Artbash: All Topics

Art Theory and History : SYMBOLS : Leonardus

Wed, 1 Sep 2010 22:18:09 +1200

Swiss psychoanalyst Carl Jung, who studied archetypes, proposed an alternative definition of symbol, distinguishing it from the term sign. In Jung's view, a sign stands for something known, as a word stands for its referent. He contrasted this with symbol, which he used to stand for something that is unknown and that cannot be made clear or precise. An example of a symbol in this sense is Christ as a symbol of thearchetype called self

Press Releases : 9/11 : Leonardus

Wed, 1 Sep 2010 22:13:08 +1200

Osama bin Laden: "I was not involved in the September 11 attacks in the United States nor did I have knowledge of the attacks. There exists a government within a government within the United States. The United States should try to trace the perpetrators of these attacks within itself; to the people who want to make the present century a century of conflict between Islam and Christianity. That secret government must be asked as to who carried out the attacks. ... The American system is totally in control of the Jews, whose first priority is Israel, not the United States." - Click here for more info related to Osama bin Laden

Practical Art : Brett Whiteley said: : Leonardus

Wed, 1 Sep 2010 22:06:12 +1200

'I can't stand mindless purity - I have soaked myself in scepticism and am by nature magnetised to bitterness.'

Architecture : and the winner is.... : b'ert Homme

Mon, 23 Aug 2010 17:57:39 +1200

Quint Baker.

Artbash : Story Story Story : Quint Baker

Sat, 14 Aug 2010 14:01:58 +1200

It may have come to your attention that many aspects of life require us to perform a balancing act. Well (as unbalanced as producing art is) the balancing act philosophy plagues an artists life also. Have you ever come across an artist that releases a ridiculous amount of material? Well I have, but I won't name names in this particular case. Have you heard the saying that goes like this: "Story Story Story"? Well my creature, this saying is a key to creativity. How do you get going in producing art? How do you get "jiggy" and professional in art? By implementing this key, that's how! BUT! Producing copious amounts of work is a good thing but releasing too much material CAN work against you. It can boggle the minds of your fans. A viewer is more likely to "take in" the enjoyment of a sparcely laden gallery. But not too sparse. Many artists in the internet online sales business are forced into an ongoing production stream, constantly producing material to satisfy and desperately hold the attention of a small group of fans that are always slipping away being tempted by the lure of something else just a click away. This artwork stream is both advantageous and damaging to the artists reputation and portfolio at the same time. The balance between producing too much work and going unnoticed is the balance between collectability and eternal obscurity. Have a nice day!

Questions & Answers : Dealer Galleries... : Helen MacDuff

Fri, 13 Aug 2010 11:55:53 +1200

What are your thoughts? Do you hide your work away, share it with fellow artists, or exhibit in a dealer gallery? What do you prefer?

Press Releases : NZFF features doco on Wellington artist Gordon Crook : Artbasher

Sun, 8 Aug 2010 21:50:22 +1200

There is an arty movie in the NZFF, I've been told it's good.

Screening in Chch on Tuesday at the Regent 12noon plus again on Saturday 14th at 11am...

http://www.nzff.co.nz/n8838.html

World Premiere

Gordon Crook.
Director: Clare O'Leary

Gordon Crook is an artist filled with life, the creator of a diverse body of work in collage, painting and tapestry that blurs the boundaries between fine art and craft and explodes with shape and colour...

Though his jubilantly colourful banners hang at the New Zealand Embassy in Washington and at Wellington’s Michael Fowler Centre, Gordon Crook, who settled in Wellington from the UK in 1972, is rarely categorised as a New Zealand artist. His work reflects a distinctly mid-20th-century European heritage. Clare O’Leary’s film provides a highly entertaining and informative personal encounter with the frank and charmingly idiosyncratic Crook. ‘Once you’ve given it a name, you’ll never know it,’ he avers, and though he quotes from his memoir-in-progress and names a great deal in the process, the film contains profuse evidence that his primary way of ‘knowing’ himself and the world is through design, symbol and colour. The film abounds with drawings, collage, photography, painting and the tapestries that he is best known for, and will most likely leave you hankering for one of your own. Interviews with his friend Edith Ryan, former student printmaker Malcolm Cocks, and long-time friend and art dealer Janne Land testify further to his antic, enlivening spirit.

Artbash : CON - TEMPORARY : b'ert Homme

Wed, 4 Aug 2010 10:01:01 +1200

suggested title and theme for next Auckland Trienalle.

both for the state of current practice and Natasha's job prospects.

