IN THE MIX AT REMIX
Art Gallelry of Western Australia
16
April – 15 August 2011
Reviewed by Kathy Allam
Apparently it has been five
years since the Art Gallery of Western
Australia presented us with a sample of contemporary West Australian
artists’
creations. Those who have been selected work in a diverse range of
mediums -
from film to jewellery, and everything in between. The last exhibition
is so
long ago I can’t remember anything much about it, and feel that this
new show
may be a little overdue. So I was curious to see who had made it into
the mix.
I wasn’t
disappointed to be greeted by Paul Caporn’s
collapsed scissor lift leaning against the gallery wall barely able to
support
itself. Brendan Van Heck’s “Great White
Hope” could also be seen further into the gallery and the two pieces
worked
together beautifully; they are both strong pieces. They deserved more
attention,
but first I had to see everything else that was on offer.
The disparate nature of the work was intriguing and I wondered
how the group came to be selected. There was no theme but all the work
was
recently created. The artists represented
different levels of age and experience and each one has had a
connection to the
state. The curators hoped the exhibition would prompt us to “consider
questions
about the ways & means – and the why of art making now and here.”
The video “Gymnasium” by Taryn Gill and Pilar Mata Dupont
provoked the, “What the…?” question from everyone who saw it. People
were
relieved to be in a gallery where they had the comfort of knowing it
was “Art”.
Initially I found it amusing to hear the upbeat, marching band music
and see
the stylised, deliberate gymnastics reminiscent of an Aryan propaganda
film. As
with a number of the pieces in the exhibition I found the artist’s
statement
didn’t quite translate to the piece. The link between the Australian
sports
field and the battlefield didn’t seem entirely convincing. The values
of
“camaraderie, mental focus, bodily control, submissive behaviour and
endurance
of pain” appear to be admired in most societies, and not just on the
sport/battlefield. I’d quite like to visit a place where the opposite
were
valued - I expect I might feel at home. Unfortunately the repetitive
sound
track was quite dominating (and eventually repelling) which detracted
from the
work in close proximity.
Clare
Peak’s “Rumours of Strange” was beautifully imagined
and created. The small, precious objects were placed over a large,
topographic
map table. Without being overly stated the work is pertinent to Western
Australia’s exploration, mining, and industry. The work invites us to
be lured
into contemplating the treasures yet to be found.
Large sculptures had
invited me into Remix but now I was
being seduced by the work of two jewellers, Helena Boguki and Helen
Britton. The work from Helen Boguki’s
“Midland railway
Workshop” series was both beautiful and poignant. In one, a diminutive
coin
purse along with the precious keepsake it held were encased in a
simple, timber
frame along with the owner’s details and artist’s comments on a typed
sheet.
These fragments of peoples’ lives convey histories and tender emotions
that we
know as part of our own stories. I felt somewhat voyeuristic as I
inspected the
intimate vignettes from other people’s lives. Boguki says that these
collections are as important as the final pieces, and for me they were
actually
more compelling.
Helen Britton’s
artist statement is a delight to read and an
excellent introduction to her work. Her sensitive drawings capture the
character of the animals and objects she portrays with apparent
simplicity and spontaneity.
Upon closer inspection the technique appears more complex than the
initial
impression. The sinuous line work is defined by an overlay of white
paint that
creates a soft halo. The framed drawings complement the framed
collections of
jewellery. The small, glass bluebird
nestled into its spiky nest of darkened silver and diamonds was
particularly
alluring. Its enchantment has seen it purchased by the Western
Australian Gallery.
There were a number of pieces of furniture throughout the
exhibition and Adam Goodrum’s “Chatterbox” tables, with their multi
coloured,
ceramic surfaces, demanded my attention. The joyful colours and stylish
design
appealed, but I wondered if they could be trusted to hold a great deal
of weight.
There were other interesting pieces in the exhibition and
it’s worth taking the time to explore each piece, oh but for that
incessant
music! Back at the beginning I took the time to explore the pieces that
welcomed me to the show. Van Heck’s “Great White Hope”: a glowing
ellipse of
vertical, white neon tubes approximately 3metres long and 2 metres
wide,
received the Stringer Award and has been purchased by the gallery. The
intriguing aspect of the work is that the neon tubes are not regular;
they
swell at intervals, as if large droplets are travelling down the tubes.
It is
both simple and complex.
Before I departed I needed a closer look at Paul Caporn’s
abject scissor lift. It was so well constructed that I had initially
thought it
was a piece of mangled equipment. In fact it was created from blue,
yellow and
black, foam rubber, tumble mats. Scissor lifts are relied upon for
their
stability and strength, so to see one in such a weakened state was
disconcerting. It reminded me yet again of our precarious position in
the
world, where nothing can be taken for granted.
Before
visiting Remix I hadn’t been sure what to expect, I
had been slightly apprehensive, but I came away feeling relieved and
pleased that
we’re holding our own in Western Australia. There is a lot of talent in
the
West, so let’s hope we will see similar exhibitions more often.