Downtown Los Angeles’ Art Walk Finds it’s Stride By Doug McBride  02/04/10 More articles like this >>

If you haven’t already heard, there is now what might be considered a near deafening buzz, surrounding Downtown Los Angeles’ Gallery Row district, and it’s very own, once a month event, known simply as Art Walk. As a location with no shortage of competing things to see and do, the City of Angels might seem like an odd foster parent for a flourishing contemporary art scene. That being said, Gallery Row is now consistently playing host to visitors numbering in the thousands on official Art Walk evenings. Make no mistake, numbers from the past year reportedly topped out near 10,000 on warm summer nights. The Art Walk festivities take place every second Thursday of the month, and the event’s turnout now dwarfs that of any Hollywood premier, even on comparatively quiet nights. Located in the heart of Downtown L.A., Gallery Row sits in the area between 2nd and 9th streets, and Spring and Main streets respectively. The newly designated district enjoyed its official presentation to the Los Angeles public, as recently as May 2004. The Art Walk event came about soon afterward in September 2004, when Bert Green Fine Art and the Gallery Row Art Organization sponsored the event’s inaugural night of excitement. Boasting in-house artist presentations, fascinating new collaborative works, live performance art, and packed sidewalks until well past 11:00 pm, Art Walk can now lay claim to being the most exciting, new ‘to-do’ event in the entire city. What began as a humble collection of 8 galleries, all willing to take part in the initial event in September 2004, has now blossomed into the unimaginable. An eclectic mix of roughly 50 gallery and exhibition spaces, public art museums, and non-profit arts ventures, now take part, and call the area in and around Gallery Row home. Cavernous museums and private galleries now share the area with tiny, makeshift exhibition spaces, and numerous impressive art collectives, each providing visitors with their own unique brand of Art Walk hospitality. The various spaces compete with one another by typically offering free admission, drinks, hors d’ oeuvres, and live music, via in house D.J. booths. When it comes to enticing visitors, many galleries now seem to be allowing a sense of the spectacular to flourish, in light of all the recent competition. At times, beautiful models covered only in body paint have been known to make their way around Gallery show rooms carrying delectable edibles. Visitors can sometimes take part in the body paint themselves, pose for portraits by up and coming artists, and enjoy live music or dance, depending on the time and particular venue. There’s even an outdoor food tent area that does triple duty as an impromptu dance space, and arts and crafts market, while still offering a variety of healthy plates to Art Walk guests. To find out more about the Art Walk, the history of Gallery Row in L.A., or to find a list of participating galleries, check out www.galleryrow.org Image Credits: First Image: Sidewalk on Art Walk Evening Second Image: Artist and Subject demonstration on Art Walk Evening Learn more about Doug McBride >>

 

