Blog – Artists

Don't miss: James Cochran's London Street Portraits

22 March 2011

You have this week only to see James Cochran's London Street Portraits at Lindberg Galleries in Naarm / Melbourne. I have popped in numerous times with my walking tour groups to see this excellent show.

Cochran has excellent technical skill and his paintings are automatically striking. Cochran fuses techniques together using aerosol pointillism, using multiple dots of spray-paint to render the entire image. In his late teens and early twenties Cochran began his career as an artist out on the street. Cochran began exhibiting oil paintings in the late 1990s while continuing his graffiti and mural work. He is best known for his gritty street urban subjects, but in this show there are only portraits of the homeless people in London.

The work is extremely personal and intimate – there is an emotional and humane connection. You can feel that Cochran is close to the subject and has spent time being involved in their lives. This understanding has come from a period of homelessness himself when he was a teenager and forced out onto the streets.

In Hosier Lane (view location on Google Maps) there is a portrait in the laneway that Cochran has painted; it is an extension of the show at Lindberg.

Lindberg Galleries (view location on Google Maps)
2/289 Flinders Lane
Melbourne VIC 3000

Tuesday to Friday, 11am tp 5pm
Saturday, 12pm to 5pm

Until 26 March 2011

 

Street artists: from public open areas to indoor commercial galleries

1 March 2011

Andy Mac (Until Never and Citylights Project, in Naarm / Melbourne) has educated and worked with communities and building owners in Naarm / Melbourne for several years.

He is the reason why Hosier Lane (view location on Google Maps) is the most photographed lane in Naarm / Melbourne.

In 2004 Andy Mac assisted the National Gallery of Australia, in Canberra, in the acquisition of a large selection of stencil work for its works of paper collection.

His gallery, Until Never, is an independent gallery in Naarm / Melbourne, presenting contemporary art by Australian and international artists. Founded in 2005, it was the first commercial gallery supporting street artists into the gallery system. The works sold at Until Never remain very reasonably-priced and the exhibitions, strong.

"Hosier may feel impossibly offbeat, but its twists and turns are the essence of the city. This is embodied by Until Never, a small gallery that punches above its weight with some of the most influential emerging street founded art in the world." Financial Times (March 2011).

Larger commercial galleries, such as Metro Gallery on High Street, Armadale, have followed in Andy Mac's vision but with a highly commercial edge. They have invested a substantial amount in support of this style of art. In return, the works are highly priced and are being purchased by a larger middle market.

In 2010 Metro Gallery hosted Blek Le Rat and in 2011 it is Swoon.

"Swoon has been working on the streets of New York City for over 10 years, creating large scale paste-ups of the every day inhabitants of the Big Apple. She uses traditional print making techniques to reproduce these beautiful images at life size before hitting the streets to create her own unique, narrative driven cityscape. Swoon also ensures that each piece she creates is inherently unique by physically cutting details into her works, this process of subtraction allows the pieces to take on a life of their own on the street because the textures and tones of the surface they are pasted on then become integral to the construction of the work themselves. While the method of her work is indebted to both traditional craftsmanship and classic painterly technique, her execution is entirely modern. It is this method of incorporating both age old techniques and contemporary graffiti practice that makes her work so compelling, not to mention highly sought after. She has contributed work to MOMA, Art Basel Miami, and the Brooklyn museum."

Swoon is on until 5 March 2011. Swoon has totally reconstructed the space and the installations look great. All her hours and hard work are definitely noted.

Metro Gallery
1214 High Street Armadale VIC (view location on Google Maps)
Monday to Friday, 10am to 5.30pm; Saturday and Sunday, 11am to 5pm

 

A new year in the art world: Debut

1 February 2011

The art industry has reopened for 2011 with Debut VII at Blindside.

For the last 7 years, Blindside Artist Run Initiative has opened the new year with an exhibition titled Debut.

"Debut is in its seventh incarnation. Every year since 2005, a curator nominated by the Blindside committee visits the graduate exhibitions of Naarm / Melbourne's major art schools and invites artists to exhibit early the following year. This year's curators, Shae Nagorka and Julian White, have selected group that, if we are being overly simplistic, could be described as formalists. However, the methodical and prescribed practices displayed reveal a deep emotional understanding of the often-overlooked subtleties of our everyday experiences that, taken en masse, make up our lives."

