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MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM THE SOCIAL CONTROL CENTRE CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA WHITE OUT (18.12.08) This is not the last event of the year but its the last one we can squeeze in the 09 social pages before ccas personnel head off to their respective christmas duties. Alex James and Timo Nest got together and turned on the sherbert, white cheeses, ice cream, meringues and a very nice (indeed) marlborough sav blanc in the spirit of their themed exhibition to white. A keen snow boarder, I'm told, Alex's contribution was a small sample of astonishing whiter than white snowy scapes that will be included his forth coming book and Timo showed a some of his awe-inspiring 'bleached' horizons. Yet another class act from these eager beavers and its on only until 24 December. Keep and eye on these pages for Alex's book launch earlyish in 09.
OUTINGS: CROQUET AND CHRISTMAS (17.12.08) After what amounts to an excellent year at CCAS why wouldn't we choose one of Australia's most glamorous hotels for the office christmas party. Well not exactly a party ... the Canberra Hyatt is famous for its HIGH Teas during which one can drink tea and champers while scoffing on unlimited de-crusted sandwhiches and petit fours. Many a famous politician, Elton John and no doubt, a few foreign dictators have bedded down in the exclusive atmosphere of the Hyatt. As it turned out the high tea was an exceedingly civilised way to end the year and no one was drunk, said bitchy things or got sacked. BELIEVE IT OR NOT: a bottle of Bollinger was turned down for a pot of tea. Is Kevin Rudd's anti-binge drinking message getting through? The short answer is NO. It was a temporary lapse .... and there are 7 day remaining until Christmas ....
DEGAS AT THE NGA: CHAMPERS AND TULLE (12.12.08) Some 150 years down the track and the Impressionists seem to have come full circle, from revolutionary to popular kitsch and back again. They may be gone but they're certainly not forgotten as they continue to generate widespread "aesthetic hysteria". At the opening of Degas: master of French art at the National Gallery last night Director Ron Radford hinted that Australia has waited forever for this exhibition of works by the French master and the NGA put on a very nice opening to mark the occasion. Some of us might be struggling towards the party season finishing line (with a long way still to go), but a glass or two of Pol Roger champers was quite welcome. Also notable was a very high standard of dress .... a few bold people even flirted with tulle and amazingly, got away with it ! Another cheeky few attempted French accents, (" 'e (Degas) was not an 'edonist" ) but no one could compete with Guy Cogeval President of the Musee d'Orsay, Paris, who opened the exhibition. This is an exhibition that many people will be taking their mothers to over the Christmas/New Year period and they are going to love it ! Continues until 22 March.
BLAZE #3 (9.12.08) It was the last opening of the CCAS year as christmas lights appear at the end of the tunnel. But we are not quite ready to send out the greetings as there are a couple of openings still to come. But back to Blaze which is the annual group exhibtion of the CCAS Stdudio Residents and a show that we all look forward too. A lot. Its a showcase of what the residents have been up to during their first year post uni and its always amazing to see a some major shifts in their developing practices. Its a tricky time of year but the Blaze dates are 9-18 DECEMBER 08 and 20-31 JANUARY 09.
GRADUATING EXHIBITION OPENING 2008 (6.12.08) The graduating exhibtion ANU School of Art also includes patrons day on the previous Wednesday, a preview for patrons and potential patrons and a host of awards that are provided by the ACT arts community. Awards, prizes and sales on the ANU scale are almost unheard of anywhere else in the country and its certainly gives everyone a warm and fuzzy feeling as graduating students are "taken care of " in many different ways. Shakira Longmore won the coveted Spanish Embassy award and will soon be off to Spain. CCAS takes up to 6 residents each year and the successful applicants/awardees for 2009 are listed below. CCAS Studio Residents for 2009
LAST MANUKA SHOW FOR 08 (5.12.08) Tanisha Jowsey's vibrant and tongue-in-cheek exhibition Comments on Picasso opened at the Manuka Gallery last night. Consisting mostly of colourful paintings that frequently reference or comment upon the infamous Andalusian cubist master Pablo Picasso, Tanisha has also entered a bit of 3D and installation work into the mix. While the ccas staff were seen leaving early due to the current relentless grind of openings, Tanisha and mates looked like they were gearing up for an excellent night! Exhibition contiinues until 14 Decemeber at ccasManuka.
ORDINARY PEOPLE - NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY OPENS (4.12.08) Although its always hard to know who everyone is ... everyone who was anyone (and a few who weren't ) were at the opening of the new National Portrait Gallery. The ceremonies began with an 'irrevant' Welcome to Country from Matilda House and a few words from the NPG's charming outgoing chair Marilyn Darling and silver tongued Director Andrew Sayers. Flanked by past and future Prime Ministers, the current Prime Minister Kevin Rudd gave a convincing speech that would have you believe he really thought the arts had made a contribution to the national "identity, history, creativity and culture". Then it was time for drinks and a look around the galleries ... but I will reserve my comments until they are emptied of Prime Ministers. It was no GOMA opening but a very pleasant evening with lots of interesting people around and some of them pictured below. The ABC/NPG double act with 20 artists working with 20 most inspiring unsung heroes is a cracker of a project that warms the cockles or your heart and brings a tear to the eye. Extraordinary people actually .... and notice how young everyone looks in the Canberra light!
I COULD HAVE DANCED ALL NIGHT ... CAPO 08 (2.12.08) As the ACT arts community begins to buckle under the stain of a coming week of extreme activity comes CAPO (Capital Artists Patrons Organisation) an annual auction that to some extent kick starts the silly season in Canberra. CAPO is a volunteer non-profit organisation that has supported the ACT region's artists for 25 years. Since establishment in 1983, CAPO has disbursed over $1.7 million dollars as arts fellowships and grants with support from the Canberra arts and business communities. Its just one of those crazy nights at which anyone who is anyone can be found splurging and quaffing at the National Archive of Australia. Lots of fancy frocks, a couple of shameless shirts and a bit of bling were well and truly evident at this night of nights. Many people left with fantastic art works at very competitive prices. Others left with prizes such as a weekend in Barb and Janes holiday apartment on the south coast or a live home performance by an opera singer. Like that.
WINNERS CIRCLE CAPO Fellowship - Elizabeth Kelly CHARLATANS QUALMS AND THE LIQUID LULL (1.12.08)
MELBOURNE UN-STUFF (26.11.08) 1. un. MAGAZINE A wet launch for un. magazine at Melbourne's Hell Gallery (ARI) drew a reasonable crowd inspite of the weather. It may have been freezing but the people were warm as hot Next Wave Director Jeff Khan spoke to an exciteable crowd. Lots of flowers were handed out to the deserving and then the Hot BItches performed - better than a heater in their lycra and head bands. un.Magazine is excellent, available from the CCAS bookstore and its FREE.
2. UNCERTAIN LANDSCAPES (26.11.08) Canberra's own Samantha Small is one of the artists (along with Ken Yonetani, StephenDanzig and Natasha Frisch) in a very cool show at the Dianne Tanzer on Gertrude Street. Uncertain Landscapes focuses on uncertainty: physical, environmental and emotional. Topical. This is the first outing for Sam's Mrs Allen's Empire, a series of photographs taken inside a home following a fatal fire. The colour of the rooms turns to black and white in atmospheric works that evoke both beauty and tragedy. At Dianne Tanzer Gallery untl 21.12.08
LIGHTNING CAMERAS ACTION (26.11.08) As one might expect the lightning as well as the cameras were flashing at the opening of the Queensland College of the Arts Photography Graduates exhibition on Thursday 20. David Broker opened the show with a speech entitled How to be a successful artist in 10 sleazy steps. Moments after the speech and the award ceremony all hell broke loose as yet another cyclonic storm hit Brisbane. More death and destruction but you can’t dampen the spirits of fresh graduates and the party was moved up stairs with miraculous speed. The photos below are testimony to a very good night. Finally made it to Optimism at the Gallery of Modern Art. This is a great exhibition that to some extent reflects an attitude in Queensland today, rich, brassy, colorful and flamboyant.Upstairs in GOMA there is the Queensland Premiers Award for Media Arts wich has some fantastic works. Brisbane based Peter Alwast won the award with a spectacular digital video work but one has to wonder what the judges thought of an extraordinary (mind boggling) piece by Joyce Hinterding and David Haines.
