Small Scale Stories – Part 1
A drizzly winter’s day has ignited my interest in all things internal, leaving me content to be read a good book and enjoy the intimate interior view. The bold bright Brisbane landscape, city lights and expense of blue sky have been temporarily swapped for these small scale stories.
Right on cue, the Lethbridge Gallery in Paddington, Brisbane has delivered the Lethbridge 10000 Small Scale Art Award showcasing pint-sized works. The finalists are on display at the Latrobe Terrace gallery from 13 June to 28 July 2015. The idea behind the annual Small Scale Art award is to foster creativity by inviting national and international artists to submit paintings, drawings, photographs and 2D works with the constraint that they must not measure more than 61cm in any direction.
Finalist works on display were largely representational, and I particularly enjoyed the warmth and humor many of these little pieces conveyed. Karl de Waal won the Creativity Award for his delightfully nostalgic Channel 27, a mixed media work of assembled found materials portraying cowboys of childhood – inscribed both in and onto the cover of a cloth-bound hardcover book. Artist Lynden Stone’s work, A Reminder of Nows Too, received a Highly Commended with his mini-portraits depicting close-up or ‘Selfie-like’ perspective of three children. Each portrait is painted on a separate timber square, they are assembled into a wooden frame and appear to slide, reminding us of a sliding puzzle game.
Many of the works communicated a shared vista, or a still frame in a fleeting narrative. Maria Flourou’s, Dreams of a Boy, is a dreamy and intriguing work, in which a boy sits blindfolded by a red striped kerchief while an exposed landscape is layered across the boy’s seated form. Flourou studied arts at school and University, and her photographic works use mobile photography, challenging notions of the disposable digital snapshot. Her mobile photographic works have been exhibited at the LA Mobile Arts Festival (LAMAF) and the Head on Film Festival in Sydney. Her work, Quixotic, was used as the hero image for the Head On festival 2014 and was also a finalist for the Lethbridge 10000.
Flourou is among the growing number of artists, designers and photographers that are using Instagram as their primary location for sharing work. Instagram is a place where artists can share professional-quality work and represent themselves to a wider audience, Flourou’s @muzbanger feed has over 20,000 followers, arguably a much larger audience than available via the traditional gallery context. Instagram provides a platform for like-minded artists to share and collaborate on work. Flourou is a member of the online collective, The Mnemonics – a group of photographers who met and connected on Instagram.
Engage Arts will delve into issues around online copyright law and social media in an upcoming blog post, and explore the recent controversial exhibition of U.S. artist Richard Prince’s ‘appropriated’ Instagram photos.
The constraints of working on a small-scale challenge makers to achieve more with less. As spectators, we experience works through this reduced frame, presenting proximity and affording moments of intimacy and contemplation. Whether it be a mixed media work or hand-held photographs, I for one am enjoying pocket-sized pieces that chase the winter blues away.
– Kerry
References
Betters, E 2015, 31 incredible photographers to follow on Instagram right now, <http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/131470-31-incredible-photographers-to-follow-on-instagram-right-now>.
Head On Photo Festival 2015, <https://headon.com.au/>.
Lethbridge Gallery, Lethbridge 10000 Finalists 2015, <https://www.brettlethbridge.com/10000finalists.php?finalist_year=2015>.
Price, R 2015, An artist is making $100,000 a pop off other people’s Instagram photos — and it could be totally legal, Business Insider Australia, <http://www.businessinsider.com.au/richard-lewis-instagram-photos-100000-dollars-new-york-new-portraits-copyright-2015-5>.
