Painting -
Shane Cotton
I will look over here. You look over there. 2009
acrylic on canvas, 1900 x 3000mm
Begin, 2006
acrylic on canvas, 1900 x 3000 mm
Shane Cotton is a prominent New Zealand artist, and his paintings draw on both his Maori and European heritage, combining popular culture, and local history. Native birds are commonly depicted.
John Puhiatau Pule
There will be another time, 2006
oil, ink and pencil on canvas, 2010 x 1880 mm
Kulukakina (after experiencing something miraculous, withdraw) (detail),
2004, oil and ink on canvas
John Pule is a notable Pacific artist, incorporating themes from his Niuean heritage, such as cosmology, and broader issues of migration, colonialism and Christianity. Similar to Shane Cotton, Pule's paintings often feature native birds, flora and fauna. His large compositions are striking from a distance, but upon closer inspection, reveal minuscule details which combine historical narratives with modern day iconography. The story is subtly revealed, not blatantly told.
Aside from being both personal favourites, I like these paintings because of the large scale. Standing up close the viewer in enveloped by the image, the colours, this new world. The sap green and white, and deep inky blue, need a stark white background to frame them. I chose them as inspiration for this project because of the references to heritage, and the simple, strong colours. The works of both these artists depict movement, but there is a sense of stillness that draws me to them. I would like to capture and recreate this sense of stillness in the architecture, an escape from the bustle of King St, for the gallery to be a world of its own.
Zhang Xiao Gang
My Daughter, 2002
24 x 21 3/8 inches
Identity Portrait 1 (surgeon), 2003
15 1/4 x 18 3/4 inches
Identity Portrait 2 (general), 2003
15 1/4 x 18 3/4 inches
I chose this artist to reference my own Chinese heritage - and also because they are incredibly beautiful! Exaggerated, almost cartoonish features of the figures are offset by the skillful and realistic shading. These immensely large scale paintings are delicate and resonating, they also convey that sense of stillness. The clothes worn by the parents are evocative of public dress typical of 1950's communist China, and in fact this composition is remarkably like to a photo of my grandparents taken at the time! For someone who has a sense of the culture/social context, behind the family portrait, the painting suggests idea of political, and economic struggles. These art works also subtly shows the story, instead of tells.
Photography -
The Bechers
Gas Tanks 1982-1992
Gravel PlantsThe work of Bernd and Hilla Becher involves collecting - "photographic documentation and classification of vernacular industrial architecture seems to be in pursuit of an archetypal form, which—independent of its actual purpose or function—appears to be saying something about the culture it resulted from." (Text quoted from
www.formfollowsbehavior.com) The couple took multiple shots of almost identical industrial structures in their native Germany, perhaps as a social commentary of the change that was happening to the urban landscape.
I'm particularly interested in the idea of repetition, and the black and white, faded quality of the images. However, this emphasizes the line work and shadows, giving almost a lithograph effect. Also, that you can take any mundane object, and by seeing it in a different light, create a work of art.
Sculpture -
Katharina Fritsch
Kind mit Pudeln (Baby with Poodles), 1995/1996
Mann und Maus (Man and Mouse), 1991/92
Object, polyester, colour, steel, 240 x 130 x 225 cm
Katharina Fritsch's sculptures are commonly of real life objects, in fantasy combinations/settings. I like how the simple placement of dogs and a baby, can create unease and fear. The simple play on scale can make the viewer recoil in horror and disgust at the image of a ginormous rat on top of a seemingly helpless sleeping man. These works also show how
effective a stark contrast between monochromatic colours can be.
Installations -
Ernesto Neto
29 May 2008 - 28 February 2009
Ernesto Neto - Mentre niente accade / While nothing happens
MACRO Hall
"The project that Neto has created especially for MACRO Hall is a large installation that takes up the entire area of the Museum’s glazed gallery, forming a sort of floating architecture with organic and floral shapes that invite the visitor to go through and interact with them. The sculpture, which is attached to the gallery’s glass roof trusses, is suspended about one metre from the ground.
The Lycra contains ground spices: pepper, cumin, cloves, ginger and curcuma. The almost anesthetizing aroma of the spices totally envelop our sense of smell, conjuring up familiar or distant flavours and memories, just as the sculptural forms invite us to touch and feel the work with our hands, and listen in silence.
The artist’s aim is to break down the distances between the visitor and the work of art, creating a sort of mystical experience through the discovery of the almost living breathing of these huge creatures with their transparent and harmonious shapes.
Neto’s works form shapes that also break down the barriers between art and life. As he himself states, he creates “an art that unites, helping us interact with others, showing us the limits, not as barriers but as a place of sensations and of exchange and continuity.”" (Text quoted from http://en.macro.roma.museum)
Yayoi Kusama
MetamorphosisBoth Neto and Kusama's installations are of a very large scale, and often fill up the entire room. They really require a room which can be shut off entirely - also required for video installations. The works are often experiential and architectural, and quite overpowering, engaging with multiple senses. Kusama often lines the interior walls with mirrors, creating the illusion of a space without limits, just filled with her hallucinatory, dream like scenes.
Ascension of Polkadots on the TreesOutdoor sculpture, requiring simple, bare and white exterior, more like an extension of interior exhibition spaces.
I am interested in artwork that is "quietly curious" - subtle, unified whole compositions from far away but revealing complex details upon closer inspection. Using simple, strong colours to investigate material qualities, or to reveal a narrative. Except perhaps for Kusama, but even then her work has a numbing, trance like effect.
Y HOUSE, Catskills, NY, United States, 1997-1999