Brett Whiteley Studio By Claire Perry  01/27/10 More articles like this >>

Brett Whiteley Studio - providing a traveling scholarship, education programs, and a stage for emerging poets - is giving back to the Sydney arts community As you weave your way through narrow streets lined by town houses, which huddle into one another as if whispering secrets, you will discover a small wooden door flagged by two giant match-sticks. Enter the Brett Whiteley studio and get a rare glimpse into the mind and life of one of Australia’s most famous artists. The converted warehouse, which served as Whiteley’s living quarters and studio for the last five years of his life, has been turned into a gallery but many of Whiteley’s personal belongings still remain. As you step into the gallery, a feeling of warmth arises. Polished floor boards reflect the glow from suspended down lights and the white interior compliments the brown and red hues of Whiteley’s early abstract work. Among the works of his twenties are Sofala and Dixon Street for which he won the Italian Government Traveling Art Scholarship in 1960. Turn to the right and fall into a sea of vibrant blues and oranges as you view Self portrait in the studio, winner of the 1976 Archibald Prize, and the popular Lavender Bay series. Whiteley’s Totem series - sculptures of giant bird’s eggs nesting atop twigs and standing over two meters high - divide the room. Upstairs Whiteley’s couch sits on a rug in the centre of the room. Surrounded by floor cushions, the couch faces a small television which plays video footage of the artist at work. Visitors are invited to put their feet up and relax here. On the wall are black and white photographs of the artist with musician Bob Dylan and past Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke. In the next room is Whiteley’s studio and bed. Paint splatters the raw floor boards and penciled inscriptions cover the walls. Quotes from Einstein and Bob Dylan as well as some which are Whiteley’s private thoughts are on display. ‘LIFE IS BREIF but my god thursday afternoon seems incredibly long,’ BW and ‘PAINTING IS AN ARGUMENT BETWEEN… WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE AND WHAT IT IS.’ BW A painting of a beach scene spans an entire wall of his workspace. On the floor are suitcases filled with paints and brushes. The book shelf near his bead is heavy with texts on Picasso, Paris and Pop Art. Shells, stones and feathers decorate shelves and the mezzanine railing. Serving the art community The Brett Whitely gallery is a non-for profit organisation which operations in conjunction with the Art Gallery of New South Wales. Each year the gallery offers a Traveling Art Scholarship to one talented young artist between the ages of 20 and 30. The scholarship is paid for by Mrs. Beryl Whiteley, Brett Whiteley’s mother, and the winner receives $25,000 and a three month residency at the Studio at the Cité Internationale des Arts, Paris. The gallery also runs the Studio Zoo program. During a two hour workshop, students aged between five and eighteen are given the opportunity to observe and sketch zoo animals, experiment with different drawing media, and discuss issues such as self-expression and representation. The Poets Union holds readings on the last Sunday of every month at 2pm at the gallery. These are led by an established poet and offer up and coming poets the chance to be heard through an open mike session. Life and experimental drawing classes are also run at the gallery and made available to the general public. Current Exhibition Iconic Whiteley September 12 2009 – April 4 2010 Brett Whiteley Studio 2 Raper St Surry Hills NSW 2010 +61 2 9225 1881 www.brettwhiteley.org Image Credits: First Image: Whiteley Gallery Second Image: Whiteley Studio Learn more about Claire Perry >>

 

Masterpieces From Paris By Karen Finch  01/20/10 More articles like this >>

Van Gogh, Gauguin, Cézanne & beyond: Post-Impressionism from the Musée d’Orsay National Gallery of Australia, Canberra. The advance publicity campaign for this blockbuster exhibition branded it as the most expensive ever mounted by the Australian National Gallery. In this land of football, where vast amounts of money are spent promoting games, players and special events, it is very interesting to watch the effect on the public of a major art event being advertised across main stream media. The response since it opened from a public that is queuing on a daily basis long before the gallery doors open at 10.00am, argues that beneath the sporting culture of the nation, there is a yearning for cultural breadth that comes via popularising art, music and theatre. Masterpieces from Paris is a broad survey of post-impressionist works from the Musèe d’Orsay. The collection tracks the period from the end of Impressionism to the explosive move by many artists to find an individual voice via a number of different means. Early works, such as Monet’s Study of a figure outdoors: a woman with a sunshade turned to the right, 1886, show a definite transitional style, with the fresh, plein air methodology prevalent in the loose brushwork and bright contrasts of light. Yet, it lacks the documentary information of a traditional portrait, Monet saying it was the surroundings that gave value to her as a subject, as much as to the haystacks in other paintings. A series of tiny studies by Georges Seurat of nudes were a delightful surprise. The final work, Models, 1887-88, is not in this exhibition, being housed in the Barnes Foundation in the USA. But the studies show Seurat’s exploration of his aesthetic theories as he worked through the poses in small format prior to creating the larger work, offering valuable insights into his working methods. As one of the older artists, Cèzanne holds a vitally important place in this collection. The works range from his landscapes, through still lives to figurative works. The Bathers, c.1890, one of many works using this subject matter is a stand out piece displaying his draftsmanship and expertise with colour — the carefully balanced use of secondary contrasts, a hallmark of his work, is magnificently executed and speaks to Cèzanne’s status as elder statesman among these painters. Perhaps the most iconic work in the exhibition is Van Gogh’s bedroom at Arles, 1889, painted after a week of frantic painting, completing five canvases in a week of the surrounding area. Described in a letter to his brother Theo, the finished work is exactly as he planned, and the sense of refuge in the room is palpable. This exhibition is an important event in Australia, offering a breadth of works to a public far away from such collections. For those outside Canberra, the trip is worth making. There are many travel and accommodation packages listed on the NGA website, an ongoing initiative of the gallery to encourage visitors. Visit www.nga.gov.au for more information on the exhibition and packages. Image Credits: Vincent VAN GOGH The Netherlands 1853 – France 1890 Van Gogh's bedroom at Arles [Le chambre de van Gogh à Arles] 1889 oil on canvas canvas 57.5 (h) x 74.0 (w) cm Musée d'Orsay, Paris , Transferred in application of the Peace Treaty with Japan 1959 Learn more about Karen Finch >>

