative sculpture, some of the pieces seem to fall far outside these criteria.
For example, although an interesting allegory, the blanket covered furniture and everyday objects that create Homeland Security by Kenny Smith are neither traditional landscape nor figurative. The mixed media piece by James Powditch using found objects and titled On the Beach also stretches the criteria of this exhibition. Mounted on board, this collection of Penguin book covers, prints, signs and plastic model cars is not the conventional idea of a landscape, yet it bridges the gap between painting and sculpture. His use of old illustrative prints which includes white swans floating under willow trees, and toy plastic cars inserted between bare timbers somehow evokes the beach side holiday of our childhood.
Certainly the winner of this prize, The Gap by John Bennett, a large monotone of wax and oil on canvas, which has a soft misty post-impressionist feel, is a worthy recipient. The use of wax softens the texture of the pointillist like brush strokes and the soft greys give it a more European feel than other paintings in this exhibition which often use Australian desert tones.
For those preferring a realistic style there is Ocean Violet Green No.81 by Chris Langlois. One can almost smell the sea and feel the misty cloud while looking at this work. His definite horizon line draws us into the picture and the variation of grey to blue to green gives the depth evocative of gazing seaward on a cloudy day.
Other pieces that also have a realistic style are the charcoal, ashes and acrylic After the Fire at Kariong by David Rose and the outback dust storm of Ian Waldron titled Who Knows What Lies Beyond the Bloodwood Scrub. The dramatic centrally placed orange tree trunk of Rose’s almost photographic realism is highlighted by the real ashes giving texture to the nearby rocks and the painted grey ash disappearing into the background under the burnt trees. Waldron’s piece is dominated by what appear to be totem poles within and without the main view. Framed by a black border top and bottom the work is reminiscent of an oncoming dust storm viewed through a windscreen or widescreen TV. Perhaps the poles represent telegraph poles being passed by on the road. The heavy marbling of paint in Aboriginal colours of black, red, ochre and white gives the poles a certain significance and adds to the mood of the painting by contrasting with the softer yet dramatic rolling dust-storm in the background.
Despite containing elements of realism in his rendition of plants and the bushfire ravaged fence, John Wolseley’s watercolour, Poet’s Fence 1 has a much softer abstract composition. Mandy Martin’s work, Boonderoo Rocks and Japonism which uses oil, ochre and pigments on linen, also mingles the harshness of the Australian landscape with muted colours to create a pleasing tableau. Her use of sprayed on warm orange in the lower foreground and the ochre which stands out from the surface of the canvas contrast around the slightly right of centre, tree and cloud of green and black evoking remembered images of Chinese mountains. The Japonism in the title is clearly reference to the composition of rocks and tree, however given her involvement with environmental issues, perhaps there is also a deeper meaning in this work. Then again it may just represent her way of looking at a landscape in more than one way within a work.
Showing the Australian landscape in cooler colours, and showing mist in a different mood to Chris Langlois’s Ocean, Cloud on the mountain, Jamberoo by Guy Warren has introduced just enough orange to contrast with his predominately, green, white and blue contemporary depiction of this Illawarra valley. Here the mist is looked down on from the hills above and is shown giving a white cloak to the trees. His expressive use of free flowing brushstrokes and diagonal line gives movement to the mist as it swirls through the trees and around the gullies.
One of the last pieces in this exhibition seems to have combined all of the criteria in a light hearted manner. By Anita Larkin and titled, terra firma this fibreglass sculpture of the female figure is covered in maps which are stitched together to create a patterned skin which draws the eye to closer examination.
This exhibition showcases the talents of Australia’s current artists even as it stretches the idea of what constitutes a landscape or figurative sculpture. The varied and interesting styles and mediums used in the different works for this exhibition have combined to make viewing it, an extremely memorable experience.
References:
- Leaflet – Art Gallery of NSW
- Personal Notes of Exhibition
- Website: http://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au
- Website: http://www.roslynoxley9.com.au/news/releases/2004/11/18/83/
Self Portrait - Renaissance to Comtemporary
26 April 2006
Exhibition: Self Portrait
Renaissance to Contemporary
Art Gallery of NSW
17 February 2006 – 14 May 2006
The exhibition is a celebration of the skill, inventiveness and wit of individual artists, and an exploration of the qualities particular to the self-portrait painted in oils. (Excerpt from gallery brochure).