TONGAN TALES/MIXED METAPHORS (17.11.08) The following night, and notwithstanding some serious hangovers, there was an excellent turnout at Jan Manton Art for the opening of 'halftones', an exhibition of new work by Sam Tupou. Canberra readers will remember Cairns based Sam from his spectacular CCAS exhibition, The Rat and the Octopus, earlier this year. Sam is an artist in a steep state of ascendence and with 'halftones' he's clearly reaching for the stars. (sorry about the mixed metaphors!) Jan Manton Art is very close to GOMA at 59 Melbourne St, South Brisbane so visitors to Brisbane/GOMA can easily kill two (chickens?) with one stone and literally cross the road. Exhibitions continues until 6 December.
POSITIVE THINKING (17.11.08) Just when it is most needed Brisbane's Gallery of Modern Art comes up with Optimism, which at first glance seems to be much more than a just a snapshot of contemporary Australia.The exhibition presents work by more than 60 emerging, mid-career, and senior Indigenous and non-Indigenous contemporary artists from every state and territory.
HI TECH SOCIETY (7.10.08) A big night in Canberra with openings at CCAS Manuka, the Wig&Pen and The Drill Hall. Dorkbot was out at the opening of their first group exhibition and feeling very pleased with its success, no doubt. A resourceful bunch, dorkbot members have triumphed on a shoe string and produced an exhibition with some very cool ideas and innovative techniques. Prepare to be amazed by 'speaking' collars, artworks that produce and destroy themselves, recycled organisms, teenage memories re-ignited by science, interactive deception, drawing without beginning or end and The Bible ... as you have never seen it. And it was a friendly opening ... at which I am sure I saw lamingtons! David Broker’s essay about each of the works is here (if he can find find it). Dorkbot cbr continues until 16 November.
DOMAIN AGAIN (7.10.08) Meanwhile at Wig&Pen a large crowd gathered to hear Deb Clarke open Domain, Canberra’s annual ephemeral public art extravangganza. Fannii Minougue gave a much talked about performance (all nice!) and then the bar became very busy. Looked like some people were settling in for the night. Domain is along Alinga Street and Simon Scheuerle will be performing at the Wig&Pen each day from11am - 2pm. This is very funny and must be seen in context. Looks like Cirque de Soliel has had a bad influence on the people of Canberra. Alinga Street 6-22 November
SPACE CADETS (3.11.08) And that’s meant in the nicest possible way. For these are three exhibitions that have their origins ever so slightly to the left of the field. Constellation, Frank Thirion’s atmospheric installation of large paintings is a "response to the breathtaking spectacle the universe displays on any cloudless night" while Peter Mackay’s Permanent Rainbow is an ongoing venture to propel a lightweight aluminum rainbow into orbit in order to transform it from messy sculpture into to a permanent shining satellite. With a fantastic and considered minimal clown performance Pablo Latona scared the bejesus out of a few people in conjunction with Cole Bennett’s very public struggle to confront his Coulrophobia. Perhaps the the truth is not as far out there as some would have us believe.
ACT AUCTION ACTION We know that everyone is busting to know how much money was raised on the Skin Deep auction .... so while there is no final figure yet the very good news is that its around $50,000. AMAZING SKIN DEEP PHOTOGRAPHS BY COLE BENNETTS LOVE IS : SKIN DEEP (25.10.08) It hadn’t been a very hot day so it seems odd that so many people at Skin Deep fundraiser for Gary Lee were so thirsty. Fortunately Mount Majura Vineyard, Transit Bar and Coopers had come to the party providing significant relief. It was a marathon as well as an auction as Brenda Croft and Wally Caruana took to the stage and settled in for a long night. This is exhausting work and they battled valiantly with an audience that just couldn’t stay quiet. Not even for a moment. But the good news is that in spite of the financial crisis (or perhaps because of it) a goodly number of people gave their credit cards a solid workout. So while we don’t know the actual fiscal results yet it can safely that its very healthy. More goss soon!
BRISBANE SNAPSHOT (20.10.08)
WORDSMITH (17.10.08) A car accident plunged the South Bank Campus of Queensland College of the Arts (Griffith University) into darkness several hours before CCAS Director David Broker launched the latest publication produced by Queensland Centre for Photography, Martin Smith photographs - in response to... . But the show went on and so did the lights, however, mid speech ... creating a somewhat amusing diversion for speaker and audience alike. Martin's very personal journey has been a matter of public concern for some years now and and his work is making a BIG impression nationally and internationally. He was in Primavera 2007 and showed work at CCAS several years ago. A perfect 10 to QCP for the fun factor and a typically boozy Brisbane book launch.
IMA GETS FRESH (18.10.08) Two shows opened at Brisbane’s Institute of Modern Art on Saturday evening. Firstly the brilliant, Diena Georgetti The Humanity Of Abstract Painting 1988-2008 . And there is a new version of Fresh Cut the IMA’s annual emerging artists exhibition aptly titled The New Fresh Cut. This year four artists (Eric Bridgeman, Laith McGregor, Gabriella and Silvana Mangano, and Ross Manning) have received 5k each from the IMA's new business partner the Brisbane Airport Authority to produce some fabbo works for the show. In a not so parallel universe just down the road on Ann Street another group of emerging artists were busy with their own version of Fresh Cut to which they added an e-r-n and an s for a provocative rejoinder to the IMAs exhibitons.
INTIMATION (9.10.08) One could feel a party coming on at Kat Barter’s opening at CCAS Manuka last night. Intimacy was launched by a proud Valerie Kirk, Head of Textiles Workshop at ANU, from which Kat is a recent(ish) graduate. Valerie spoke with a Scottish accent about the tactility of the work in a speech that was downright steamy in places and on a slightly less sexy note commented on what a major step it is from Uni to one’s first solo exhibition. Kat was clearly a high achiever if this exhibition of works that “convey the fear and discomfort associated with the giving of oneself through intimacy” is anything to go by. Continues until 19 October
ELUSIVE EXCLUSIVE (1.10.08) While everyone at M16 seemed to be RAVING about how well Gary's paintings and Timo's photographs work together its also really important to remember that they are both artists whose individual practices are in a current state of intense ascension. In other words they're goin' off ! In fact its safe to say that this exhibition, which explores ideas of "limitless space" is a milestone for both of them and not simply because they are occupying the same gallery. There are a number of show stopping works in Unconfirmed as Gary and Timo demonstrate an incredible mastery over their media while producing works of breath taking beauty. Phew ... At M16 Artspace until 12 October
FLOWER POWER (26.09.08) The camera got a heavy workout last night at the opening of the CCAS members' show, The Garden of Good and Evil. Distinguished judge and editor of Art Monthly Australia Maurice O'Riordan went for Julia Boyd's Flat on Card and declared it the winner. This is a bleak "Kafka-esque" interpretation of the theme that presents good and evil as an ambiguous psychological state while touching on issues of social inequality. Powerful stuff. Although she was not in the winners' circle last year Julia did make a considerable impression with her very dark piece, I used to have a rabbit/I used to have a lamb. Looks a bit like a star is born! Julia walked away with $500, a subscription to Art Monthly courtesy of Maurice, and a faux apple. Second place went to Teffany Thiedman for Secret Garden, a challenging ceramic piece in which a woman discovers the Garden of Eden under her skirt. I guess you have to be there ... but rest assured its a veritable triumph - if somewhat perplexing. Teffany will collect a rather expensive bottle of Tigress champers, Baci chocolates and a subscrition to Art Monthly Australia. CCAS congratulates Julia and Teffany for their magnificent efforts. Platitudes aside, there are a lot of winners in this exhibition which again has given artists the opportunity to let their imaginations run riot. If you are interested in buying any thing don't delay because works are literally selling like hot cakes. Continues until 5 October.