In the 2010 exhibition I particularly enjoyed Ted Mckinlay's work and in 2011 standouts would have to be Alice Wormald and Jessica Honey.

Alice's beautiful oil painting of an intimidation pot plant is technically very sound and textural. The different tones of green emphasise the real being the hanging pot basket and the unreal being the pot plant itself.

Jessica's smaller images of "yacht-owning" children are also successful in representing a purely aesthetic level. The children's gaze and light colour scheme of white, baby blue and pink all successfully work in an exercise of formalism.

There are 8 artists in total:

1. Mari Adams
2. Sam Barbour
3. Fiona Boyd
4. Zoe Croggon
5. Jessica Honey
6. Adele Macer
7. Esther Stewart
8. Alice Wormald

Blindside Artist Run Initiative (view location on Google Maps)
Gallery One and Two
Level 7, Room 14, Nicholas Building
37 Swanston Street Melbourne 3000

Wednesday to Saturday, 12pm to 6pm
Until 5 February 2011

 

Dane Lovett: name and work worth knowing

8 December 2010

Dane Lovett has been in quite a few group shows in 2010. Recent exhibitions include Dedication at Chalk Horse (Sydney); Catch the Spirit, Seventh (Melbourne), and New and Used Paintings, TCB Art Inc. (Melbourne)

Currently on show at West Space, in Naarm / Melbourne's CBD, Dane Lovett's Paintingss is located in the first room (gallery 2) until 18 December 2010.

Every time I see Lovett's work it is fresh and alive. With the use of 1950′s, 1960′s colours, Lovett's work takes on a strange mixture of various decades. Lovett gives still life a modern twist and a unique style.

"Dane Lovett's paintings bring together subject matter from a variety of sources, moving freely between still-life, found imagery and portraiture. Paintingss is a group of not quite classical acrylic and watercolour works, where flowers, plants and interiors are twisted slightly with the inclusion of various musical iconography."

As a visual person it takes me a while to remember an artist's name. As I have seen and enjoyed Lovett's work a few times in 2010, I now remember his name.

Maybe this is clever marketing or a constant reminder that he is out there and active as an exhibiting artist. Which ever way it falls I now know Lovett's name and work.

West Space (view location on Google Maps)
Level 1, 15–19 Anthony Street, Melbourne

Wednesday to Friday, 12pm to 6pm
Saturday, 12pm to 5pm
Until 18 December 2010

Artist talk: Saturday 11 December 2010, 2pm to 3pm

 

Tim Webster's work: calming, mediative and hypnotising

20 November 2010

I have been following Tim Webster's work for a few years now.

I generally find it difficult to give video or screen work time, and normally I do not stay and watch.

However, with Webster's work I am drawn in from the very start and am able to sit and appreciate. There are many factors that contribute to the success of Webster's work and I have tried to narrow down why it has always worked for me.

1. Presentation – No matter where the work has been, back room at Seventh, first room at Blindside, or Screen Space Gilford Lane. Webster has always occupied the space on offer well. Webster's approach is professional and has he has always used appropriate materials and technical equipment.
2. Technical standards – The work has always been of excellent quality and standard. I view many video works that lack excellent technical standards and it subtracts from the work instantly.
3. Image – The use of repetition helps draw the viewer's eye into where we are. The overload is consuming and addictive. Within 5 seconds the viewer is engaged. I find this element to be incredible important to the success of the work.
4. Sound – The sound is an important factor to the work and Webster manages to work the sound into the image, adding to the work rather than distracting.

Forever, For Later is the current show of Webster's showing at Screen Space and it is an excellent example of Webster's work. It is calming, mediative and hypnotising.

"Forty video screens in custom built frames, each containing a series of video loops, are arranged in the gallery as a three dimensional collage. Shot over three days in Brazil and Argentina, the work continues the artist's interrogation of time, memory and perception."

I wish Tim well on his travels back to Brazil and I look forward to the next body of work!

Screen Space – 30 Guildford Lane, Melbourne (view location on Google Maps)

 

Nicholas Jones: book artist, dissector and carver

7 September 2010

Congratulations Nicholas Jones!

I was very proud to see Nicholas Jones on ABC's Art Nation last Sunday.

I began working with Nicholas a few years ago, when he decided to become a full-time artist and left his teaching job behind.