Vivid Sydney: Top 5 Light Experiences
With over 60 light attractions, it is safe to say there’s plenty to see and do at Vivid Sydney. Last week, I spent three jam-packed nights exploring Vivid Sydney. With so much on to see, it was hard to choose any favourites, but here are my top 5 Vivid Sydney light sights:
1. Robotanic by thomas+sebastian (Thomas Martin and Sebastian Barkoczy)
I happily stumbled across ‘Robotanic’ on Martin Place while making my way down George Street; it immediately caught my eye. I was completely drawn in by its glowing organic sculptural forms. What makes this installation so amazing, is its interactive elements. Designed to replicate the experience of a botanical garden, each organically shaped node is connected to motion sensors that trigger light and sounds associated with nature. While you create your own light and sound show you almost forget you are in the middle of Sydney, and instead feel like you are in some mystical, Avatar-like forest. ‘Robotanic’ acts a reminder that we all need to take time away from the technology-driven society that we live in, to tune our sense to nature. Honestly, I could have played with these for hours!
thomas+sebastian, Robotanic, 2015. Image: Engage Arts.
2. Streets Ahead by Reko Rennie and Beastman
Projected onto a heritage-listed brewery facade ‘Streets Ahead’ should be on the top of your ‘to see’ list. Australian artists, Reko Rennie and Beastman (Brad Eastman) bring street art to life through ‘Streets Ahead’. Reko Rennie pays respect to his Indigenous heritage by combining the iconography of Indigenous culture with stylistic elements of graffiti. His bold statement, ‘Culture is not a lifestyle choice’ reminds us that culture is still very much an integral part of Indigenous identity today. Beastman’s distinctive style is immediately recognisable; his bold colours and geometric patterns are kaleidoscopic in his animated projection. In front of the building is a small courtyard with deck chairs so you can relax and enjoy the view—it actually makes for a great ‘chill-out’ spot to meet friends. I suggest taking a blanket or hot chocolate to keep you warm, because you won’t want to get out of those chairs!
Beastman, Streets Ahead (detail), 2015. Image: Engage Arts
3. Mechanised Colour Assemblage by Rebecca Baumann and Danny Rose
3D-projection mapping, ‘Mechanised Colour Assemblage’ transforms the Museum of Contemporary Art’s (MCA) facades into a series of sound and colour spectacles. Developed by Australian artist Rebecca Baumann in collaboration with Paris-based art and design team Danny Rose, the installation immerses you in a synesthetic experience that sparks both your sense of vision and sound. ‘Mechanised Colour Assemblage’ continues Baumann’s interest in colour and its perceptual relationship with emotion. What I found most interesting about this piece is its play on the internal and external spaces around the MCA. Baumann’s colourful flip-clocks featured her work ‘Automated Colour Field’ (2011)—exhibited in MCA’s permanent display—become digitally animated, overtaking the whole building before merging into the next transfixing, colourful scene. ‘Mechanised Colour Assemblage’ also produces clever scenes in which it seems the structural elements of the building are moving, transforming the buildings façade into a fluctuating canvas. If you are looking for a unique keepsake from Vivid, you can get a light portrait—an image of your choice will be projected over your face so you become a Vivid light piece yourself— taken and printed for free at Canon HQ at the Foundation Hall of the MCA.
Rebecca Baumann and Danny Rose, Mechanised Colour Assemblage (detail), 2015. Image: Engage Arts.
4. Lighting the Sails by Universal Everything http://www.vividsydney.com/event/light/lighting-sails
‘Lighting the Sails’ doesn’t need much explanation—colourful animations projected on great façade of the Sydney Opera house, you can’t get much cooler than that! Created by multi-disciplinary design collective, Universal Everything—who have collaborated with the likes of Radiohead, Warp Records and the 2012 London Olympics—‘Light the Sails’ makes for a great photo opportunity. I positioned myself on the opposite side of Circular Quay to the Opera House (at the Museum of Contemporary Art) to take some snaps.
Universal Everything, Lighting the Sails, 2015. Image: Engage Arts.
5. ‘Affinity’ by amigo & amigo (Simone Chua and Renzo B. Larrivere) + S1T2 (Chris Panzetta and Naimul Khaled)
‘Affinity’ is a large-scale lighting installation that depicts the complexity and connectivity of the human brain. A web of interconnected orbs display sound and light when stimulated by touch, which the artists intended to represent the rapid-fire transmission of messages between neurons. With sound, touch and visual elements, ‘Affinity’ is another installation that stimulates your senses. As you touch each orb, trails of coloured light bounce between them—making for another great photo opportunity.
amigo & amigo and S1T2, Affinity, 2015. Image: Engage Arts.