CRAFTY (19.09.08) p.s While visiting ArtWranglers please note an excellent pic of the "Tulips" at the intersection of Northbourne Avenue and Alinga Street (nice composition Artwranglers!). Little wonder people come from all over the world to Floriade... fair took my breath away it did.
OUTINGS: SEEDS OF (DIS)CONTENT (18.09.08) While other organisations go abseiling ... in a dubious attempt at team building ccas staff went to Floriade. And found it quite challenging I might add. The theme of this year's flower show is Films that shaped our nation although it seems more like movie madness in some places. The boys and girls were split in their responses with Serge and David agreeing that Floriade 21 is but a "flowery flop" while Annika and Yolande thought it "delightfully kitsch" or a "vitamin D delight". It sure as hell aint art but Canberra's largest and most puzzling of popular festival does provide some excellent photo opportunities as long as tongues are planted firmly in cheek ... (where else would they be?)
INDEPENDENT THOUGHTS (17.09.08)
Mexican Independence Day, 16 September 2008 and the Embassy of Mexico hosted a fantastic launch for Flow of Nature, an exhibition of paintings by Maria Garza who, as her bio points out, also does a mean mural. There was no shortage of chauffeur driven vehicles with the flags of many nations pulling up outside the High Court of Australia as the Mexican Ambassador Martha Ortiz de Rosas opened the exhibition with a speech that recognized the heros of Mexico's Independence and the strength of Aussie/Mexican relations. There certainly appeared to be a common interest in wine and excellent catering at this very glamorous opening with a number of people looking fabulous in national costume. Viva Mexico!
TWISTED SISTERS: SCHEUERLE AND FIRTH AT THE FRONT (13.09.08) What do you get when you bring together two artists whose work is noted for being more than a little twisted. A very interesting exhibition indeed. Although this is a tasteful effort by Simon’s incredibly "low" standards Sarah doesn’t appear to be showing any restraint. In short, though, it’s a class act at The Front and my advice would be to see it at the earliest opportunity because it may not be on for too long. You can have coffee, drinks and something to eat while you are there. Front Gallery and Café 1-2 Wattle Street, Lyneham. Get on down.
HAVE A HEART (11.08.09) It was bub-o-rama, real, clay, photographed and painted, at Manuka last night as Heide Smith, Jenni Young-Bourke, Jan Lewis and Rewa Nolan, all artists from the NSW South East Arts Region, hit town for their exhibition Heartbeat. There were wall to wall babies, firstly with Jenni's heart rending sculptures that reflect the plight of babies and children throughout the world today. Rewa Nolan's documentary consisting of interviews teenage parents highlights a different but also poignant struggle. Heide Smith's photographs of mothers and children on Bathhurst Island throw up enough issues to do the average person's head in - on the spot. And similarly, while Jan Lewis's accomplished paintings raise some prickly life and death they do provide a couple of moments of comic relief in an exhibition that grapples with some serious 21st century global concerns. At CCAS Manuka until 21 September.
PARALLELL PARTIES AND PARTINGS (2.09.08) It will be clear from the photos that Friday night’s dual purpose opening and farewell attracted an exuberant crowd. Including a recovering Gary Lee who is still in a wheel chair but looking fantastic! It was the launch of exhibitions by Dianne Jones, Cathy Laudenbach and marked the return of Stuart Bailey, who once worked at CCAS and went forth to flaunt some pretty extraordinary talent at the Melbourne and Sydney Art Scenes. Stu's work in the Cube seemed to create an instant cult ... a parallell party worthy of the twilight zone …. Cathy Laudenbach revealed the complex psychological Chiaroscuro of a beautiful Victorian beach where a number of people have mysteriously or otherwise disappeared… ... and Dianne Jones acknowledged, with a generous dose of irony, the men who have shaped, supported, challenged and/or distracted from her personal understandings of sexuality and Indigenous identity.
Brenda Croft and David Broker gave speeches with shades of the Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour - but speeches nonetheless. Brenda lined up all the artists (plus Odette) and elicited a rousing cheer from the audience and went on to talk about the importance and significance of welcome to country (which made it a rather significant welcome to country ... with a difference). Then there was a farewell for Shaune Lakin who is leaving the Australian War Memorial and therefore, the shores of Lake Burley Griffen for the smart Monash Gallery of Art in Melbourne. Brenda told how in another life, David got his wires seriously crossed and thought she was engaged to Shaune. David confessed that he had neglected Shaune for the last two years and regrets it now. The overall gist of the Friday evening message being “strike while the iron is warm ” or perhaps just strike regardless because life is too short. No wonder everyone glazed over and made a hasty return to the bar .
UP AGAINST THE WALL R-E-T-R-O-A-C-T-I-V-E III (29.08.08) A good few (or was that a few good) local legends were out last night for the opening of Retroactive III which is, to state the almsot obvious, the third in a series of exhibitions in which established artists work in various ways with emerging artists. And Julian and Tash brought baby Orlando to perhas his first opening. The Retroactive results have always been spectacular but this one seems particularly good. You had to get there early because there were so many people it was really hard to see the work. The audience was literally up against the wall. This years participants are Micky Allan and Margaret Goninon, eX de Medici with Emily O'Brien, G.W Bot and Julian Laffan, David Jensz and Jay Kochel. Need I say more! Unfortunately this might be the final retroactive (we'll see about that) but the good news is that we think Julian is producing a book covering all three projects. Exhibition continues until 7 September.
CANBERRA GIRLS GRAMMAR SPRINGS BAUDRILLARD ON STUNNED ARTS DEBATING TEAM ! (27.08.08) Erica Seccombe, Deborah Clark and David Broker mounted a very strong argument that "there isn't a Canberra Culture" and lost the debate to a team from Canberra Girls Grammar by a very "small margin". The CGG team Grace Elliott, Lauren Shelley and Sarah Bradbury kicked off with a hint of "we are the matrix" dramatics and posited that Canberra is a simulacra or a copy for which there is no original. So were we expected to believe that Canberra is actually Sea World on the lake and this is the characteristic capital culture? Post structural theory of course is a red rag to the arts bull and elicited some blistering rebuttals from the negative who suggested that Canberra was actually a metonym and therefore existed only in so far as it maintained a notion of national culture through its national institutions. Confused ... well you are not alone. And we thinks that the Adjudicator Genevieve Jacobs from ABC Radio 666 (no relation to the devil) may have been a bit off the air last night ! But thanks to Barb at Craft ACT and all the participants for a really fun evening.
DE-BAIT (22.08.08) A couple of people had a very good time last night and two of them was us. Just by the way ... there is no excuse NOT to have a good time in Canberra because Deborah Clark (Curator at CMAG), Gordon Bull (Head of School ANU Art School) and David Broker (Director CCAS) are constantly out and about showing how its done. And what an excellent example they set! You can catch David and Deborah with Erica Seccombe in some debating action on Tuesday night when they take on a team from Canberra Girls Grammar. They promise that the girls will be shown no no mercy as they argue that, There isn’t a Canberra culture, only an Australian culture. It will be very interesting to see how anyone argues that there is either ! Craft ACT: Craft and Design Centre presents Sketching a program that explores the depths of Canberra’s cultural lifestyle. Tuesday 26 August 6-8pm Performance Space Drama Centre Canberra Girls Grammar School Melbourne Avenue Deakin. Gold coin donation. Light refreshments served. Bookings essential as seating is limited Craft ACT 6262 9333 CLAWS OUT “Getting artists together is like herding cats but we did it.” Anonymous quote of the week from CAM press release but sounds like the sort of thing Chanel Cole might say. NOT TO BE MEST (22.08.08) Canberra Living Artists’ Week opened last night with two parties (unless one got missed on Flinders Way). The first at Mest, a very groovy salon (read saloon) in Manuka. Interestingly Mest has found a new place to put art and I am utterly amazed no one has thought of this before. Yes its on the salon mirrors. In your face, perhaps, but brilliant nonetheless. Gordon Bull opened the show standing on something perilously high ... but in no danger ... given that a huge crowd had gathered beneath him. This party went off – see photographic evidence - and poor Kirstie had to go out in the frigid weather to buy more wine because some people just refused to leave. There’s a … load of great photos of body art in Make Your Mark II and naturally many of the tattoed people were there showin’ ‘em off. Hot. Also showing outside was a cool projection Nosferati by Angus Johnstone and Sebastian Field.
