Eko Nugroho at NGV

Eko Nugroho is a contemporary Indonesian artist from Yogyakarta. He recently became one of three people to paint a mural on the NGV water wall. The mural is painted in black against the rippling and constantly changing backdrop of the water wall. There is a cartoon or comic (book) like quality to the image that is almost childlike, but there is a deeper sense of despair or angst portrayed in the imagery of the eyes.

There is a sense of traditional Indonesian shadow puppets in the style of the painting, which indicates a story of some kind. I personally see in this mural a sense of change, in the robot like figure, and also a sense of war or violence, in the ripped flag, sword and other potentially weapon like objects floating around. There is also a sense of hiding or anticipation as the face like images all appear masked or covered.

Eko Nugroho NGV Water wall mural (2012)

I get the sense that Nugroho, is possibly making a statement about social change, that is not easy nor accepted by all, and he is considering the effect it is having on different people.

Eko Nugroho NGV Water wall mural (2012) (detail)

 

Eko Nugroho NGV Water wall mural (2012) (detail)

Japonism (NGV)

Japonism refers to the huge influence of Japanese art on European artists and designers in the later part of the nineteenth century. The European designers embraced the way Japanese art works conveyed an abstract approach to line and colour and the regard they had for the simple beauty of nature.

This pair of fireplace slabs was manufactured my Minton, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, made in 1879. They are a part of the NGV's ceramic and glass collection. They use motifs that would have been drawn from nature or Japanese textiles. Such as the depiction of the cranes flying and the cherry blossom tree, both in the distinct centre 'panel' of the slab. The Japanese textile motifs are evident in the top and bottom sections of the slabs in the dark blue hexagons outline in gold, with a small flower in the centre of each. The slabs create a very peaceful composition, using a limited blue and gold colour palette. The eye is drawn to the centre image of the birds which is emphasised by the 'fold' which is patterned in blue stripes and gold swirls. The whole composition has a very graceful feel.

Minton Fireplace Slabs (1879)

Personal Statement

In my work I am motivated by a desire to be the best I can be and to continually push myself to be better. I enjoy problem solving and coming up with unique responses to situations; however I am sometimes held back by my hesitation to try things that I feel I can’t control or that are outside of my comfort zone. I am trying to continually push past this so that I do not limit myself to creating work that I feel safe with, when I could be pushing the boundaries and creating more interesting work.

I love design, in particular typography. I have a strong interest in learning how things work, not in an industrial design sense, but in the sense that I am always intrigued by how different people work and how they create the things they create. My strengths lie in design especially when it requires precision and patience. I enjoy creating using paper, both two dimensionally and three dimensionally. I also enjoy digital design.

Before coming to Brighton Bay I knew very little about the design world, and so far my best ‘introduction’ to contemporary designers was the AgIdeas Conference.  The designers, who inspired me most from AgIdeas, were MadeThought (Paul Austin and Ben Parker) and Dale Herigstad. I found MadeThought inspiring because I can see myself pursing a style of work similar to what they do in design (especially their branding and exhibition work). I like the way they focus on simplicity and the idea. Dale Herigstad’s presentation opened my mind up to the vast possibilities that working in design in the future can offer. I was fascinated by the possibilities that new interfaces offer and the way that new technology is changing the way design works.

I can see myself being a very varied designer. There are many areas that I would like to consider working in and that I would like to experience such as animation, graphic design, visual effects, wayfinding design, typography design, book cover design, and branding. I definitely want to further my education in design, and find a bit more direction as to where I want to go. I know that whatever path I decide to follow within design, I want to be able to incorporate travel. I have a fascination with other cultures and I would really love to be able to see more of the world.

Artist Book

My Artist Book is about my trip to China in January 2012 with my high school. 14 students and 3 teachers went on the trip. Our primary focus whilst in China was to volunteer at China Little Flower orphanage in Beijing, where they look after particularly sick babies and children from other orphanages in Beijing.  My specific point of interaction is the meals that we had in China, as this was when we would discuss what had happened throughout our day and how we were feeling especially after visiting the baby home (orphanage).

My book format is an album. The album format helps to communicate the passing of days, as it is similar to a photo album, or diary that is used to record a period of time. Within the book each set of three pages represents 2 days of the trip. The first page has the 2 Chinese characters for the number of these days. The second page has quotes and thoughts from the days, things that we found interesting or strange, the general discussion of the day. The third page is a collage of food that we ate or implements that we used. On this page surrounding the illustration are the more serious thoughts about the day, cut into the page, in particular thoughts about the baby home and how it effected us.

I chose collage as my illustration technique because it is an illustration technique that I am fairly confident in (now) and I wanted the book to have a tactile and hand-made quality about it, to connect with the content and the reader. Also because the content is very personal, I wanted the illustrations to be accessible to the reader and not alienate them, and I thought that collage would be an effective way of getting that across.

