Cubism - why not?

Sanné Mestrom: a reclining figure

A dear and trusted colleague said to me, maybe a fortnight ago, "Hey, what's with Sanné Mestrom's interest in Cubism?"in relation to her recent "Weeping Women" sculpture commission at the Monash University Museum of Art. It's not the kind of question he usually asks. As far as I can remember he's never said anything like, "What's with this or that artist's interest in hyper realism, academic landscape painting, post-post-post minimalism, New York School abstraction, expressionism etc etc," and this has had me thinking ever since.

Out of all the art movements from the last 100 years why single out Cubism as being an odd one for a contemporary artist to become interested in? I personally don't think there is any good reason to banish cubism from the list of very "useful" isms, after all, it was, contrary to current propaganda, the movement that invented the most and had more fruitful spin-offs than any other.

Sanné Mestrom and friend recline and sit on a reclining figure

There was, however, a totally illogical lapse in Cubist thinking when it came to sculpture. In painting they argued that through cubism they could give more information than in "normal 2D realism" by showing aspects of all sides of an object, person or scene simultaneously, something that realist sculpture has always been able to do because, of course, it is, by its very nature, three dimensional!

But unperturbed by this the sculptors of the time simply adopted the Cubist style and tried to make complex 3D versions of it regardless of whether there was a good reason to do so or not. Sanné Mestrom takes quite a different path by thickening up 2D shapes until they become capable of standing on their own, they are, in effect, honest interpretations of the highly innovative collages so favoured by Picasso Braque and others.

Sanné Mestrom: a seated figure

We must not forget that these early Cubist collages were constructed from real ready made items that preceded Marcel Duchamp's interpretation of the idea.

Sanné Mestrom: a standing figure

Sanné Mestrom: a reclining figure with reclining, seated and standing women

Art Industry Ethics: declining?

Selfie at my exhibition Walking Women - Standing Monash

On one of my many trips to the United Kingdom I noticed an advertisement at a tube station, it said in very bold letters, "What we need is Standards", it made me smile and think how typically British! on closer inspection I noticed that it was an ad for The Evening Standard newspaper. But the idea that there should be a high level of ethical behavior, or standards in the artworld often haunts me because I get the distinct feeling that its getting worse rather than better.

Maybe its so bad that its time to create an industry watchdog or ombudsman/woman.

Unlike many of the articles about art ethics that concentrate on issues like plagiarism and shonky money stuff, my beefs are much more basic. At the top of my list of complaints is organisations that publish highly detailed briefs or lists of criteria for various projects or grants but then substantially ignore them during the selection process. Outside the artworld if a government agency advertised for a fleet of small cars and awarded the contract to a supplier of tractors or horses all hell would breakout and I'm sure the other tenderers would have some recourse to law to correct the mistake. 

Any prescriptive criteria list can be and should be judged objectively; claims that assessors have been less than diligent or lacking in professionalism should be taken to an independent arbiter. The simple way around this not to pretend that there is an object criteria list but admit that the process is entirely based on the subjective opinions of the expert panels.

OK over a lifetime in art you do see some pretty nasty things, like the curator who notices, after the published deadline, that they haven't got enough important artists applying for their project, so they ring up a few key people and promise them inclusion - not really the right way to do things Eh! But in some cases it gets even worse a year or so down the track, the artist that "helped" the curator out applies for inclusion in the current show, only to receive a blunt, group letter, knock-back. My view here is that common decency would require the curator to provide the artist with a decent and honest explanation, especially if the curator had sought and gained favours from the artist in the intervening period.

I'd go further in this case and suggest that a decent curator would personally contact the artist prior to application time and suggest (nicely) that the artist would be well advised not to apply this time. 

My personal big beef is emails, people who want something from you will reply instantly but as soon as you are no longer of interest to them they very rudely ignore you. It is strange that often, the most import, busiest people are the best mannered - I can't work that one out.