 

Bendigo Art Gallery By Karen Finch  01/13/10 More articles like this >>

The Bendigo Art Gallery is situated in the central Victorian gold rush town of the same name. A feature of the town is the imposing Victorian architecture, which is indicative of the wealth and prosperity that grew through the late nineteenth century. The gallery was founded in 1887 in a hall at the Bendigo School of Mines. In 1890, government funding enabled new premises in View Street. The building had housed the orderly room of the Bendigo Volunteer Riflemen, and was converted by architect William Vahland (1828-1915). Advice about the interior, hanging systems and selection of works for the collection was provided by the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne. The new gallery was officially opened in 1890, but the growing collection required expansion by 1897. A third addition was added in 1905, with refurbishments to the 1897 space that were modelled on the grand European style, with polished floors, ornate plaster arches and cornices, and diffused natural light from skylights. There were few further alterations until 1962, when a large two storey front wing was built using government funds and a substantial private bequest. The gallery has a strong 19th century European and British collection, many of the works having been acquired in the early years of the gallery’s existence. They hold one of only two works in Australian collections by Gustav Dore, Joseph’s Flight from Egypt, and some major works by British artists such as Thomas Kennington, Herbert Schmalz, Ernest Waterlow, Albert Chevalier Tayler and George Kilburne. A highlight of the 19th century collection is a collection of French paintings donated by a local doctor, Dr J.A. Neptune Scott, which includes works by Pierre Puvis de Chavannes, Alfred Sisley, Francois Daubigny and Eugene Isabey. The current collecting focus is contemporary Australian work. However there is a strong collection of early 20th century expatriate artists, including Rupert Bunny, Agnes Goodsir and Ethel Carrick. These are critically important artists within the Australian art context as they were travelling, primarily in Europe, during the period of modern art growth and brought back what they learned, often teaching in addition to exhibiting their new style. For local artists, whose only access at the time to works of artists like the Impressionists, Picasso and Cezanne, was via pamphlet journals with poor quality black and white reproductions, the input from the expatriate artists was invaluable. Bendigo Art Gallery is a regional branch of the National Gallery network in Australia. They maintain links with metropolitan and other regional galleries in the network, sharing resources and co-hosting travelling exhibitions. They have a busy schedule of exhibitions and accompanying education programs, drawing 40% of participants from the surrounding region and the remaining 60% from tourists. The gallery is a ‘must visit’ venue for anyone visiting the historic gold fields region of Victoria and a major asset to the cultural attractions of Bendigo. Visit www.bendigoartgallery.com.au for current and future exhibition and event information. Image Credits: Inside the Bendigo Art Gallery Learn more about Karen Finch >>

 

Spatial Relationships at the Miami Art Museum By Sebastian Fortino  01/07/10 More articles like this >>