This selection of works is not only of interest as self-portraits of artists but it is also a pictorial history of artistic styles down the centuries –from the early smooth Mannerist style of Allori to the staccato brushwork of Vincent Van Gogh, through to the Pop images of Andy Warhol’s’ acrylic silk screen prints.
Arranged in chronological order around the exhibition space the selected works begin with a tiny duo by Gerlach Flicke (1495-1558) painted on the top of a small box, and concludes with a range of current artists including Jenny Saville (b.1970).
It is interesting to note that the advent of the self-portrait coincided with the technical improvement of glass manufacture which allowed artists to use mirrors of sufficient reflective quality. This technological advance is followed later by the advent of the camera which is the tool of choice for Jenny Saville whose oversized, squashed up nude dominates the contemporary pieces.
Prior to cameras, the portrait artist was in demand to record images of friends and family as mementos for those travelling or separated for various reasons. The self-portrait was used as a portfolio to exhibit the artist’s skills and to show the class and status of the artist in a hierarchal society.
Even back in the early 1600s, artists used the composition of their works to create interest. The work by Annibale Carracci, the renowned painter of the Farnese ceiling mural in Rome and the creator of the Baroque style, shows not the artist looking out at us but rather his image on a canvas on his easel. His small white dog sits next to the easel looking at the viewer. This is a very modern, almost 20th Century composition rather than the traditional classic pose and certainly not the Baroque style for which he became known.
There are a surprising number of women artists represented in these early works. Striving to overcome the perceived roles of the man as inventor and maker while the woman’s role was seen as that of the nurturing domestic, women such as Sofonisba Anguissola portrayed themselves as classic characters, in this case enacting the role of St Luke painting the Virgin Mary.
The work by Judith Leyster (1609-60) shows her smiling as she works on a painting of a laughing minstrel. Judith may not have struggled to be recognised as an artist as much as some women artists of her time as she grew up surrounded by talented family members. Perhaps by representing herself at her artistic work she hoped to further minimise any prejudice against herself as a woman.
Not only are these works of interest for their technique, they also show us the attire of the day. For example, Judith shows herself wearing a cap with sheer material edging it and a wonderful Elizabethan lacy ruff standing out horizontally from her neck across her shoulders, which would strengthen the concept of herself to her prospective patrons as one of the acceptable artistic class.
One might compare this happy composition with the other Dutch artist in this exhibition, Charley Toorop (1891-1955) whose stern face stares out at us from a background of winter branches reflecting the tough times of occupied Holland during the last years of World War II.
The bright pink, yellow and bright Mexican blues of “The Frame” by Frida Kahlo (1907-54) also contrast with the stark monotones of Toorop’s self portrait. The brightness of Frida Kahlo’s work defies the pain she was known to have suffered after a bus accident in Mexico City in 1925. While sometimes referred to as a Surrealist she denied this term saying that she “represented her own reality”.
The cooperation between the National Portrait Gallery of London, curator, Dr Joanna Woodall of the Courtauld Institute of Art and Anthony Bond, Head Curator at the NSW Art Gallery has brought together an extraordinary collection for our enjoyment. Many works in this exhibition are normally kept in permanent collections in Madrid, Washington, New York and in Britain, the Royal Collection, as well as the Tate Gallery and the National Portrait Gallery itself.
Whether the viewer is an art student, a collector of art, an art historian or someone who appreciates art for arts sake, this exhibition has something of interest. Rarely, in Australia, is it possible to see the range of history of western art represented together in one place as it is here. Despite the fact that some lesser known women artists are represented here perhaps Dr Woodall or Mr Bond strove to ensure they were included, for their inclusion adds to the overall interest and knowledge of western art history.
References:
Exhibition: Self Portrait
Renaissance to Contemporary
Art Gallery of NSW
17 February 2006 – 14 May 2006
The exhibition is a celebration of the skill, inventiveness and wit of individual artists, and an exploration of the qualities particular to the self-portrait painted in oils. (Excerpt from gallery brochure).
This selection of works is not only of interest as self-portraits of artists but it is also a pictorial history of artistic styles down the centuries –from the early smooth Mannerist style of Allori to the staccato brushwork of Vincent Van Gogh, through to the Pop images of Andy Warhol’s’ acrylic silk screen prints.
Arranged in chronological order around the exhibition space the selected works begin with a tiny duo by Gerlach Flicke (1495-1558) painted on the top of a small box, and concludes with a range of current artists including Jenny Saville (b.1970).