CACOPHANOUS (NAMING NAMES) (22.08.08) Apres Mest the revelers straggled over the road to the empty space in our hearts left by Starbucks mass exodus ... for the CLAW Cacophony opening party. Twas a neo-industrial feast for the senses inspired by the French tradition of Salons des Refuse curated by the hyperactive Ben Drysdale. Another excellent night was being had and the hot topic of conversation or question on everyone's lips was: Where we are going to get our frappes from now? This is actually a really great space and it provides a perfect venue for a pretty way out show. Among the last to leave, and to their very great credit, were the aforementioned party people as well as Ann McMahon of artsACT these days, Ben Drysdale of Cardboard Charlie, Frank Arnold Quantum Ideas, Sophie from CAM, Angus Johnstone and Sebastian Field. Saturday is looking very bleak for some people.
FASCINATOR (15.08.08)
JAVA JIVE – STREETWORKS IN INDONESIA (08.08.08) If it seems like someone’s been missing ... its because CCAS Director David Broker was in Jakarta for the Indonesian leg of Streetworks, a touring exhibition of work by Shaun Gladwell and Craig Walsh. Over the last few days Shaun and David have comprised a mean (if slightly clutzy) networking unit talking to artists, students, curators, media and GP about the show, the state of Aussie contemporary art, the global art market and working conditions for artists in Australia. The exhibition was opened at the Galeri Nasional Indonesia by the Hon. Bob Debus Minister for Home Affairs and attended by The Australian Ambassador Bill Farmer AO and Mrs Elaine Farmer. (It is all but impossible to imagine a more fabulous couple to represent Australia’s interests in one of the largest, most challenging and important of DFATs diplomatic posts). It was a typically steaming hot night in Jakarta for a glamorous and well-attended event that was organised by staff at the Australian Embassy who have included Streetworks as part of their IN2OZ program of cultural exchange. While in Jakarta David Broker also spoke on a panel with Kathrin Deventer (Adjunct Secretary General European Festivals Association) and Dr Yasraf A. Piliang (Faculty of Arts and Design Institute of Technology Bandung) at JakArt2008, a conference of The AAPAF (Association of Asian Performing Arts Festivals) at the Teater Kecil, Ismail Marzuki Cultural Park, in Central Jakarta. The topic …. rather lofty but nonetheless interesting … the role of the arts in shaping culture in the 21st century. LANDING SOON AT ERASMUS HUIS
JAKART2008
STREETWORKS OPENING - GALERI NASIONAL INDONESIA
ONE NIGHT IN YOGYA Streetworks will soon move to the Jogja Gallery in Yogyakarta for Cellsbutton, the Yogyakarta International Media Art Festival organized by the ironically titled House of Natural Fibre. David Broker also spent a short time in Yogya looking at the gallery and speaking to media alongside festival director Venzha. Although he was in Yogya for a very short time db packed it in … visiting artists at Cemeti Arts and and sampling some of the (very potent) local vodka at Mes56 a photomedia ARI. Yogya is an amazing city that is famous as a centre for the contemporary arts and the gateway Borobudur an incredible Bhuddist Temple circa AD 750 in the gargantuan league of breathtaking relics such as Angkor and Machu Pichu. As Lonley Planet puts it, “If Jarkarta is Java’s financial and industrial Powerhouse, Yogyakarta is its soul.” Indonesian National Gallery, Jakarta from 29 July to 12 August 2008 and also at the Jogja Gallery, Yogyakarta from 20 August to 7 September 2008. Streetworks is a CCAS/Asialink Partnership supported by the Australian Government through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Australian Embassy Jakarta. (08/08/08)
OPENING ENVELOPES AT MANUKA Della Jackson opened her 'Free Big Envelopes', which turned out to be an exhibition of colourful paintings. Enjoyed by young and old (see Della's proud grandparents Gordon and Betty, below), the works stand alone with their vibrant colours, textures and the mischievious play between the subtle and the bold. Text made Della's work even more engaging, with dream-inspired drawings full of curly text, and hilarious wordy titles, or 'punch lines' for the paintings seen in the pictures below. Exhibition continues until August 10. (31/7/08)
CANBERRA: NON STOP PARTY PEOPLE (17.07.08) Having scarcely recovered from Saturday night's apres opening martini dinner at The Parlour, the poor folk at CCAS are up for another rigorous round of openings and parties ... and its only Thursday! 1. HEART MURMUR The Front was also going off with Murmur, a lively event organised by Faculty of Design and Creative Practice students from Canberra University. There was lots of new talent on display with work that blurred the boundaries between art, craft and design at this packed opening that was quickly heading into the realm of wild partay. Excellent professional development and great fun - is what education should be about. Go UC!
2. FEELIN' GROOVY The National Archive turned on a fabulous party for the opening of Strike a Pose which looks at Australian Fashion photography on the 1960s and 70s. With fashion icon, cultural commentator and broadcaster Lee Lin Chin as guest curator, the exhibition celebrates the emerging local fashion industry of the time, along with its personalities, trends and influences. As part of the event the very lovely Lee Lin (pictured below) selected an orginal dress by a local designer to wear while reading the news and the honoured winner was Natalie Turtle (also pictured below). This is a fascinating, fun and comprehensive historical exhibition that shows beyond the shadow of a doubt that - in the fickle world of fashion - Australia was far from behind the eight ball even 40 years ago. Exhibition continues until 12 October.
3. BED KNOBS AND BROOMSTICKS AT MANUKA (17.07.8) Well... it could easily have been a dogs breakfast but Skylen Dall's exhibition Cluttered, which focuses on the cluttered and frenetic pace of life in the 21st century, maintains a paradoxical if somewhat fragile, sense of order. Her painted panels with images of everyday objects seem to float in the gallery enveloping but never overwhelming the audience. The pictures below say it all. This is another in a long line of triumphs at CCAS Manuka and runs until July 27.
As the temperature plummeted and Canberra did its very best to make Hobart and Melbourne look balmy - so opened VIVID the National Photography Festival. The fake fur and vinyl were out of the closet for openings at The ANU Art School Gallery, The National Museum and the Helen Maxwell Gallery on Friday night while Saturday saw openings at Megalo, M16 and CCAS. Whoever says nothing happens in Canberra is wrong and there are some serious hangovers to prove it!. (14/7/08) PARADE AND UNDER THE LAND AT ANU ART SCHOOL GALLERY
VIVID: GRAND OPENING AT THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AUSTRALIA
THE SILVER LIGHT AT MEGALO
HEAD ON ALTERNATIVE PORTRAITS AT M16
CHRIS FORTESCUE AND STARLIE GEIKIE AT CCAS
RECORD BREAKERS Exhibitions by Erica Seccombe, Ellis Hutch and Carla Cescon have attracted the highest audience numbers in the last two and half years and have beaten the previous record achieved by Bernie Slater and Tess Stewart Moore in May-June this year. This is a trend we have come to appreciate very much. If Carla Cescon wanted audience participation for her WE THREE A participatory story board, then she certainly got it in terms of numbers and levels of intervention. Maybe it was the papier mache animal heads rather than the lyrics to Patti Smith's famous song that made audiences feel comfortable but from the very beginning it was heads down in the Cube as everyone and their dogs had their two cents worth. At the end of the show the gallery resembled a primary school art room and it was difficult at times to tell what Carla had provided and what the audience added. The participations were variously profound, amusing, tragic, childish or just plain insane. And while the contributions were particularly good after the Writers Festival Zine Fair sometimes one has to wonder about the real value of knowing one's audience ... .