I often say great art, is like a clay vessel: it is not what the vessel is as much as what the vessel will hold. Artwork showing at the Miami Art Museum seems to echo my own personal treatise. Until Feb 28th 2010 the museum hosts two exhibits that complement this idea. The museum occupies an interesting place as a venue for viewing artwork: the collection revolves, it is more of a municipal gallery constantly undergoing renewal. Carlos Bunga’s Metamorphosis is the Portuguese artist’s first solo US exhibition. Viewers are invited into a cavernous space, transformed by cardboard, and packaging. Mr. Bunga “builds” the space then tears it down, leaving remnants of the space he created. Destruction is the art, almost like a Tibetan sand painting, not as much the creation. Cardboard – both painted and natural – clings to walls, and lays on the floors. Through these rough edges we see spaces as fleeting as cardboard shelters and as permanent as basilicas, destroyed by man’s haste. The walk through the space is both condemning and reassuring of man’s relationship to what spaces he creates. Space as Medium offers an international grouping of work. Art, since the middle of the last century, has had a special relationship with the site in which it is displayed. The “installation” of the twentieth century, the idea of “site specificity,” is the driving force behind this collection. William Anastasi’s 1966 Untitled, is composed of a gallon of high gloss enamel. It is poured down a wall thus transforming a white, blank wall into an undulating, living phenomenon. Katharina Gross’ 2009 Untitled is perhaps the showstopper in this exhibit. Acrylic paint, soil, and Styrofoam unite to become a sculpture that invades, and transforms the space into a volcanic eruption of color, life, and energy. The piece is – at first – an invasion into space. While the idea of sculpture invading, and transcending space is not new, Ms. Gross’ Untitled does so in such a manner that the viewer must stop and think as to whether the piece has grown from the subterranean depths or if it descended into the gallery space. If avant-garde sculpture is not your thing there is a piece with which you might connect. A huge canvas, by Toba Khedoori, Untitled, 1999 (Doors) takes up most of a wall in the gallery; they are arresting in their simplicity. The doors are open. They are almost conversational in that they face each other ajar. This piece bears all the execution of an architect. The colors are simple, and are repeated throughout the molding of this seemingly early 20th C interior, only broken by the darker, almost burl wood or tortoise shell handles. Mundanely, this piece could be interpreted as a study in perspective. For the lines of the baseboards draw you in, then are interrupted by the open doors which reveal the rooms they lead into, hinted at by more baseboards. But this is Miami, and what would Miami be without parties? While the museum is disbanding with their current monthly Jam at MAM event they will reinterpret it in 2010 to reflect the direction in which the museum is going. They promise their new directive will reflect the current Jam format. Previous Jam at MAM’s take place on the piazza at the museum, framed by the museum itself, the Miami-Dade Historical Museum, and the main branch of the public library. It is free for members, and there is a $10 admission fee. Visitors are also treated to an outstanding relief by famed 20th Century French artist, Frederic Leger as they enter the piazza. www.miamiartmuseum.org 101 West Flagler Street Miami, FL 33130-1504 (305) 375-3000 Image Credits: First Image: Jam at the MAM photo Second Image: Katharina Gross, Untitled, 2009 Third Image: Toba Khedoori, Untitled, 1999 Learn more about Sebastian Fortino >>

 

Reviewing Joerg Doering’s Nostalgic Pop By Carissa Chesanek  01/06/10 More articles like this >>

Adamar Fine Arts in Miami Florida was elated to introduce Nostalgic Pop, Joerg Doering’s exhibition of large-scale, past and present iconographic images of Pop Culture. In this show, Doering created pieces that included very influential people that have impacted our culture and shows them through the eye of the beholder. He allows his audience to contemplate the historical and social influence each character has made in their given era and today’s way of life. His Marilyn Monroe piece entitled, “Phenomenon”, allows us to question who the vivacious super star really was behind her fame. The exhibition showcased these magnificent faces of the past within silk screens and acrylic on canvas to accentuate the softness and vibrant, yet curious mood that is filled within the gallery. Doering takes an entertaining approach to his pop art and adds a sense of outspokenness to such a fun and trendy art form. Born in Germany in 1965, Joerg Doering’s work reflects his exposure to and the influences of pop culture while growing up... "Pop art was my first aware meeting with art, and I was suddenly thrilled. Maybe because I was born in this time and grew up with this language.’” Doering started constructing his work with prominent cartoon characters such as Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck. As he grew as an artist, he later created art that dealt with great iconic Hollywood favorites as Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn and Steve McQueen. The characters that he portrays have played a huge, historic role in our culture, but he gives his work a clean feel by defining his own voice in the art culture. Doering is largely known in Europe and has recently graced the Miami Design District with his latest pop art collection. Image Credits: Phenomenon... by Joerg Doering Dimensions: H 15.75" x W 15.75" Silkscreen and Acrylic on Canvas Learn more about Carissa Chesanek >>

 