It is interesting to note that the advent of the self-portrait coincided with the technical improvement of glass manufacture which allowed artists to use mirrors of sufficient reflective quality. This technological advance is followed later by the advent of the camera which is the tool of choice for Jenny Saville whose oversized, squashed up nude dominates the contemporary pieces.
Prior to cameras, the portrait artist was in demand to record images of friends and family as mementos for those travelling or separated for various reasons. The self-portrait was used as a portfolio to exhibit the artist’s skills and to show the class and status of the artist in a hierarchal society.
Even back in the early 1600s, artists used the composition of their works to create interest. The work by Annibale Carracci, the renowned painter of the Farnese ceiling mural in Rome and the creator of the Baroque style, shows not the artist looking out at us but rather his image on a canvas on his easel. His small white dog sits next to the easel looking at the viewer. This is a very modern, almost 20th Century composition rather than the traditional classic pose and certainly not the Baroque style for which he became known.
There are a surprising number of women artists represented in these early works. Striving to overcome the perceived roles of the man as inventor and maker while the woman’s role was seen as that of the nurturing domestic, women such as Sofonisba Anguissola portrayed themselves as classic characters, in this case enacting the role of St Luke painting the Virgin Mary.
The work by Judith Leyster (1609-60) shows her smiling as she works on a painting of a laughing minstrel. Judith may not have struggled to be recognised as an artist as much as some women artists of her time as she grew up surrounded by talented family members. Perhaps by representing herself at her artistic work she hoped to further minimise any prejudice against herself as a woman.
Not only are these works of interest for their technique, they also show us the attire of the day. For example, Judith shows herself wearing a cap with sheer material edging it and a wonderful Elizabethan lacy ruff standing out horizontally from her neck across her shoulders, which would strengthen the concept of herself to her prospective patrons as one of the acceptable artistic class.
One might compare this happy composition with the other Dutch artist in this exhibition, Charley Toorop (1891-1955) whose stern face stares out at us from a background of winter branches reflecting the tough times of occupied Holland during the last years of World War II.
The bright pink, yellow and bright Mexican blues of “The Frame” by Frida Kahlo (1907-54) also contrast with the stark monotones of Toorop’s self portrait. The brightness of Frida Kahlo’s work defies the pain she was known to have suffered after a bus accident in Mexico City in 1925. While sometimes referred to as a Surrealist she denied this term saying that she “represented her own reality”.
The cooperation between the National Portrait Gallery of London, curator, Dr Joanna Woodall of the Courtauld Institute of Art and Anthony Bond, Head Curator at the NSW Art Gallery has brought together an extraordinary collection for our enjoyment. Many works in this exhibition are normally kept in permanent collections in Madrid, Washington, New York and in Britain, the Royal Collection, as well as the Tate Gallery and the National Portrait Gallery itself.
Whether the viewer is an art student, a collector of art, an art historian or someone who appreciates art for arts sake, this exhibition has something of interest. Rarely, in Australia, is it possible to see the range of history of western art represented together in one place as it is here. Despite the fact that some lesser known women artists are represented here perhaps Dr Woodall or Mr Bond strove to ensure they were included, for their inclusion adds to the overall interest and knowledge of western art history.
References:
- Leaflet – Art Gallery of NSW
- Personal Notes of Exhibition
- Websites:
- http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/carr/hd_carr.htm
- http://www.galeries.nl
- http://www.npg.org.uk/live/npgselfportrait2005_guide.pdf
Pissarro
Exhibition Review 10 February 2005
Exhibition: Camille Pissarro (1830 – 1903)
Art Gallery of NSW – Sydney
19 November 2005 to 19 February 2006
Happy are those who see beautiful things in modest places. Everything is beautiful; the whole thing is to know how to interpret.
This philosophy, expressed to his son, plus his work ethic, are the basis for the prolific number of paintings, etchings and prints that Camille Pissarro managed to produce in his lifetime. He distanced himself and his work from the traditional Academy training and Salon exhibitions of France and consequently did not make much money from his works until very late in life by which time his eyesight had diminished.
His early mentor and tutor was Camille Corot (1796 – 1875) who encouraged him to paint outdoors. Another artist of influence was Gustave Courbet (1819 – 77) who used the then unorthodox method of applying thick oil paint with a palette knife.
Pissarro is known as the ‘Founding Father of Impressionism’. He participated in all eight Impressionist exhibitions held from 1874 to 1886.