NEW FRONTIERS At the Dorkbot meeting last night Erica Seccombe told us everything we need to know about Nanoplastica ... and more. There have been many fascinating twists and turns in this amazing project which began two years ago and has seen Erica work with mathematicians, computer programming experts and scientists at the Australian National University. She has used some of the most sophisticated technologies currently available (but not to everyone). Erica talked about the highs and lows, the laughter, the tears, she experienced during the production and how she had to continually re-adapt to changes in the technologies required - even as the work was being produced. It wouldn't be exaggerating too much to say that everyone seemed a bit in awe of her efforts and the incredible results she has achieved. (25/06/08)
LARTER ROCKS AT THE NGA One of the many striking features of Richard Larter: a retrospective which opened last night at the National Gallery of Australia is that he had included performative elements in his work many years before it was fashionble. Often working with his late partner Pat Larter, there is performance aplenty in painting, film and photography. Richard and Pat it seems didn't care much for society's rules and regulations and Deborah Hart (Senior Curator of Australian Paintings and Sculpture after 1920) has put together an exhibition that reflects their propensity for innovation as well as their enduring contribution to the art we call contemporary today. This is an exhibition that evokes an era when sex was still fun and breaking the rules desirable, if not essential. Since the early 1960s Larter's work has challenged the status quo both formally and conceptually and as result the work is as fresh today as it was at the time of production. With themes such as the human body, sexuality, popular culture, politics and opposition to censorship, his work is hip, provocative, humorous, flamboyant, outrageous and (god forbid) entertaining. This is a very groovy exhibition .... and should not be missed under any circumstances. Exhibition continues until 14 September. (25/06/08) Hot on the heels of the exhibition opening was Richard Larter: the forum which was a great way to spend a Saturday arvo and, as it turned out, signifcantly more entertaining than the footy. Dr Deborah Hart, exhibition curator, chaired a forum of Australian art experts: Daniel Thomas, Emeritus Director of the Art Gallery of South Australia, Kelly Gellatly, Senior Curator, Contemporary Art, National Gallery of Victoria, and Deborah Clark, Curator of Visual Arts, ACT Museums & Galleries. Looking at this event as a collective effort I have to say that this was one of the most interesting forums on an artists work I have ever attended. Guess it helps to have speakers who actually care as well as being knowledgeable. The real treat, however, was hearing Larter himself talk about some of his experiences over the years. What many people will not know, although its kind of obvious when you think about it, is that he is really amusing and , for instance, able to talk about technique in a way that is side splittingly funny. Ten bucks very well spent I'd say. (David Broker 30/6/08)
IF HELL WERE AN ART GALLERY - THE BIENNALE OF SYDNEY It may not be exactly unusual but its certainly a bit different. "A constellation of historical and contemporary works of art", the 16th Biennale of Sydney includes many INFLUENTIAL dead people including Marcel Duchamp, Joseph Beuys, Tina Modotti, Yves Klein and Len Lye, to name but a few. In a biennale titled Revolutions - Forms that Turn artistic director Carolyn Christov-Bakargiev has eloquently integrated the contemporary with the not so contemporary - not that without the knowledge one would be able to tell which was which. Based in Turin Ms Christov-Bakargiev has included a fair swag of Italian artists and that's not all bad, beacuse it's rare that we see the work of contemporary Italian artists down under. She also appears to have a keen eye for legend as the Aussie contingent includes the likes of Richard Larter, Tracey Moffatt, Mike Parr, Richard Bell, Shaun Gladwell, Raquel Ormella, Virginia Fraser and Destiny Deacon, again, to name but a few. Its no Sunday afternoon walk in the park and you will need sensible shoes and bottled water for this gargantuan exhibition that takes place over a number of large spaces. Most difficult is Cockatoo Island where there are pitfalls aplenty for the unwary art lover. The viewing of some works requires extreme caution but there are friendly people around to catch the fallen or save the about to fall. Hence our title, if hell were an art gallery! Overall though, its an early thumbs up for Biennale #16. (23/06/08)
MCA LOVE IN
DANTE'S INFERNO
BLASTING INTO ARTSPACE
GONE TO THE DOGS The dogs of Mongrel Country, the new exhibition by Amanda Stuart, were definitely on the prowl on Thursday night as was the art going public. The installation of threatening sculptures, made from steel and covered by various organic and inorganic materials, is quite confronting as they firmly mark their territory within the space. The exhibition explores the tensions that arise when a terrain is co-inhabited by human and domestic and wild animal communities. Exhibition continues until 29 June.
PARASKEVIDEKATRIAPHOBIA Just when you thought you knew about (or even suffered from) every irrational phobia known to humanity - another one pops up. Sarah Firth has brought the mordid fear of Fridays the 13th to her audience's attention as part of her exhibition Drawn which opened at The Gallery, Canberra Grammar Shool, on, you guessed it, Friday 13th June. Winner of the Canberra Grammar Exhibition Prize in the Emerging Artists Support Scheme for Graduating Students from the ANU Sarah has put together an edgy show that is both amusing and provocative on a number of levels. While the exhibition itself might be right "out there" the boys at Canberra Grammar did a fantstic job looking after everyone at one of the more civilised openings we have attended in a while. For artists who want to be properly looked after The Grammar School Gallery is clearly the place to be. Exhibition continues until 28 June. (16/8/08)
PHALLIC GYMNASTIC Helen Maxwell Gallery is awash with Melbourne talent at the moment. There's ... All I know about her, an exhibition of paintings by Jonathan Nichols that seem to extol the ordinary (like real life in a brown paper wrapper) and at the opposite end of the spectrum some very strange aberrant floor sculptures (like acrobatic phalluses) in Sweet by Heather B. Swann. Exhibitions continue util 5 July. (10/06/08)
SEEING THE LIGHT Every now and then an artist takes over the Manuka Gallery completely and makes it their own. Denise Higgins is one of those artists and she has spent the week 'changing rooms' as it were, literally adapting the architecture of the space for her remarkable exhibition Luminazoa. An appropriately placed wall took everyone by surprise as Denise created a gallery within a gallery ... but lets not get bogged down by the setting, incredible though it may be. Inside is an amazing atmospheric environment made from slow rotating LED light arms travelling over curved glass and refracting light onto the ceiling, walls and floor. Denise's luminazoas metamorphosing in the darkness are chiarascuro at its most modern and effective. Exhibition continues until 15 June. (6/6/08)
GUDBY T'JANE Canberra Contemporary Art Space is currently lamenting the loss of its extremely popular chair Jane Harrison, who has resigned from the board to take up a position in arts ACT. Jane will be Program Manager Arts Policy and Planning assisting with advice to Government on a range of arts policy and facility planning issues. Jane has been a fantastic chair for CCAS at a time of significant change both in terms of staff and policy. Her accessibility and energy has been felt throughout the community and she can leave with the feeling that CCAS is rockin' and her’s is a job well done. CCAS staff and the board sincerely thank Jane for her efforts over the last two years and feel secure in the knowledge that she has gone to a better place ... well just down the road really. In the immortal words of 70s Britisher pop idol Noddy Holder "Gudby t'jane ... she's a queen, do you know what I mean, she's alright .... she's alright ... yeah!" (4/6/08)
THE GIRLS ARE BACK IN TOWN Antoinette Bailey currently of the GRANTPIRRIE Gallery in Sydney - known as Toni in Canberra - and Karena Keys ACT winner of the first QANTAS Encouragement of Contemporary Art Award dropped in for a surprise birthday drink. Doesn't look like they need too much encouragement .... (2/6/08)
PURSE POWER Well ... we have been accused of going to the opening of a handbag and now we've actually done it! The latest episode in The Canberra Museum and Gallery's Cabinets of Curiosities series is a dazzling collection of Lucite (acrylic) hand bags from the collection of Rae Harvey who is well known in the ACT for her love of fine vintage clothes , fabrics and accessories.