I chose to include text and so much of it because; when we were in China there was a constant discussion and conversation. The content of this varied from how freezing cold it was, to the strange things that we saw, to deeper discussions that we would have sometimes late into the night about how working in the baby home was effecting us and how we were feeling about the whole trip. In my book I wanted to convey this constant conversation and the different levels of conversation. On the second pages with text printed on acetate, the idea is to convey the crazy and strange things that we saw and the general surface discussion of the day, the weather, and the sights we saw. It is printed in an almost haphazard way, because that was how our conversations would go, and it was a crazy time with a lot to take in, and I am trying to illustrate that through the placement of the text. The more important text cut into the same page as the illustration because these are the more important thoughts that were always with us, no matter where we were, these are the things that have really stuck with me since the trip. I chose to the Chinese characters for the numbers of the days, because whilst in China we all learnt to count in Chinese, and when we were out at the tourist destinations we would count off as a group to make sure we were all together, and we decided early on that we should count in Chinese. It is a combination of that memory and the want to include the culture and language into my book.

Silk Printing

At the end of last term I participated in the silk printing workshop. Before this workshop I had never worked with printing on fabrics, or polychromatic monoprints (many coloured, single print). With this process we painted our designs onto the back of screens used for screen printing, using specific inks for silk printing. In a way this process in similar to water colour as there are many different techniques to put the ink on the screen. You can begin with a base colour and then proceed with your design immediately over the top, but then the design will bleed out and you will not get clear crisp lines. If you do want clear, crisp lines you must wait for each layer of ink to dry before adding another. This requires a lot of patience, and is easier on a warmer day, as you cannot use artificial heat to dry the inks (they react and discolour). The actual process of printing is very similar to that of screen printing. Once the screen is completely dry place the screen face down on the silk, (which has been attached to the backing sheet prior to printing), pour the release fluid at the top of the screen and pull it down with a squeegee. It is best to only do this once so that the ink pigments don't contaminate other parts of the design.

At the end of the workshop we ended up with one full size silk scarf and a smaller practice piece. I found this workshop really fun and it was nice to do something completely different that I wouldn't normally do.



Final design on the screen

Final printed scarf on backing sheet (the apples are on the backing sheet)

Kinetic Typography

I have recently been introduced to the concept of kinetic typography. Kinetic typography refers to the art and technique of expression with animated text. It essentially involves taking a passage of text or a recording (from a song or movie) and using the text to create an interesting video that (most often) illustrate (in some way) what is being said.

This clip is one of my favourite kinetic typography videos. It is illustrating a scene from V for Vendetta in which V introduces himself to Eevy, in a long rambling string of alliteration. It is very cleverly animated to keep up with the recording, but it also illustrates the feeling and the weight of what is being said. It also get across the madness of the alliteration and the 'craziness' of the whole scene.

Chess the Musical

Recently I saw the musical Chess at the State Theatre, performed by The Production Company. I found the way the whole musical was staged very interesting. The stage was very simple, a huge chess board set on an angle (the corner pointing towards the audience), took up most of the stage; from the far point of the board, was a runway leading backstage. Beside the runway were two large banners one on each side, these most often had projections of the USA and USSR flags, but changed at various points in the show to help with the story. The orchestra was on stage, split on either side of the chess board. The only major set changes throughout the whole show was a small chess table which was bought on and off for the different chess tournaments. The costumes were very dramatic; for most of the time the chorus and dancers wore dramatic costumes of black and white. The ladies wore a variety of skirts and dresses with differently patterned black and white tights (checked, striped, plain with one black leg and one white) and the men wore a variety of suits and jackets. At some points the chorus played the press and they simply added cream and grey trench coats and black hats to cover their other outfits. There were only two scenes with colourful costumes, firstly Merano (Italy) which involved red, white and green costumes and flags. The other was the one night in Bangkok scene, which had the cast in gold, pink and purple traditional dress and gold chain dancer outfits, with a variety of extravagant gold head pieces. It was a fantastic show with well thought out and clever design.

Rineke Dijkstra at ACCA

Rineke Dijkstra's three channel HD video I See a Woman Crying (Weeping Woman) (2009-2010) is currently part of ACCA and Melbourne Festival's exhibition 'Ourselves'. The 12 minute video records the reactions of nine school children as they look at and consider Picasso's Weeping Woman, at the TATE Liverpool. At first the three screens collectively show the group of children, throughout the video the screens change to show (generally) the child wo is speaking as a close up and all the others on the other screens. The children begin with basic observations about the actual painting and what they can literally see; a woman crying, the different colours and how the colours look like sad colours, the different shapes that make up the face and other general comments. As the video progresses, the children come up with various stories about the woman, reasons for why she is crying, where she is, and the situation she is in. For instance: she is at a funeral, she has seen a ghost, she regrets something she has done, she is lonely, she has a bad past, she is shunned by her town, she is 'just mental', her husband has died, they are actually tears of happiness. The video ends with the children looking at the painting, which is never shown on screen.