His subjects were those of the ordinary, every day sights and events of his time, showing his rejection of the traditional Salon approach to art. This exhibition gives a generous display of the different styles and techniques which Pissarro experimented with during his lifetime.
He experimented with several different styles of painting and also, like Degas, made some extraordinary prints of various types including wood cut and etching.
Factory near Pontoise (1873) is not only a fine example of his Impressionist style but shows the growing industrialism of the time. It is an interesting composition of nature and the man-made environment. Perhaps this led the way for modern day artists such as Jeffrey Smart.
Pissarro may have scorned the Academy training of the day however, his draftsmanship and technical ability shines through his etchings and prints. The deceptively easy technique of the wood cut print is brought to life with his coloured prints Women herb gathering (1893).
These prints may reflect the influence of Japanese art in France at this time. Certainly the oil painting La Place du Theatre Francais (1898) shows a viewpoint from above which may have come about not only through the necessity of his failing health but the influence of the Japanese perspective.
The inclusion of several of Pissarro’s self portraits in this exhibition shows the range of experimental techniques explored through during his lifetime. The earliest gives a feeling of his traditional training while the last gives us an appreciation of the distance he traveled from those beginnings. It shows an elderly, white bearded man in a soft and sketchy technique in contrast with the dark strong tones of the earliest portrait.
This exhibition has something for anyone with an appreciation of the Impressionist school. Pissarro’s experimentation and his working friendships with artists such as Cezanne, Degas and Monet can be seen to have influenced much of his work. We are privileged to have such a wide collection of his work available for our enjoyment.
Reference:
(image placeholder)
(image placeholder)
“La Place du Theatre Francais, (1898)
Exhibition: Camille Pissarro (1830 – 1903)
Art Gallery of NSW – Sydney
19 November 2005 to 19 February 2006
Happy are those who see beautiful things in modest places. Everything is beautiful; the whole thing is to know how to interpret.
This philosophy, expressed to his son, plus his work ethic, are the basis for the prolific number of paintings, etchings and prints that Camille Pissarro managed to produce in his lifetime. He distanced himself and his work from the traditional Academy training and Salon exhibitions of France and consequently did not make much money from his works until very late in life by which time his eyesight had diminished.
His early mentor and tutor was Camille Corot (1796 – 1875) who encouraged him to paint outdoors. Another artist of influence was Gustave Courbet (1819 – 77) who used the then unorthodox method of applying thick oil paint with a palette knife.
Pissarro is known as the ‘Founding Father of Impressionism’. He participated in all eight Impressionist exhibitions held from 1874 to 1886.
His subjects were those of the ordinary, every day sights and events of his time, showing his rejection of the traditional Salon approach to art. This exhibition gives a generous display of the different styles and techniques which Pissarro experimented with during his lifetime.
He experimented with several different styles of painting and also, like Degas, made some extraordinary prints of various types including wood cut and etching.
Factory near Pontoise (1873) is not only a fine example of his Impressionist style but shows the growing industrialism of the time. It is an interesting composition of nature and the man-made environment. Perhaps this led the way for modern day artists such as Jeffrey Smart.
Pissarro may have scorned the Academy training of the day however, his draftsmanship and technical ability shines through his etchings and prints. The deceptively easy technique of the wood cut print is brought to life with his coloured prints Women herb gathering (1893).
These prints may reflect the influence of Japanese art in France at this time. Certainly the oil painting La Place du Theatre Francais (1898) shows a viewpoint from above which may have come about not only through the necessity of his failing health but the influence of the Japanese perspective.
The inclusion of several of Pissarro’s self portraits in this exhibition shows the range of experimental techniques explored through during his lifetime. The earliest gives a feeling of his traditional training while the last gives us an appreciation of the distance he traveled from those beginnings. It shows an elderly, white bearded man in a soft and sketchy technique in contrast with the dark strong tones of the earliest portrait.
This exhibition has something for anyone with an appreciation of the Impressionist school. Pissarro’s experimentation and his working friendships with artists such as Cezanne, Degas and Monet can be seen to have influenced much of his work. We are privileged to have such a wide collection of his work available for our enjoyment.
Reference:
- Leaflet – Art Gallery of NSW
- Book - Impressionists, Berenice Morvan (2002),Paris
- www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au
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“La Place du Theatre Francais, (1898)
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This blog will be to store my Exhibition Reviews which are part of my Diploma in Ceramics.
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