Mildura Revisited: a beautiful thing

Tom McCullough (center) at the opening of Mildura Revisited

For Australian Sculpture there was an extraordinary series of events running from the 60s through to the end of the 70s called the Mildura Sculpture Triennials (a less extraordinary version of the shows continued into the 80s).

For those that don't know, Mildura is a Victorian rural city located on the Murray River close to the borders of South Australia, New South Wales and Victoria, i.e. a very long way from anywhere.

It would be unthinkable for a small regional gallery to contemplate having the biggest, best and most comprehensive national sculpture shows, but that's how it was back then. You could argue that it was just a fabulous accident, the curator/gallery director Tom McCullough employed a technique that I'll call democratic curating, which meant that he asked the better known sculptors who they thought should be in his shows and then sent those suggested invitations to exhibit.The slightly unexpected result of this was that the sculptors from all over Australia + their students would go to Mildura to set up or even create their work. This made it unique and as much the wildest art party that could ever be imagined and the place in Australia were most new art ideas were exchanged. Whenever I'd travel overseas, which was quite often in those days, international sculptors would ask about things in Oz and of course I'd tell them about our democratic sculpture surveys in Mildura - put bluntly, they were insanely jealous.

To cut a long story short Tom's relationship with his employers deteriorated so in 1978 he resigned, leaving many sculptors deeply traumatized and Mildura just returned to "normality".

But 40 years on Ken Scarlett, Australia's "Mr Sculpture"now in his 80s, thought that Mildura was so important that he should curate a retrospective celebrating those wonderful times, a very major undertaking - and again many of the now old sculptors made the very long journey back to Mildura for the opening events, including me (8hr drive).

Ken Scarlett partially obscured by woman with dark hair & 

Kevin Mortensen, leather jacket, the sculptor who made made 

the most legendary works for Mildura 

Again I think something accidental occurred, you realise that very few artists ever get to see their youthful exuberance celebrated in this caring and sympathetic way, giving them a really beautiful reminder of their contribution to a nation's culture. Should happen more often - I reckon.

So close to the "outback" I drove further north along a ratty dirt road into the desert and came across this delightful little scene - or was it a truly masterful example of Mildura Sculpture Triennial site specific art?

Bet on the Archibald Prize online with Tom Waterhouse

I don't know what made me think of doing a Google search to see if you could bet on the Archibald Prize but I discovered you can with Tom Waterhouse. Personally I think there should be a lot more gambling on art competitions and a flutter on the Archy should be as common as one on the Melbourne Cup.It adds a layer of objectivity and possibly transparency to whole art game that is probably much needed.

The odds are amazing - currently Zoe Young with "Tora Bright" is heading the betting at $9.00, not bad for the favourite eh? But I wouldn't be putting my money there. Far better value with these.

Mike Barnard - Title: You beautiful fighter - paying $26 - out of the crop of "pale and interesting" style portraits included in this year's field this one looks the winner to me - interesting, mysterious and a touch of magic.

Natasha Bieniek -Title: Isola - paying $21- well pedigreed artist, interesting and arresting pic and just has something about it that may appeal to the judges.

Carla Fletcher -Title: Dan Sultan - paying $14 - so, well backed already, my pick of the bunch of works with an indigenous component. An artistically sophisticated work, definitely worth considering.

Juan Ford -Title: Channelling WC Piguenit, startled by a spectacular sunset viewed through a canopy - paying $31 - can't see why this one isn't up there with the front runners. Juan Ford is about as hot as artists get these days, good painting, interesting treatment of the portrait genre maybe a little out there for the judges but! Could argue that too little of the face is revealed but at that price worth a serious look.

Dapeng Liu -Title: Portrait of Cao Yin on blue-and-green landscape - paying $51 - by far the best of this year's Asian contingent, a very clever melding of East meets West, perfectly executed and seems deeply felt, some magic - at that price you'd be nuts not to consider it.

Heidi Yardley -Title: Julia deVille - paying $41 - very well pedigreed artist, pretty accomplished work, best of its type in this year's field, nicely priced, not really my cup of tea but must consider.