RINGING IN THE NEW After what seems like an inordinate amount of time CCAS is delighted to announce that Sergej Bodulovic has been offered the position of Gallery Administrator. Serge has a Bachelor of Commerce (majoring in marketing) from the Australian National University and is in the final stages of completing a Bachelor of Arts, Art History. A classical Renaissance man (or polymath) and a snappy dresser, he spent four months of 07 at Milan's Istitutto di Moda di Burgo doing a course in fashion and brushing up on his Italian. Sergej (pictured below) follows in the magnificent tradition of Stuart Bailey, Amita Kirpilani and Yolande Norris and since these are big shoes to fill, the fashion course and quality time in Italy (shoe capital of the world) will have been very useful indeed. (29/5/08)
POP GOES THE YOWIE Yet another record was broken at the opening of exhibitions by Erica Seccombe, Ellis Hutch and Carla Cescon. The punters managed to drink CCAS dry well before 7.30 - although to be fair, this was only slightly earlier than Bernie Slater and Tess Stewart Moore's launch in April. Luckily, however, it was Erica's birthday and there was stacks more fun to be had after the opening when CCAS moved into immediate lock down or private party mode. No private dancers but lots of public spectacle and free expression once dj Rangatang cranked up the turn table. In yet another stroke of extremely good luck there was nothing on the (dance) floors of both the main and middle spaces as both Erica and Ellis presented amazing screen based works which really need to be seen to be believed. With projections as big as Ellis's are small, Erica has spent the last 2 or 3 years grappling with the most sophisticated X ray gear ANU has to offer, producing 3D volume rendering animations of plastic toys for Nanoplastica. The results are simply sensational. Although Ellis Hutch's tiny screens look modest by comparison Touching Space makes a big impression, exploring gesture in a way that raises similar spatial mysteries to the ultra sound images. On the night, however, some people didn't seem to make it out of the Cube where the audience is invited to make suggestions re or amendments to Carla Cescon's WE THREE a participatory story board. Referencing the lyrics of Patti Smith's classic this is a great installation of theatrical looking props (including the heads of a dog, a horse, an ox, plus an entire rat) that took on the ambience of a kindergarten when everyone had their heads down busily and enthusiastically ... participating. (24/5/08)
HEADS FIRST Wendy Teakle, Head of Sculpture Workshop at the ANU Art School opened Head First, an exhibition of new work by recent graduates last night (22/5/08) and spoke about the positives of being an artist. (Yes! .... it seems there are some after all.) One of the very obvious positives for the workshop must be having students like Melanie Fitzmaurice, Rosalind Lemoh and Jacqueline Bradley who, if this show is anything to go by, have a dazzling future. Working with very different materials all three show what creativity is all about in an impressive exhibition that transforms common objects in a way that invigorates our undertsanding of things familiar. At CCAS Manuka until 1 June. (24/5/08)
RIDING THE NEXT WAVE
It was a short but memorable sample of Melbourne’s Next Wave Festival for CCAS director David Broker who spent two days checking out some of Australia’s hottest emerging talent. Next Wave kicked of last week and looks like its about to hit maximum speed with openings, performances and more openings. It’s a high energy festival for the young that can also offer the elixir of youth to the more mature who allow themselves to be swept away on the incoming tide of new ideas, new people and unbridled enthusiasm. This years artistic director the fabulous Jeff Khan is in full flight and watching him work a room night after night is downright inspiring, perhaps even a little scary. For the full program catch the next wave
NEXT WAVE - DON'T SLEEP IN THE SUBWAY It was a little too early for what will be a plethora of exciting visual art but there is already some great work in public places including Hiromi Tango's Absence at the Platform, Flinders Street Station. In "a collaboration with the people of Melboure" Hiromi is collecting the thoughts and feelings from the zillions of commuters who pass through the Degraves Street subway every day and she has transformed a miserable thoroughfare into an oasis of colour where people can gather, chat and write stuff to be stuck to the window of an abandoned shop. Ever wonder whats on the minds of the waves of humanity that pass through the station - well some of the answers are here. This is a fascinating project with many surprises in store for an audience who seem very happy to become the work. Also at the Platform are some great works, and even a whiff of scandal, by Trevor Flinn and Cecilia Fogelberg (The Puma, The Stranger & The Mountain)
NEXT WAVE - NIGHT CLUB 1 PURE PLEASURE AT THE MENS GALLERY Now the Mens Gallery isn’t exactly a gallery if you catch my drift. It’s a classy establishment for gentlemen and the perfect venue for some very sexy work by artists including Alex Martinis Roe and Kate Just, to name but two of many. Some superlative performance and a lot of booze led to a very good night indeed (you can even smell the cigarette smoke and feel the hangovers of a bygone era). Although too hard to call, top of the list among many great performance works was Luke George's Lifesize, a witty non pornographic live expose that focus’s on skinful pleasures and brings new meaning to the term art wank. Also fun and tres sexy were Lee Serle and Kyle Kremerskotten in Im in love, a dance piece in which the boys turned the strip club tables and didn’t take off their clothes ... although they didn’t actually need to! ( I feel I should also mention that part of this work was accompanied by the music of Captain and Tenille, oh yeah!) And last but certainly not least the incredible poet Zoe Coombs Marr who did take her clothes off leaving an unruly audience in shock with her biting satire and painfully clever Tales of the unrequited and extinct. A work that juggled many levels of hysteria and seemed to sum up the whole event somehow. All in all one would have to say this complex and provocative event was a triumph for curators Ulanda Blair, Jeff Khan, Phip Murray, Bec Reid, Kelly Ryall and all of the artists and performers involved. Also 10 out of 10 for an enormous audience who deteriorated with stylish and even speed.
SAY FROMAGE A former ballet dancer, over the last 20 years Judith Wright has established herself as a highly regarded and influential artist. Conversations, which opened at the Drill Hall Gallery on Thursday evening (15/5) explores "the fraught and fluid space of intimate human communication" and includes work from 1987 to the present day. Curated by Rhana Devenport, Director of the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery, New Zealand, Conversations is an important exhibition that emanates a raw, slightly ominous beauty. Its difficult to put in words so the only way to really experience it - is to see it! Meanwhile at the Alliance Française de Canberra, strange trajectories showcases some excellent new work by two of the ANU art school's most talented graduates, video maker, Anna Raupach (2008 CCAS Studio Resident) and painter, Michal Glickson. Strange trajetories is an ANU School of Art Emerging Artist Support Theme (EASS) award exhibition. And for the record - the Alliance has equalled, if not bettered, the Drill Hall's reputation for serving the finest of cheeses at openings.
NEVER RAINS It hardly ever rains in Canberra but in accordance with the old addage it does pour - and this is one of those weeks when there are a number of quality exhibitions opening. At Megalo Geoff Farquhar-Still's red hot conformist, consisting of prints based on images from junk mail catalogues, is a ripper! Also breathtaking is Dennis Nona's survey exhibition Sesserae at the ANU Art School Gallery. Both shows should be compulsory veiwing and you can check the dates and locations on the CCAS Noticeboard Index page. Also ... check this space tomorrow for MORE.
STILL CALL CANBERRA HOME KARENA KEYS is the ACT winner of the first Qantas Encouragement of Australian Contemporary Art Award announced at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Sydney last Thursday morning May 8 2008. Qantas chief Geoff Dixon noted in his speech that the name of the award is a bit of a mouthful and may change any time soon to something more manageable like Qantas Award or Prize. What really matters, however, is that this is a visionary and unique annual award that provides one artist from every state and territory with $10,000 in travel expenses and $20,000 spending money to explore and research the wide world of art. Last year Qantas sold 22 works from its major collection, yielding $3.4 million for the Qantas Foundation to put towards the new prize. Dixon also said that creating an award that invested in young artists was the best possible use for the company's valuable collection. "There are a lot of other prizes like the Archibald which tend to reward more established people," he said. "We wanted to find a niche that was a bit different." The award is judged by a distinguished panel including Elizabeth Ann MacGregor (Director of the Museum of Contemporary Art), Edmund Capon ( Director Art Gallery of New South Wales), Pat Corrigan (High profile arts patron and collector) and Anna Waldmann (Director of Visual Arts Australia Council). David Broker Director of Canberra Contemporary Art Space said that he thought Karena was a most deserving winner and feels that her travels to Germany and the USA will have a long lasting effect on her already successful and adventurous artistic practice. CCAS congratulates Qantas and Karena on this great inaugural event! WINNERS: STATE AND TERRITORY ROUND UP: Karena Keys (ACT), Neridah Stockley (NT), Yhonnie Scarce (SA), Katherine Huang (VIC), Tom Mùller (WA), Alex Davies (NSW) and Vernon Ah Kee (QLD)
MATTER OF FACT The last of the 2007 CCAS studio residents solo exhibitions is another triumph for Beatrice Thompson who wowed audiences with her photographic weave for Blaze07. The Manuka Gallery seems to suit Beatrice's work and what has developed as an interest in work that completely dominates the viewers field of vision. In Matter she uses five colours that create a lively sense of energy, movement and importantly, evolving transformations or change. As a matter of fact ... she brings together weaving and photography in an exhbition that is actually quite painterly. Exhibition continues until 18 May.