If you have already been to Vivid, you will realise it’s just too difficult to pinpoint 5 light installations! So I have cheekily included just a few more suggestions to my Top 5. The ‘Vivid Laser-fountain Water Theatre’ at Darling Harbour is great for kids. It runs every half and hour, but I suggest trying to make it to the 6pm show to get a good seat—again, make sure you take your camera. Anyone who wants to enjoy Vivid while sipping cocktails, then the Vivid Lounge at The Star Casino’s Sky Terrance is for you. Relax and enjoy interactive digital games, with views of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and city skyline.
What took me by surprise was the vast amount of participatory art elements at Vivid Sydney. While there was certainly many impressive large-scale light projections onto Sydney’s iconic buildings—it was the smaller interactive installations that won me over and will make me jump on the plane next year to seek out the top 5 of 2016!
Vivid Sydney finishes on 8 June, so be sure to catch it! For more information check out www.vividsydney.com
– Danielle
Oracle-Liquid (Glenn Turner), Vivid Laser-fountain Water Theatre, 2015. Image: Engage Arts.
In The Spotlight: Alexandra Lawson
Traditionally, when we visit an art gallery we expect to simply view the objects on display; it is assumed that we will not be allowed to touch or interact with the exhibitions. Social Art—otherwise known as participatory art—is one way that artists are attempting to challenge this idea. Social Art creates social conditions that invite viewers to physically engage and interact with the creative process of an artwork. As a result, the viewer’s role transforms from spectator to participant allowing them to act alongside the artist as an author and creator of the artwork.
Toowoomba-based artist Alexandra Lawson explores various ways of using Social Art to encourage participation. From cafes to exhibition spaces, postcards to smartphones, Lawson’s work utilises everyday objects, spaces and activities to facilitate opportunities for her audience to reflect on and share their thoughts with others.
Lawson’s work I Value You (2014) plays on the act of sending letters. Placed in a gallery space, a shelf holding hand-printed postcards with the words ‘I value you’ is placed next to a plinth that resembles a post box. Participants are instructed to use the postcards to write to someone they value and then put them into the ‘post box’. Once the exhibition has finished, Lawson then sends the postcards to the addressed person. By addressing their postcard to a person they value, Lawson encourages the participant to consider their emotional values. I Value You transforms the gallery into a space for reflection and contemplation; a space that gives the participants a moment to themselves and an opportunity to reach out to someone who has impacted their life.
‘I Value You’ (2014) (installation view). Image by Alexandra Lawson on her website.
‘I Value You’ (2014) (installation view). Image by Alexandra Lawson on her website.
Away from the traditional gallery space, Lawson’s work Experimental Breakfast (2014) invites participants to eat alone at a selected local café. Lawson gives the participant a ticket to present to the staff, who in exchange gives them an envelope which contains a notebook and request: to write something personally reflective in the notebook. Each new participant adds to the notebook, leaving their story for the next participant to read. Lawson uses the everyday activity of eating breakfast to facilitate a larger conceptual project inviting participants to spend a moment alone, away from everyday distracts, to reflect while eating breakfast in a public space. At the same time, Lawson’s instructions encourage the participant to experience Experimental Breakfast both as a contributor and as a viewer of a collective experience.
‘Experimental Breakfast'(2014). Image by Alexandra Lawson on her website
Lawson’s work continuously pushes us to contemplate our values, self-awareness, and asks us to share our thoughts with others. Her works facilitate an opportunity for its participants set outside of their comfort zone to express themselves through everyday activities. Lawson engages and fully immerses her audience in the creative process through works that become a collective experience.
Danielle Harvey
Find out more about Lawson’s work here. Lawson is also co-director of artist run initiative, RAYGUN PROJECTS. Located in Toowoomba, Queensland, RAYGUN facilities a space for international and Australian artists who deal with social and participatory art. Check out RAYGUN’s upcoming projects at http://raygunlab.com.
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