CCASMANUKA

Family Altar and other works by Tiffany Cole

10-20 April

OPENING 6pm Thursday 10 April 2008

2007 CCAS studio residents' solo exhibitions

Tiffany Cole Becky 2008

In this exhibition Family Altar and Other Works, Cole explores the glory of everyday life and the individuals it is shared with.
This latest work is a direct response from the artist’s recent travels to Spain and her exposure to the country’s rich collection of religious altarpieces from around the 13th to 15th centuries. By placing her intricately painted figures and creatures within a golden space, the artist employs the luminous decorative nature of the gold leaf surface, and appropriates the ethereal qualities and spiritual associations linked historically with the use of gold leaf. Characteristically, altarpieces depict scenes of saints performing miracles, or angels descending from on high, but in Cole’s work we see an odd collection of family members and delicate little insects positioned in a casual stance or perched for a rest on a leaf. These are the artist’s treasures, set in gold. The use of wood as a support is a traditional approach to this genre, and the artist’s labour intensive method of painting reflects a kind of devotion.

The artist would like to thank the Embassy of Spain for their generosity in offering the artist the opportunity to travel and research in Spain as part of the Emerging Artist’s Support Scheme at the ANU.