This is a very interesting video, as not only does the viewer get an insight into how these children perceive one of Picasso's most famous works, but the viewer also gains and insight into the dynamic of the group. It is interesting to watch how the group of childern interact with each other, how after a while you can pick up who is more likely to give their opinion straight away, and who gets spoken over more than others, and who speaks over others. It is a very interesting comment on social interaction of children in a different environment.

Rineke Dijkstra. I See a Woman Crying (Weeping Woman) (2009-2010)

David Rosetzky at ACCA

The current exhibition on at ACCA is 'Ourselves', which is part of Melbourne Festival. It is a collection of videos from a variety of artists, all investigating 'ourselves'. David Rosetzky's piece Portrait of Cate Blanchett (2008) is part of this exhibition. The film is filmed in a large open warehouse with a variety of wooden ladders and sheets of wood leaning against the walls. The film begins with a close-up shot of a pair of hands, held in front of the person, they are moving as if doing some sort of warm up or miming exercise. Slowly the camera zooms out to reveal that the hands belong to Cate Blanchett. This then cuts to a shot of her sitting in a chair, fairly close to the camera, after a few seconds she stands up picks up the chair moves it back and sits down. The shot blurs then focuses; this continues a couple of times. A voiceover begins as this is being shown. Blanchett speaks about wanting to be seen and not wanting to be seen and how playing a character has caused her to hide behind a mask. Up to this point she has been dressed in a simple outfit (grey pants and a black tank top) with minimal makeup and her hair roughly done. The film then cuts to a shot of the chair side on to the camera, with Blanchett standing in front of it. The chair has a number of outer garments laid over it. The voiceover continues and Blanchett begins to put on these other clothes. At this point she is speaking about becoming a character and forming the character, which is what she is doing in the film as she layers on the clothes; at points the film freezes and the voice continues, to give emphasis to what is being said. The voice over continues with Blanchett saying that most often she doesn't remember the characters; and that so many people have an opinion on her personality or who she is, that she doesn't even think about "who I am" any more. This then cuts to a shot of her lying on the floor of the warehouse, peaceful, and contemplating, the voiceover speaks about how who she is is constantly shifting, and she strives to achieve a state of openness, where all actions are instinct. Blanchett speaks about how people are contradictory and unpredictable. The voiceover finishes with the comment that what you think you are communicating is not always perceived by others the way you think or intend it to be perceived and you have to give this over and accept that. The film ends with a dance exercise to music that stops somewhat suddenly after about 15 seconds and she walks out; the film then fades to black.

I found this film very interesting and thought provoking, in that it has the viewer question several things about themselves. How they are seen, and who they are, whether or not they are open or unpredictable and how it is that they wish to be percieved and whether or not they are perceived that way.

David Rosetzky Portrait of Cate Blanchett (2008), video still (detail)

Loretta Lux at NGV

Loretta Lux's photograph The Drummer (2004) is currently part of the NGV's Confounding Contemporary Photography exhibition. At first glance it looks like an image of a porcelain doll and a tin drum, and it has an eerie feel that very realistic dolls often have, as if there is more to them than what is initially perceived. However, the photograph is actually of a young boy in a canvas shirt playing a tin drum. He appears frozen in time midway through the motion of hitting the drum. To get this highly surreal effect, Lux takes a photograph of the figure (the boy and drum) and then combines it with a painted backdrop, then finally digitally works the image to flawlessly meld the two images, creating a sense of hyper-reality.

Loretta Lux. The Drummer (2004)

It is a disconcerting image that looks at the seeming fragility of children, or rather a child's view of the world.

Thomas Demand at NGV

Thomas Demand's photograph Public Housing (2003) is currently part of NGV's exhibition Confounding Contemporary Photography. This photograph shows a set of apartment like buildings, with a seemingly abandoned playground in front. It has a very surreal feel to it as there are no people in the image, also the warn hues of red and brown give the photograph and eerie feel. Upon closer inspection there is a distinct lack of extra detail in the image, such as rubbish on the ground, or signs on the buildings; it appears almost too perfect. This is because the scene doesn't really exist. Demand has built this set out of paper and cardboard and then photographed the model. He often creates scenes based on photographs in the media; this specific housing complex is a drawing on the Singapore $10 dollar bill. It is a thought provoking photograph that gets the viewer to question what is real and surreal.