Practical Art : HOWL Charlotte Fisher at Bath St : william blake

Sun, 1 Aug 2010 20:39:19 +1200

Bigger Than Hamish.



Charlotte Fisher, HOWL        July 21, 2010 - August 14, 2010

The centre piece of Charlotte Fishers exhibition, ‘Howl’ at the Bath St Gallery, is a blocky self portrait. The piece is put together from pieces of kindling and blocks of firewood . What sets this work apart from the other work in the show, and other portraits, is the artist's auburn ponytail physically attached to the composition. This 'real' element shockingly personalises the portrait, which otherwise is 'head like' but false, the hair adds the truth that is the pivot of this compelling exhibition.

The four other sculptures float about the heavily plinthed portrait like thought bubbles.

Sculpture these days is a broad church. This exhibition seems prima facie to be object based practice, however there is such a strong sense of non linear narrative radiating from and through the self portrait it could be mistakenly read as an installation.    Fisher’s lineage is to the object sculptors of the 20C especially the assemblers, such as Miro and Picasso. She has put object sculpture in a new context.

There is a strong sense of the surrealists about the grouping also a high sense of theatricality; distinct but connected parts of a production. The ideas captured in a moment of time, the lead actor frozen in contemplation.

Architecture is employed in the use of classical columns, devilishly inverted in a post heavy metal riff on spatial orientation and transgression. Capitals recast in iron turned pediment supporting ‘Dark Matter’, itself a chainsaw cut driftwood ball recast in bronze. Material transfigurations; realities offered and altered.

The assembled materiality of the display; cast and fabricated and patinated metals, iron, bronze, cor-ten steel; distressed timbers, a Brancusi column of common or garden concrete blocks supporting the Warner Brothers coyote- animus howl of the exhibition title.

The surface texture of these materials is controlled and elemental.

An exhibition which thematically goes for broke, not just big picture or grand narrative but universal in the infinite sense. From the self portrait to the ungraspable in dark matter, A Neil Armstrong view of the planet to a Grimm fairy tale of overpopulation.

Sculpture is a broad church and this show has the congregation singing to the heavens.

Rants : The use of Pop-Art icons in New Zealand : Atom1746

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 18:33:52 +1200

After producing a couple of recent paintings I thankfully got a little publicity, but was interested to find that the manager of a particular New Zealand celebrity was quite unhappy with the use of the image.

Pop art is all about taking popular themes from modern culture and turning it into an art form of some type. One dictionary definition of Pop art is:

"(Fine Arts & Visual Arts / Art Movements) a movement in modern art that imitates the methods, styles, and themes of popular culture and mass media, such as comic strips, advertising, and science fiction"

Andy Warhol is a perfect example of this, using icons such as Campbell's soup cans, Elvis Presley and Marilyn Munroe (to name but a few) as subjects for his paintings. A few more examples (a little more closer to home) would works of art including kiwi icons such as Edmonds baking powder, the Four Square guy and even The Phantom. Pop art is a major passion of mine and one day while chilling out with a Red Bull, I started to think about themes of New Zealand popular culture and of course the first thing that came to my mind was RUGBY.

Of course! Why has no one in New Zealand ever produced art relating to rugby? (any that I was aware of anyway) After all, it's a part of who we are, it's our history, our present and our future passion - love it or hate it, exposure to rugby is a part of living in New Zealand. It is the perfect theme for New Zealand pop art and I planned to use it.

After producing portraits of two of our greatest current players I have received both good and bad reviews. Firstly, it is important to point out my initial intention (mentioned above), secondly - ask any Kiwi who they think are the most recognisable faces of current New Zealand rugby, and they will likely mention either Dan Carter or Ritchie McCaw. The use of their image is ethical and purely due to their international recognition as icons of New Zealand rugby, and icons of New Zealand popular culture. Their use in art is also a tribute to the great game of Rugby and recognition of it's place in Kiwi Culture, which we as New Zealanders are so passionate about. On an different tangent, celebrities choose to be part of the public domain, and use of their image is completley legal.

People who try to stop the use of pop culture symbols are in danger of stifling the progression of Kiwi art and even freedom of expression, weather they do so intentionally or not.

*End of rant*

I'm interested to know your opinions guys!

Edit: Links deleted due to un-constructive criticism (not naming anyone BENJAMIN) bear in mind that it was the media writing that article and they often take quotes out of context! I'm actually generally interested in your opinions and any similar experiences.

Thanks Dudes