HEAVENLY Opening drinks for Helen Shelley's atmospheric exhibition Understandng Death Without the Assistance of God were held at the Front Gallery and Cafe last Friday night although the exhibition itself has been up since Wednesday 30 April. While it all sounds a little on the dark side this is actually an uplifting exhibition that showcases Helen's formidable expressive painting skills. As the title suggests Helen is looking at notions death from points of view other than those that we have become so familiar with through christianity. Show closes Tuesday 13 May so there's no time to lose ... The Front, Lyneham shopping centre, Wattle Street.
DORKY PARK Its taken a while to report on this but following its fifth monthly meeting Dorkbot Canberra might consider itself well and truly established. The initiative of dynamic duo Alexandra Gillespie and Tracey Meziane Benson, Dorkbot is one chapter of an increasing number of loose international affiliates consisting of " people doing strange things with electricity". Yes Dorks are everywhere and far from the 'dull, stupid and fatuous people' that the dictionary definition would suggest. (... although they are everywhere too) Meetings are generally held during the last week of every month in the Fireside Room or CCAS Gallery at Gorman House Arts Centre and provide a platform for open discussion on new media issues, both conceptual and technical. Speakers so far have included Ben Lippmeier, Benjamin Forster, David Broker and Mitchell Whitelaw each looking at different areas of practice and at times there is even some quite lively debate. Last Wednesday 30/5/08 Ben Lippmeier a final year PhD student and occasional lecturer in Computer Science at the Australian National University talked about one of his favorite pastimes ... "writing programs to draw animations, and then passing them off as useful work." Ben is very good at this and by the end of his talk everyone seemed thoroughly convinced. For up to date information about speakers and session times go to http://dorkbotcbr.wordpress.com/category/meetings/ or check the ccas index page.
FLIGHT OF FANCY Sarina Noordhuis had the audience at her opening imagining ways they might be able to live with (i.e own) her work - probably because its work drawn straight onto the gallery’s four walls. Circled by amazing images of the migration/flight patterns of birds Sarina creates an atmosphere of lightness and freedom that one just wants to take home. Uncontrollable desire aside, here + there is a great atmospheric exhibition and its effects are lasting. Continues until 4 May
GOLD LEAF LINING When Tiffany Cole graduated from the ANU art school in 2006 she received the coveted Spanish Embassy Young Australian Artist's Travelling Scholarship which sends one person off to Spain each year to experience something of that country's incredible cultural heritage. Her Family Altar and other new works by Tiffany Cole is a direct response to recent travels in Spain and exposure to its rich collection of religious altar pieces from around the 13th to the 15th centuries. This exhibition is Tiff at her very best with figurative paintings in a highly conceptual installation that references notions of family, "the artists treasures" set in gold. In three words - poignant, radiant and brilliant! Exhibition continues until 20 April.
MODERNITY = CRIMES OF CAPITALISM + PSYCHOLOGICAL LANDSCAPES + ALL THAT IS (NOT) SOLID
Much anticipated exhibitions by Bernie Slater, Tess Stewart-Moore and AKIRA AKIRA drew a HUGE crowd that drunk CCAS out of house and home in a record 90 minutes. And that means not one drop left anywhere in the building ... Not even a rose. This is despite, or perhaps because of, the fact that Bernie and Tess's shows could l be described as ... a bit of a downer. Slater takes on consumerism and hypocrisy in such a way that it is impossible to distance oneself from the collective "crimes of capitalism". At least its not personal - or is it? While Bernie's uncompromising criticisms seem to be aimed elsewhere at first it doesn't take long to realise that he is out to implicate us all in issues such as environmental degradation, abject poverty and the futility of war. Then ... like an anthropologist in her own environment Tess Stewart Moore's photographs of Canberra's more desolate architectural spots (yes there are many!) juxtaposed with testosterone busting images of youth on the town, takes a paradoxically alienating, yet exhilarating, psychological view of Canberra's bleakest environments, inside and out, by day and night. And while they are astonishingly beautiful AKIRA AKIRA's shiny black minimal sculptures/paintings in the Cube scarcely provide any relief as they characterise the 'experience of modernity' through the ephemeral nature of "paint that never dries". But a very good time was had by all - exhibition continues until 17 May.
LOUNGE ACT CCAS Manuka has never seen the likes of Erik Krebs-Schade’s CHAiSE LONGue (porn star), the third of six 2007 Studio Residents solo exhibitions. For the ultimate lounge act Erik completely transformed the gallery to contain a number of works that give sensuous form to notions of sexuality, luxury and decadence. Furnished with puns like Otto-men and many yards of the finest fabrics the salon emits a "no expense has been spared atmosphere" providing audiences with an immersive experience as much as an exhibition. We might well be running out of OTT descriptive clichés but if you see only one exhibition this year make it CHAiSE LONGue (porn star) ! Two weeks only until April 6.
CANBERRA GETS NEW PM Er ... that's Program Manager. From a highly competitive field of applicants, we are delighted to announce that Yolande Norris has been offered the position of Program Manager at Contemporary Art Space. Yolande has been Gallery Administrator at CCAS for one year and Acting Program Manger since the beginning of 08. She has a B.A. Visual Arts from the Australian National University and was an intern at the Beaver Gallery in 2004. Just prior to CCAS Yolande was working in the part time position of Marketing and Communications Coordinator at the National Gallery of Australia. So now the search for a Gallery Administrator with a serious interest in things administrative begins anew. Stay tuned.
3 DEE-LICIOUS No amount of eating metaphors or dubious puns can detract from Kitiya Palaskas’ lip-smacking exhibition that opened (with $1 Smirmoff Blacks!!!) at CCAS Manuka on Thursday evening 13 March. The table is literally set for a visual feast that attempts to define delicious in the 3rd dimension. Palaskas' interest in cake decoration or design that enhances the notion of what is merely edible is an interesting conceptual side dish to ponder on while you are drooling over Caketown. Exhibition continues until 23 March
MIRROR MIRROR Friday 7 and Saturday 8 March Anne Zahalka gave floor talks at her wonderful exhibition Hall of Mirrors: Anne Zahalka Portraits 1987-2007 at the National Portrait Gallery. While all the works involve people one of the many interesting issues to arise from these works is the degree to which they can be defined as portraits. There is a thesis in there for someone! Curator Kara Reees (pictured below) has done a brilliant and thorough job on this exhibition which given Anne's status and contribution to contemporary photomedia reads like a history of Aussie photography from 1987. i.e You will see some very famous works ... The exhibition continues at NPG Commonwealth Place until 31 March 2008 and should not be missed under any circumstances.