Soho Galleries Sydney By Claire Perry  12/15/09 More articles like this >>

Soho Galleries Sydney was established in 1995 by Nigel Messenger. Featuring contemporary works by Australian artists, the gallery provides a platform for new and emerging talent. The gallery also exhibits well-established artists who have made a significant contribution to the Australian art scene. Soho caters to both private and corporate buyers as well as exhibiting affordably-priced works for novice collectors. The three story terrace, echoing cultural Manhattan, houses fine art, sculptures and photography exhibits. Works in genres ranging from abstract, figurative and graphic, to realist and landscape occupy two levels of the gallery. Gallery director Nigel Messenger has over twenty five years experience in the art industry. He says a talented artist is one who ‘understand(s) the medium and create(s) something quite unique.’ Nigel admires the work of JERZY W MICHALSKI - a modern realist painter with a PhD in fine art, whose architectonic interiors, provincial landscapes and street scenes reveal a metaphor of hope and salvation. JERZY W MICHALSKI is just one of the artists whose works will be on display in the gallery’s upcoming exhibition - “ALL THE BEST 2009.” “ALL THE BEST 2009” will display works from all artists who have exhibited at Soho throughout the year. Over 200 works by Australian painters, sculptors and photographers will be made for sale to collectors. Current Exhibitions: “ALL THE BEST 2009” by VARIOUS ARTISTS 6th Dec 2009 - 1st Feb 2009 Soho Galleries Sydney Cnr Crown & Cathedral Street SYDNEY NSW 2000 AUSTRALIA Phone (02) 9326 9066 Fax (02) 9358 2939 www.sohogalleries.net Artists ANNETTE LODGE TRACY DODS CHRIS KENYON JANINE DADDO JONATHON HAYDE WALANGARI KARNTAWARRA CONCHITA CARAMBANO MARSHALL WILLIAMS MIERTJE SKIDMORE ROSS WILSMORE BRETT HAYES JERZY W MICHALSKI ALISON COULTHURST ANDREW MANGELSDORF NEVILLE PILVEN ANDREW BARTOSZ JAMES WILLEBRANT KRISTA STEWART PAUL GUNDRY ALAN WARNER ANN HARRY JOANNE VILLANI BRENDA HARTILL CHRISTOPHER PEARL JANE MCKAY MARK WARREN PAUL BATTAMS Sculptors JOHN GARDNERM RUDI JASS GARNER SCULPTOR WENDIE MCCAFFLEY ANDREW ROGERS GREG HARBUTT PHILLIP HAY ROBIN HOLLIDAY SALLIE PORTNOY ULRIC STEINER EMAD DHAHIR MICHAEL JENKINS TREVOR BERRY ANTONIO COLANGELO MICHAEL VAYNMAN ZYGMUNT LIBUCHA GUIDO GOUVERNEUR PHILIP HAMMIAL Image Credits: MIERTJE SKIDMORE, Intuitive Clarity Learn more about Claire Perry >>

 

Rupert Bunny By Neil Winfield  12/03/09 More articles like this >>

It has been nearly twenty years since the last major exhibition of nineteenth century painter Rupert Bunny, an Australian in Paris. Between November 21st and February 21st 2010, the Art Gallery of New South Wales in Sydney has gathered together an unprecedented collection, featuring a hundred paintings and drawings from this well respected artist. The artworks have been bought together from across Australia, with pieces from Britain and France also included, offering a chance to see the whole range of this artist’s varied and accomplished styles. Rupert Charles Wulsten Bunny was born in 1864 in St. Kilda, near Melbourne, the son of a Judge and whose mother played piano. At an early age, Rupert was exposed to art, music and theater with regular recitals at the family home. In 1884, frustrated by his family’s unenthusiastic responses for his desire to enter the arts, he traveled to London and enrolled at the P.H. Calderon’s Art School. Within two years, Bunny had moved to France and was studying under the French Impressionist painter, Jean Paul Laurens. Immediately this talented Australian's work was well received, exhibiting in the Salon Paris, the Royal Academy, London and Pittsburgh. Very much influenced by his master, Bunny’s early works are of mythical or religious tales and have a literary quality, displaying a distinctive pre-Raphaelite story telling. In 1902 he married fellow art student, Jeanne Morel, who would model for him and appears in a number of his studies. His work from this period shows mastery of the French style excellently illustrating a decadent, carefree time, before the outbreak of the First World War. Many of the paintings depict women enjoying the world around them. Titles like Bathers, Chatting in the Park and his favorite theme, where exquisitely dressed ladies listening to musical renditions as in Midnight Sonata and Nocturne. Bunny’s women were always elegantly dressed, his paintings showing a delicate touch in rendering silk and satin fabric, long flowing dresses, bejeweled with stones, gems and florals. Intricate jewelry, shinning in the half light, with his figures often set in dimly lit surroundings to further emphasize their importance. It is a theme he would not return to after the war, saying that he lost interest once women started wearing short skirts. Like most, he was much changed after the war; la belle époque would not return and so his work progressed. His later artwork demonstrated command of a loose, more relaxed style, paying homage to the movements of the Fauvists and Japanesia - the influence of Cézanne and Gauguin clear. Bold brush stokes, strong colors, all designed to explore the medium as much as the subject. Again he returned to the classical literature for inspiration, also creating more landscape paintings. In 1933 his wife died and Rupert returned permanently to Australia continuing to paint, but not with the same enthusiasm, instead dedicating more time to musical composition. He finally received recognition in his home country with a retrospective in 1946 but sadly died the following year. Image Credits: Rupert Bunny | Australia/France 1864–1947 | Bathers 1906 | Oil on canvas Learn more about Neil Winfield >>