Nicholas is well known in Naarm / Melbourne for his beautiful manner and impeccable look and grooming. He has a Bachelor of Fine Art (VCA), Master of Art (RMIT) and Grad Dip Ed (Melbourne University).

I have seen Nicholas go from strength to strength developing his works, widening his communities and opportunities. Nicholas has had many successful group exhibitions and significant solos. His work has been shown at Pablo Fanque (Sydney), Geelong Regional Gallery (Geelong, Victoria) and Craft Victoria, MARS Gallery and fortyfive downstairs (Melbourne) to name a few.

"Nicholas Jones has been described as a 'book artist, book dissector and book carver'. Based in Naarm / Melbourne, Jones collects discarded books that no longer have a home. Folding, refolding, tearing, cutting and sewing their pages, he carefully and quite deliberately dissects them, creating delicate and exquisite sculptural installations. Constantly inspired by the material he works with, Jones is intrigued by the history these books tell, 'as if they are explaining their lives as I slice into them'. Intrigued by their history and inspired by the idea of difference, his work is as much about process as it is about the form – 'these books were conceived, born, loved, stored, discarded, found anew, studied, cut, folded and reborn'."

Part of the Melbourne Writers Festival 2010, Nicholas's works were on exhibit at the Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI), at Federation Square, in Naarm / Melbourne.

 

The artist's journey: sustainability, longevity and survival in a commercial world

19 August 2010

For the last 10 weeks I have had a wonderful, talented artist stay with me named Michael Feigenbaum.

Michael is not simply a visual artist. He is a performing artist, a body percussionist, and in actual fact he is a rhythm specialist.

Take a look at this work on YouTube's mybeat2 channel.

This time with Michael has reminded me that all artists have a very similar long journey. A journey about sustainability, longevity and survival in a commercial world, which does not necessarily see art visual or performing art as a sustainable career.

Those artists who do run the marathon tend to have the same skills, philosophies and disciplines:

• They are mentally fit, physically fit and have great practise.
• They are skilled in their medium, pushing forward and opening up doors.
• They are out there, networking in person or on social media; they are forming relationships with others in their field and are running a very tight business.
• They are respectful of others, their talents and time.
• They have great communication skills and return emails, phone calls and texts.
• They have started with a strong foundation and have grown organically from hard work, good relationships and good business practise.
• They have ensured that their "brand" is respected and they have been conscious of every move.

I am very fortunate to have such amazing people in my life, people who are successful in living a life out of their passion and need to express. People like Michael Feigenbaum.

 

Independent and "Unrepresented"

29 July 2010

I feel very fortunate to be given the opportunity to curate a show at fortyfivedownstairs, in Naarm / Melbourne. "Unrepresented", with artworks by Nicholas Jones, Christopher Koller, Ted McKinlay, Chloe Vallance and Ben Walsh, opens on Tuesday 3 August 2010 (5pm to 7pm).

Mary Lou Jelbart, artistic director of fortyfivedownstairs, describes the show: "'Unrepresented' responds to the vagaries and minefields of the art world that contemporary artists encounter. Curator Bernadette Alibrando, who delves beneath the surface of Naarm / Melbourne's commercial gallery scene and spreads her network far and wide, has selected five artists who have chosen to remain independent. While most artists see representation by a gallery as the best possible situation, others deliberately remain outside the accepted system."

I am an independent art consultant who works with artists on a very personal level. Where I can, I help connect, mentor and facilitate opportunities. My greatest pleasure is to sell work and know that it is adding value not only to the client's life and environment, but also to the artist's career.

Gathering and presenting the artists featured in "Unrepresented" has been a great opportunity for me to pull the curtain on all the behind the scenes work that I do. fortyfivedownstairs is as independent as I am, and to be able to give these talented artists such a prestigious stage to present their current work is a great honour.

Selection process – The selection process was not very difficult. I keep in contact with artists and visit their studios often, both personally and because of walk-to-art. Sometimes I park artists that I work with and wait for opportunities that would be beneficial to them to arise. As much as it is about the art, it is also about exposure, which artist is ready and who is accepting, and is grateful and professional enough about an exciting opportunity.

Within the artists chosen... old acquaintances (Christopher Koller and Nicholas Jones) and new discoveries (Ted Mckinaly, Chloe Vallance and Ben Walsh).