ADELAIDE (29.03.08)
WHITE LIGHT WHITE HEAT - FEAR AND LOATHING AT THE ADELAIDE FESTIVAL OF ARTS 2008 The theme was light, and things got hot in the glare of Adelaide’s 2008 Festival of Arts opening week … and I am not only talking about the scorching temperatures . (Adelaide turned on its most excruciating heat wave ever) CCAS Director David Broker convened the Play it Loud panel at Artists’ Week and it turned out to be a little more controversial than expected. Low on content and high on entertainment/bad behaviour Play it Loud had something for everyone; drama, insults, action, impertinence, confusion and generous helpings of spontaneous performance. Broker was joined by Philip Brophy, Danius Kesminas and Chicks on Speed, ostensibly, to discuss current issues pertaining to the “marriage” of art and music. A speedy divorce was on the cards from the outset, however, when Brophy described the liaison as “like a cat fucking a dog”, walking out after scarcely 30 minutes for reasons that have never been fully established. Kesminas showed a Foreign Correspondent story about his Indonesian band Punkasila, a Histrionics clip and burst into song frequently. He also left the stage at one point for an impromptu piano recital from behind the curtains only to return and physically drag the convenor from the “podium”. Meanwhile CoS piled all the available furniture into a heap in the middle of the stage to the accompaniment of a strange live incantation. Of the experience Broker said it was the most exciting and unpredictable panel he had ever convened but later lamented, “I wanted to be Michael Parkinson but they turned me into Jerry Springer … ”. If you can’t stand the heat …. All up the festival was off to a great start with the buildings of Adelaide’s cultural precinct being lit by Electric Canvas from 9am to 2am in a spectacular show called Northern Lights. Although the Adelaide Biennial of Australian Art curated by Felicity Fenner opened to a luke-warm response, there are many great exhibitions and Artists’ Week continued provide a mix of useful information, dialogue and controversy. There was also some great performance with The South African State Theatre Company’s harrowing Town Ship Stories and the more uplifting all Indian/Sri Lankan A Midsummer Nights Dream taking a fresh somewhat folkloric approach to Shakespeare’s classic comedy. And its not over yet.
JUST DESERTS Friends and colleagues joined Timo Nest at CCAS Manuka on the evening of February 28 as he unveiled new works completed during his 2007 studio residency.
NORTH OF THE BORDER: SEDITION BUNGENDORE STYLE CCAS Director David Broker called a draw in the 2008 Art Overboard Award, an exhibition of work with social and political themes, at Kiku Arts in Bungendore. The two winners were Adrienne Conway for Last Breath ??, a work that challenges the scientific value of Japan’s whale hunts in the southern ocean, and Michal Glickson for New Constellations above Southern Gethsemane, an allegorical and mythological stream of images that retell the story of Australia’s colonial history. Of Conway’s work, Broker said, “ The use of image and text reference the political poster and like any good propaganda it makes its point with an economy of means that has impressed me greatly. ”Highly commended were works by Vladimir Gottwald and Shintaro Marky. The indomitable Terry Hicks handed out the awards for the second year in a row and gave the large number of people at the opening an update on the progress of his son David who has recently been released from prison on charges of "providing support to terrorism". Seems that some of Bungendore’s citizens may have adopted the unassuming hero who has become the quintessential Aussie Battler. This is an annual award for Kiku Arts who have just moved into a new gallery on the main street of Bungendore, a small but thriving centre near the ACT/NSW border that specialises in arts, crafts, antiques and jolly good times. It was an award night to rival the Oscars as the second part of the evening was taken up by the presentation of prizes for the 2nd Film Networking Industry (Australia) Achievement Awards 2007 by a representative from the film industry.`
PERFECT TIMING
MULTICULTURAL MADNESS It was yet another wild night at CCAS to kick off the 2008 program although thankfully we did not have to call an ambulance on this occasion. Programmed to coincide with the opening Canberra's Multicultural Festival there was something for (almost) everyone with works by Sam Tupou, Tony Albert, Kensuke Todo and Steven Holland. From different ends of Queensland, Tony Albert (SEQ) and Sam Tupou (FNQ) made quite an impression on the locals (see photos below) and have been adopted as honorary Canberrans. About as local as you can get in one night. While Tony's dad lives here and he seems to have at least one show a year in Canberra, this is Sam's first close encounter with the national capital notwithstanding a brief appearance last year for the NGA's 6th Austalian Print Symposium. And although Kensuke and Steven might be part of the Capital's furniture they are none the less appreciated. An excellent turnout considering the opening was competing with performances by the incredible runaway festival hit The Chooky Dancers who do Zorba the Greek Yolngu style. Many hours later ... a Southern Comfort promo at the Transit bar bought the evening to a screeching halt ...
WHERE ARE THEY NOW Ex board member and not so long ago Canberra based artist, Elvis Richardson, was discovered under a tree in a shady part of Melbourne with colourful local figure, Natalie Ann Thomas. They were going to see Ronnie van Houts band. Elvis has been shortlisted for the prestigious 100k Sellers art prize and as a result will be showing work at the Ian Potter Gallery mid year. And if you are interested in hilarious social commentarty keep an eye out for screenings of Nat's Chorus Line series with her pARTner (sorry its irrestistable) in Kristen Phillips.
CURATORIAL VISITATION/BEACH BABES Its hard work but someone has to do it. Former curator at the Perth Institute of Contemporary Art (PICA) and now flying solo, Hannah Mathews is currently on a national tour seeking work for Primavera 2008. Primavera is the Sydney Museum of Contemporary Art's (MCA) prestigious annual exhibition for emerging artists that was initiated in 1992 in memory of Belinda Jackson who died in 1990. Since then her wonderful parents Dr Edward and Mrs Cynthia Jackson have provided significant support and inspiration for emerging artists. Every year a guest curator surveys emerging art in Australia for an exhibition that provides artists with considerable national exposure and a great experience of working with other artists and the MCA's professional team under the watchful eye of Ted and Cynthia. Always eagerly awaited Primavera is set to open in September and in the mean time Hannah has her work cut out for her. During her time in Canberra Hannah met with lots of artists while visiting Culture Warriors at the National Gallery of Australia and Hall of Mirrors: Anne Zahalka Portraits 1987-2007 at the National Portrait Gallery.
NEWS HOUNDS Not sure if this is good or bad news but CCAS staff Yolande Norris and David Broker will be writing the ACT art notes for Art Monthly Magazine from March 2008. They are very enthusiastic about their new role as news hounds and are particularly interested in any sordid or embarrassing gossip re ACT arts orgs and personalities. (just joking ... ?) And speaking of Art Monthly and news, Maurice O'Riordan who is a well known contributor to many arts journals and hails from Darwin, is the new Editor. CCAS extends a warm welcome to Maurice and everyone is looking forward to working with him ... immensely. $500 FOR ART OVERBOARD Need to get something off your chest? The closing date for Art Overboard is fast approaching. In fact its 8 February with delivery of entries due at Kiku Arts between Friday 15 and Sunday 17 February. Taking its name from the notorious Children Overboard affair this is the second Art Overboard to be run by Kiku Arts in Bungendore and calls for artworks that make a social or political (but not slanderous) statement. Bernie Slater and Tim Spellman were two of last years outspoken winners and this year it could be you! At present these awards have two categories of entry. There is a A) 2D category for works of all media and B) 3D category for indoor or outdoor sculpture, as well as audio/visual entries in all media. Both categories carry a $500 (Australian) first prize, highly commended and commended awards as the judge sees fit. The single $100 People's Choice Award is open from both categories and is selected by one vote per person from members of the public. CCAS director David Broker will be the judge and he will attend the awards night at Kiku Arts on Saturday 23 February. For more information or an entry form go to - www.kikuarts.com.au/index/theartoverboardawards - without further ado. BOUND FOR BOTANY BAY Just as the Prime Minister finally moves back to Canberra Toni Bailey moves out. It is indeed an unfortunate coincidence. Popular local figure and CCAS Program Manager for three years, Toni, has headed North to take up the position of Gallery Manager at the very groovy GRANTPIRRIE Gallery in Sydney. Over many years Toni has made an ENORMOUS contribution to the visual arts in the ACT as an artist and through her work at the National Film and Sound Archive as well as CCAS. Dedicated to the welfare of artists Toni curated a number of very cool exhibitions in Canberra as well as running the CCAS Manuka Program and selecting excellent artists for The Cube Gallery. Always out and about Toni has been a familiar presence on the Canberra art scene and will be missed by all who came into contact with her (and more besides). Importantly, however, we are not loosing a friend but gaining a new place to stay in Sydney. Famous for her fancy dress parties there will be a parting do - but following the recent unfortunate experiences of a sunglassed teen in Melbourne, it will not be announced on the net.
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