 

Darkwave at Black Cat By Joseph Schuster  11/27/09 More articles like this >>

The Black Cat Gallery, located in Culver City (adjacent to Los Angeles), is a unique gallery venue that promotes original Fine Art, Fashion, Film, Live Music and DJs, and Performance Art. Black Cat was opened in 2001 by Artist/Musician Timothy Williams and spouse, Actress/Singer Rainbow Underhill. Indeed, Black Cat was at the vanguard of the now burgeoning Culver City scene, which though it didn't exist ten years ago, is now arguably the most dynamic gallery district in Los Angeles. The annual Culver City Artwalk, now features more than 40 galleries and draws thousands of visitors each year. Black Cat Gallery features multi-dimensional art shows for 800+ people and also includes outdoor silent films with live music accompaniment and an absinth bar. Black Cat was listed as one of LA’s best galleries in the Los Angeles Times. The current exhibition at Black Cat Gallery is entitled "DARKWAVE"; a group exhibition exploring the spiritual aspects of surfing and stark violence in Los Angeles. The show features art by five Los Angeles artists who share a passion for surfing. Participating artists include: Sandow Birk, Andy Moses, Steve Olson, Timothy Williams and Norton Wisdom. For most people – especially those outside of California who view Los Angeles as an idyllic oasis of movie stars, bikini-clad beach divas, and a laid-back, sunny lifestyle – a connection between surfing and violence isn’t immediately obvious. So DARKWAVE has been carefully curated to challenge viewers to mine the artists’ work for such connections. Williams, however, can shed some light on the inspiration for the exhibition. “One evening I was painting in my studio in Venice Beach. I took a break, stepped outside the door and was held up at gunpoint by five men,” explains Williams, also curator for the show. “That’s when this wave of realization hit me: I could very well pay the ultimate price for creating art and surfing in L.A.—in an instant I had an immediate connection to all the unsuspecting people I read about across the city who have suffered from random acts of violence.” From that harrowing experience, Williams learned to use a firearm. “Between my own experience and stories about serial killers like BTK or L.A.’s own Richard Ramirez, I realized that a line needed to be drawn—there would be more than a cell phone in the studio to protect my wife.” The protective device also features heavily in Williams’ bullet-riddled, surfboard paintings for DARKWAVE. In fact, process plays heavily in the work of all the participating artists. Birk’s most recent work is marked by an exhaustive immersion and research into his subject matter; Moses shuffles, tilts and coerces paint into striking movements across his convex canvases; Olson airbrushes directly onto defused bombs; and Wisdom has mastered painting to live music performances. "Black Cat Gallery shows serious work by serious people," observes Thomas Beeton, a L.A. based interior designer. "Shows are little happenings for three or so nights and then you have to make an appointment to go back and see stuff. It's a garage studio art scene - very cool." Not held hostage to the usual commercial constraints of larger galleries in high-rent gallery districts, Black Cat Gallery will surely continue to make itself known as a truly original voice on the ever-evolving Los Angeles art scene. Black Cat Gallery 11523 Washington Blvd. Culver City, CA 90066 www.blackcatart.com 310-313-4931 www.timothywilliams.org Image Credits: Darkwave Flyer Learn more about Joseph Schuster >>

 