Sophia Hewson -Title: Artist kisses subject - paying $31 - Hot up and coming artist, seriously clever picture, well resolved, very original, touch of wit, nicely controversial, double portrait never easy, my pick! Judges may find it a little too much with pastel frame and all - but it would do the comp good if this one won!

Just a note: Signing up to Tom Waterhouse (https://www.tomwaterhouse.com/special-events/8220333/d/2014-archibald-winner-to-view-images-www-artgall) for a bet on the Archy does seem a little complicated but worth it!! Gamble responsibly. 

The last trees in the forest of art languish in the lake of acquiescent amnesia.

The last trees in the forest of art languish 

in the lake of acquiescent amnesia.

nooooooooooooo

Art and Architecture @ The Lyon Housemuseum

I went to this talk last Sunday, for an artist the opportunity to hear architects discussing the role of architecture in displaying art was a first for me, and I did get a few surprises, learned a great deal and came away with my head buzzing.

How do we condense the content of this event into a few words in a blog? As it happens quite easily, "neutral container" was rather disparagingly translated to "White Cube" which when uttered was usually expressed with an air of boredom. Whilst "active participant" was delivered with some commitment and excitement, clearly this concept was much more interesting to the architects and basically means a building that it is a full expression of the architect as artist. I'm old enough to remember being taught the history of art when it included architecture and have always believed it to be the most influential art. After all - architects make the spaces in which we live, work, relax and exhibit our art.

And of course no talk like this these days could ever omit mention of "starchitects" or Zaha Hadid herself, http://www.arcspace.com/features/zaha-hadid-architects/ more wonky walls than you could poke a stick at all justified by the success of buildings as a magnet for tourists and generator of collateral income, thus highlighting the major dilemma for the cities and institutions that propose new art gallery spaces but get seduced into funding these "bugger-the-art just look at the building" examples.

The concept of architecture as art was taken to the most extreme level in this talk not by an architect but by Jason Smith, Heidi Museum of Modern Art, Director, who very enthusiastically announced that he saw a great deal of merit in the idea of exhibiting no art in one building in his gallery complex and letting the building itself be the "art" on view (which was never the intention of the building in the first place). Incidentally there was virtually no discussion or acknowledgement that maybe artists themselves may have views and valid opinions on the spaces in which their work will be exhibited!

Of particular interest to me was the Lyon Housemuseum and the explanations of its founder Corbett Lyon, I too have something that could be called a "house museum" though it has never occurred to me to call it that before. It is architecturally significant, heritage listed and does impose itself quite markedly on any art that is exhibited in or around it. Lyon Housemuseum -  http://lyonhousemuseum.com.au/ 

I even have the insane Guggenheim sloping floor at the Cowwarr Art Space! a sculptor's nightmare and somewhat of a challenge for any art! Not with standing this I consider it a sort of blank canvas in which we can attempt to create ways to make art live. 

The heritage architects describe the Cowwarr Art Space (a recycled 1918 butter factory) as a Federation Arts and Crafts style building, and pointed out that this was a high minded socialist architectural movement that, in terms of industrial building, set out to create "beautiful" spaces that would encourage people to feel like working hard!!!The quality of the spaces are exactly what our visitors respond to most.

Now all this gives us a real clue to the development of a good and trusting relationship between art, architects and art gallery/museum architecture. Clearly the answer lies neither with the "white cube" nor the "active participant" approaches but possibly in a thoroughly sympathetic melding of both by embracing the idea that an architect could muster the skill, poetry and care for humanity to create spaces that actually encourage people to love art and the total art gallery experience. Architects win, curators win, artists are relieved and the general public audience win too. Nice I reckon.

art - art school - music

Here's a tatty old picture of a Brisbane band called the Impacts taken shortly before they became the Purple Hearts, I stumbled across it , or more truthfully, I knew I had it somewhere and just went looking. This search was the result of just discovering that my dear old friend Mick Hadley had died about 18 months ago, he's playing drums in this pic and therefore not visible, regular drummer Adrian Redmond is singing with bass player Bob Dames and Les Binns on lead (Les and Bob both ex-art school). Lets try not to make this so long, because as I write so many very old memories comes rushing back. Adrian and Les both left and were replaced by Tony Cahill, Lobby Loyd and Fred Pickard, all in the pic below.