I have been working on this show since the beginning of the year, intensely with the artists in the last few months. I decided not to have a theme, but to make each wall a stage for each artist.

"Unrepresented" is about artists who are currently independent. They are all managing their own "businesses" and are not "anti-gallery", just happen to be independent at this stage of their journey.

View the Unrepresented catalogue (PDF file, 7 pages, 1MB)

When: 3 to 14 August 2010 (Tuesday to Friday, 11am to 5pm; Saturday, 12pm to 4pm)
Where: fortyfive downstairs – 45 Flinders Lane, Melbourne, VIC (view location on Google Maps)

 

Melbourne's Utopian Slumps: new focus, address and exhibition

14 July 2010

Utopian Slumps has moved from a non-fon-profit organisation on Easey Street, in Collingwood, to a commercial art space at 33 Guildford Lane, in Naarm / Melbourne (view new location on Google Maps).

"Discreet Objects", curated by Melissa Loughnan and Helen Hughes, opened on Thursday 8 July 2010 and it's great to see the space finding its feet at its new address.

Highlights of this exhibition, which includes four artists – Lauren Berkowitz, Alex Martinis Roe, Elizabeth Newman and Sriwhana Spong –, are the 2 installations by Lauren Berkowitz:

• "Installation #4″ (above) is a beautiful installation of Naarm / Melbourne's telephone books – 400cm (height) x 400cm (width) x 40cm (depth). The columns and the names give a slight memorial feel and is quite a silent, reflective piece of work. As the artist has noted, it speaks of "obsolescence and vulnerability through its fragile form, but simultaneously regenerates, mutates and hints at its ability to grow infinitely".
• I love "White Residue" (2010), Berkowitz's second sculptural component in "Discreet Objects". "White Residue" is made from the factory off-cuts of leather cricket balls. Berkowitz has managed to create a beautiful installation that is soft, elegant and translucent from ceiling to floor. Discarded materials are suddenly transformed with the use of thread that weaves its way through these white rubber off cuts.

Lauren Berkowitz has completed a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Sculpture at RMIT (Melbourne), a Graduate Diploma in Fine Arts, Sculpture at the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA, Melbourne) and a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Sculpture at the School of Visual Arts, New York.

She has exhibited across institutional and commercial spaces in Australia and abroad, including:

• Monash University Faculty Gallery (Melbourne)
• National Gallery of Australia (Canberra)
• La Trobe University Museum of Art (Melbourne)
• Monash University Museum of Art (Melbourne)
• Heide Museum of Modern Art (Melbourne)
• Artspace (Sydney)
• Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery (Sydney)
• Art Gallery of New South Wales
• Echigo-Tsumari Art triennial (Japan).

What: "Discreet Objects"

When: until 31 July 2010 (Wednesday to Saturday, 12pm tp 6pm)

Where: Utopian Slumps, 33 Guildford Lane, Melbourne (location on Google Maps)

 

Street art of Naarm / Melbourne (look!)

17 June 2010

I am constantly out and about and walking the streets of Naarm / Melbourne. I encounter a lot of street art, but I realised that I very rarely write about it.

I speak about street art like any other medium; to me good art is always good art – regardless of where it is.

One artist work that I connect with out on the street is the work by the very talented Miso. Miso (Stanislava Pinchuki) is an early 20s artist living and working in Naarm / Melbourne. Miso creates work for the street and for art spaces in which intricate drawings and installations fill the space. Miso's street art has been purchased and archived by the National Gallery of Australia, which is such an achievement for someone so young.

I often walk my groups by Miso's gorgeous hand drawn portrait past-ups in the city streets. When new ones appear, it gives me such pleasure to share these engaging works with others.

"Miso is really taken with the idea of art, and especially street art, as being something which binds us as a community. It functions in a very old fashioned way, in that it becomes a way of telling and sharing stories and images, embedding them within the city. Like folk art, it comes to have a very particular, practical function. It brings us together as makers, viewers and consumers, finding new pieces and exploring the possibilities of our cities. In this sense, a lot of Miso's work deals with telling stories. It is heavily inspired by the Ukrainian folklore she grew up with, alongside sharing stories from Eastern Europe today, as well as from her new home in Naarm / Melbourne." JM – available from Miso's website, cityofreubens.com

Next time you are out and about and walking the streets of Naarm / Melbourne, look! You may just see.