900 Eyes Looks in at Maitland Region Art Gallery By Ingrid Bruggestrass  11/17/09 More articles like this >>

When one first enters the Maitland Regional Gallery’s – The Anthony Gallery it is like walking into a stadium with yourself in the spotlight, as 900 Eyes look straight at you silent and knowing. The 70m space is currently dedicated to the 900 Eyes exhibition until December 6th 2009; the brain-child of Coogee artist Susan O’Doherty. The show is a selection of 450 acrylic on canvas passport type portraits all 40 x 28cm, depicting influential and interlinked members of the Sydney artistic community. The result is a collective but highly individualised singular abstract fresco interweaving colour, persona, solidarity and unity. All the portraits were produced from the undercover sleuthing of O’Doherty who scoped out a variety of individuals during events, openings and shows when they were unprepared using a digital camera to take 2 photos of her subjects without facial emotion. She states the reason behind this was because “With little warning they didn’t have time to prepare themselves for the camera. In this way everybody, no matter what their role or perceived status is equal.” By not taking scheduled sittings and capturing her subjects unaware, O’Doherty has removed stature and gained a commonality between both the creative and business spheres of Sydney’s art scene, allowing the personality of each person to shine rather than their role. There were 472 portraits in total ranging from painters, sculptors, cartoonists, administrators, photographers, gallery directors, conservators, writers, collectors and when available their families and partners. O’Doherty only spent one to three days painting each of her subjects because she isn’t fond of perfectionism and prefers spontaneity in her artistic form saying “If you labour over a portrait, it ends up looking like its laboured over.” Another aspect for the creation of the display was to document the current commitment to the Australian art scene for historical record with the artist holding a strong hope that the portraits will be of significant referral value for the future and regretting no such study exists from the past. For the observer, the exhibition is lively and provocative with some portraits clearly recognisable and others shrouded in ambiguity. The fresco is an interesting perspective and highly enjoyable as the people viewing the exhibit are the ones observed by the artistic community in what O’Doherty describes as “A sea of faces.” For an interview with the artist after 900 Eyes exhibited at the Manly Gallery in Sydney please visit Click Here >> Image Credits: Portraits from 900 Eyes by Susan O’Doherty of Australian legendary artist Margret Olley (bottom image) and Archibald prize winner Adam Cullen (top image), currently on show at the Maitland Regional Art Gallery until December 6th. Susan O’Doherty at work in her studio in Coogee, source http://susanodoherty.com.au/ Learn more about Ingrid Bruggestrass >>