Mick's death made me Google those times and rummage through old photos etc, more out of respect than anything else. But then I discovered the romance of memory and one of those plausible ways that both the history of art and music get slightly bent, its sort of like the old game of Chinese whispers, memories altered by time instead of poor hearing. Dear Mick on one or two of the blog histories of Aus Rock was convinced that I was the 'black sheep son of a British Aristocrat" often called "remittance men"back in those days, and before, in the Colonies. Nothing could be further from the truth, I'd actually been to secondary school in Queensland and was at art school with Les Binns (pictured in the first picture) 1962 . His family sponsored me as 10 Pound migrant to Brisbane in 1965.

And Mick believing that, "Clive regularly received T chests of items suitable for maintaining sanity in the colonies. Art/Music magazines and newspapers, Carnaby clothes, catalogues, oh and those long play records just coming into rage as well as 50 of all the latest singles," wasn't quite on the money either, the T chests were just my belongings, I'd flown here and my things came by boat! but to be at Guildford Art School in 1963 and 4 meant that I did have some records that any Queensland band trying to play British style R&B would die for in 1965, and almost the entire Purple Hearts repertoire was covers of bands like the Graham Bond Organisation, the Pretty Things, Downliner Sect, Yardbirds, Georgie Fame and more - all regular players at Guildford's Ricky Tick club and some booked by us for our Art School Parties!

Mick and me - 2008, there are thousands of stories connected to my Purple Hearts days but I there's one that I'm still little ashamed of. So now's the time to get off my chest.

We did a tour of Queensland and Northern NSW Christmas 65, compare Ross D Wylie - bands, the Easybeats, MPD, Purple Hearts and Tony Worsley and the Bluejays and nearing the end of the tour we started to get bored. So in Casino the guys thought they have some fun, they reckoned that I looked enough like Manfred Mann, so backed by the Easybeats, and a big bunch of the other musos, I'm up on stage (could play harmonica a bit) being Manfred Mann - for half a tune and heaps of "It's great to be here in Australia - you're a wonderful audience etc etc take it away Stevie and so on," but here comes the bad bit - after the show, of course, I have to sign lots of autographs as Manfred Mann. So I often wonder if there are still people in Northern NSW who still faithfully keep their prized autograph believing it to be the real thing.

Good on you Mick.

iris goes to America

i-luru's evolution has been pretty well covered in this blog but I reckon she needs a bit of a send-off, she's on her way to Washington DC to live in a nice home with people who like her very much. The idea for this sculpture came along when Iris, muse/model, went to live in Central Australia working as an interpreter for tour groups, so what could be more natural than finding a lump of marble that looked a bit like Uluru? 

Australia's answer to Mt Rushmore maybe! but on a more serious note, what got me excited when I started, out, was that I'd stumbled across a way that would allow me to make both portrait and landscape in the one sculpture.

Here's Iris in Central Australia - the thing about her is that she really likes to talk, so the driving force behind the expression for this sculpture was the idea that she should look as if she's just about to say something.

Just had to include my favourite photo of her, somehow even with a plastic bag over her head she still does her thing pretty well.

Here she is just moments before she was hoisted up and dragged off unceremoniously to get ready for her long flight to America. Part of the excitement for me in this sculpture is that 26 million year old hole that you can see. It was made by lava going through soft spots in the North Queensland coral reef that was transformed all that time ago. And from the perspective of a person who loves getting something for nothing, a free Henry Moore is gratefully accepted any day of the week! 

up up and away

and off she goes

last view of her in Australia - next stop USA

So there goes one of the few sculptures, that for me, has the lot