January 27, 2010		Diversions Brett Whiteley Studio    Brett Whiteley Studio - providing a traveling scholarship, education programs, and a stage for emerging poets - is giving back to the Sydney arts community. Read More >>
January 20, 2010		Diversions Masterpieces From Paris    Van Gogh, Gauguin, Cézanne & beyond: Post-Impressionism from the Musée d’Orsay National Gallery of Australia, Canberra. The advance publicity campaign for this blockbuster exhibition branded it ...Read More >>
January 13, 2010		Diversions Bendigo Art Gallery    The Bendigo Art Gallery is situated in the central Victorian gold rush town of the same name. A feature of the town is the imposing Victorian architecture, which is indicative of the wealth and prospe...Read More >>
January 07, 2010		Diversions Spatial Relationships at the Miami Art Museum    I often say great art, is like a clay vessel: it is not what the vessel is as much as what the vessel will hold. Artwork showing at the Miami Art Museum seems to echo my own personal treatise. Until ...Read More >>
January 06, 2010		Diversions Reviewing Joerg Doering’s Nostalgic Pop    Adamar Fine Arts in Miami Florida was elated to introduce Nostalgic Pop, Joerg Doering’s exhibition of large-scale, past and present iconographic images of Pop Culture. Read More >>
December 15, 2009		Diversions Soho Galleries Sydney    Soho Galleries Sydney was established in 1995 by Nigel Messenger. Featuring contemporary works by Australian artists, the gallery provides a platform for new and emerging talent. The gallery also exhi...Read More >>
December 03, 2009		Diversions Rupert Bunny    It has been nearly twenty years since the last major exhibition of nineteenth century painter Rupert Bunny, an Australian in Paris. Between November 21st and February 21st 2010, the Art Gallery of New...Read More >>
November 27, 2009		Diversions Darkwave at Black Cat    The Black Cat Gallery, located in Culver City (adjacent to Los Angeles), is a unique gallery venue that promotes original Fine Art, Fashion, Film, Live Music and DJs, and Performance Art. Read More >>
November 17, 2009		Diversions 900 Eyes Looks in at Maitland Region Art Gallery    When one first enters the Maitland Regional Gallery’s – The Anthony Gallery it is like walking into a stadium with yourself in the spotlight, as 900 Eyes look straight at you silent and knowing. ...Read More >>
November 04, 2009		Diversions Art Tube: An Interactive Look Behind the Scenes    The ultimate search for humans to express, perceive, and understand is evolving to the communication platform of visual cutting edge videos. Art Tube is our highlighted site, which is a website with ...Read More >>
October 30, 2009		Diversions Impressions of the Getty    An afternoon at the Getty Museum of Los Angeles evokes many contrasting impressions. Though its purpose is to be a city museum, it sits on a site inaccessible to regular street traffic. Looking out f...Read More >>
October 14, 2009		Diversions Can you Imagine    What has red wings and can be formed into just about anything you can imagine? The answer is the Red Bull “Art of Can”. This artistic challenge put forth by the energy drink company, Red Bull, will d...Read More >>
September 29, 2009		Diversions The Blago Project    With a political past as entertaining and tragic as we’ve ever seen and with hair that is the envy of Elvis impersonators and hair challenged men everywhere, the former governor of Illinois, Rod Blago...Read More >>
September 16, 2009		Diversions Opening Reception Night at the Bergamot Station; Twenty + Galleries Participate.    Enthusiastic crowds converged on the Bergamot Station in Santa Monica on September 12th, with close to twenty contemporary galleries staying open into the evening hours hosting their new exhibits. As ...Read More >>
September 09, 2009		Diversions SPIRIT OF THE PEOPLE: New Melanesian Art    This exhibition is historically significant as it is the first exhibition of Contemporary Melanesian art with a regional wide focus to show in Auckland, New Zealand. Read More >>
September 02, 2009		Diversions Chicago: The Jewel of the Midwest    New York and Los Angeles have long been considered the art Mecca’s, both locales revered as the main centers of art in the US. However, Chicago experienced its own art renaissance which produced a bu...Read More >>
August 18, 2009		Diversions Does Art Really Matter?    In the midst of our collective concerns about the economy, terrorism, health care, and global warming does art really matter these days? <...Read More >>
August 10, 2009		Diversions New Russian Art, A.D. 1909    These color photographs were all taken in the Russian Empire between 1909 and 1918. Sergei Prokudin-Gorskii was a Russian photographer born in 1863. After studying chemistry with Mendeleev and ...Read More >>
August 05, 2009		Diversions The Perspective of an Unseen World    In Turkey 1953, Esref Armagan was born with no eyes, but his visual perspective on the unseen world has brought new insights to the minds of well known psychologist and neurologist across the world. ...Read More >>
July 22, 2009		Diversions Dismal Streetscapes + Avant-garde Art = Ingenuity    In many cities, economic conditions have forced once burgeoning and attractive commercial corridors to stall. Closed stores are leaving in their wake blighted streetscapes and communities in aesthetic...Read More >>
July 09, 2009		Diversions The Art of Liberating the Human: Part 2    The Art of Liberation through letting go and spreading hope has two uniquely different artists relinquishing thousands of pieces of artwork out on the street. Adam Neate is a British born artist, wh...Read More >>
June 15, 2009		Diversions The Art of Liberating the Human - Part 1    Quote by Spencer Tunick - "A body is a living entity. It represents life, freedom, sensuality, and it is a mechanism to carry out our thoughts. A body is always beautiful to me. It depends on the ...Read More >>
June 15, 2009		Diversions The Perfect Height    Recently, I moved into a new home and as I was unpacking and putting items in their permanent locations, I was faced with the quandary of where to place my ever growing art collection. I am sure many...Read More >>
April 27, 2009		Diversions World's Largest ArtPrize    The City of Grand Rapids, MI is a buzz with the potential of the newly announced ArtPrize. ArtPrize invites artists of all kinds from around the world to participate in an unprecedented competition th...Read More >>
April 20, 2009		Diversions Feast your Eyes on These    On one of my trips to Chicago, I had the pleasure of meeting Scott Urban of Urban Spectacles. He creates custom made wooden spectacles with meticulous attention to detail. Scott started by making spec...Read More >>
March 30, 2009		Diversions Underground Artists    Rather than going through the traditional outlets of art galleries and art fairs, street artists share their art in a guerrilla type application. Due to legal ramifications, they usually choose to rem...Read More >>
March 02, 2009		Diversions Green is the New Black    It seems our world is refocusing on being green. It is interesting to see how green technologies are being used by artists today. Some might say this started in the 1970’s when Robert Smithson underto...Read More >>
January 05, 2009		Diversions Uploaded Magazine Launches New Website    Uploaded Magazine has launched its new website in an effort to start a dialogue about the role of art and technology and how they relate to art galleries and the art industry at large. Uploaded Magazi...Read More >>