Thomas Demand. Public Housing (2003)

NGV Great Hall

The ceiling of the NGV's Great Hall is an artwork in itself, made of coloured glass and steel frames. Leonard French was commissioned by the NGV's chief architect Sir Roy Grounds to create  "a ceiling that is a work of art in itself". Having never worked in glass before French had a steep learning curve over the five years (1965-1970) it took him to create the ceiling. Along with three assistants, French learnt the art of glass; splitting 25mm thick slabs of French and Belgium glass to fit his design. The ceiling is 13.72 metres high, 15.24 metres wide and 60.9 metres long, and is so heavy with glass and metal, that the triangular dips in the ceiling need to be held up by a series of steel columns. There are 224 large steel triangles filled with glass and steel, and each of these weighs 300 kilograms.

Looking up at the ceiling from the floor is surreal, because of the vastness of the design and the way the light interacts with it. The combination of the bright primary colours, and the way the light shines through them creates a very peaceful safe atmosphere. Glancing up at the ceiling makes you want to lie down and contemplate the design and watch how the colours create patterns on the walls and floor.



NGV Great Hall ceiling



Peter Peryer at NGV

Peter Peryer's photography Home (1991) is currently a part of the NGV's Confounding Contemporary Photography exhibition. At first glance Home is a photograph of a picturesque cottage surrounded by a simple garden. However it does not seem quite right. When you look at the photograph for a bit longer the scale becomes ambiguous, and the cottage begins to look less 'real'. It is actually a photograph of a tiny house in the model village of Bekonscot in Beaconsfield, England. It is a puzzling image that uses elements of the surreal to draw in an audience.

This photograph was accompanied by The Meccano Bus (1994). Again this image initially seems like an ordinary bus going up a hill, but after closer inspection, it is actually a toy bus sitting in what could possibly be a crevice in a rock. Peryer again uses the surreal to draw in an audience and then question their perception of what is 'real'.

Peter Peryer. The Meccano Bus, 1994

Yuan Yao at NGV

At the NGV, I visited the newly redone Asian Art area. In the general area I was fascinated by Yuan Yao's Sublime Landscape (1770). This piece consists of 12 silk scrolls, hung in a row to create a large panoramic image. The landscape shows mountains rising from the sea. On the mountains amongst the trees are buildings and pavilions of traditional Chinese architecture. What first struck me about the images of the buildings was how similar they look to the buildings in the Summer Palace, (which I visited earlier this year). The landscape is said to be the realm of immortals, and the inscription translates to 'Mountain Peaks, Spring Blossoms'.

Yuan Yao was a professional artist inspired by the monumental landscapes of the Northern Song dynasty (960-1127), in particular the landscapes by Guo Xi, the most famous court academy artist of the Northern Song.

Yuan Yao. Sublime Landscape, 1770

What struck me most about this landscape was the peace and serenity that it portrays, whilst at the same time being a very busy, detailed and intricate landscape. There are several sets of people pictured throughout the landscape, in pavilions or on paths; there is clearly a story throughout the image that requires a deeper thought and knowledge of the times. The use of line is incredible; there is a very gestural use of line to create the sea and the mountains, which is contrasted with the very precise line of the pavilions and buildings. The buildings are designed very cleverly to meld into the landscape and consider their surroundings rather than stick up out of place. This is a very peaceful landscape to look at and contemplate both the skill of the artist as well as the actual landscape.

Document and Layout

My concept for my cubes and package was to portray my interest in Asian cultures, in particular the Japanese culture. I wanted to incorporate my love for origami, as well as keeping within my interpretation of Japanese aesthetic. The shape of my package and restraining device is based on a Japanese box in which sweets are displayed and served; the different types of sweets were kept separate by walls within the box. Keeping this in mind I began to think of my cubes as potential representations of the food within the original box. From this I decided to have half my cubes hold and display different origami, as an abstract representation of the sweets, I also decided that for simplicity the other half of the cubes would have a simple design printed on them. By this stage I had decided that the packaging would be made out of black card, to provide a simple backdrop for the origami, which would be the focus. I also did not want too many competing features, so that I could keep the simplicity that is found in the Japanese aesthetic. I then looked into the design that would go on the printed cubes. I wanted them to reference but not overpower the origami. To this end I created for highly simplified designs each relating to a different origami cube. These designs were then repeated on each side of the cube, and printed black on black, again to keep within the simple and clean aesthetic. The lid was also kept very simple and minimal, a flat square lid that would sit directly on top of the box. Having now completed the cubes and package, and seen it all put together I think that it does effectively show my interest in the Japanese style and my love of origami.

Mesopotamia at Melbourne Museum

The Mesopotamia exhibition at the Melbourne Museum was a fascinating insight into the culture and lives of people living in what is present day Iraq. Many of the ideas and teachings of this time have carried through to today. The Mesopotamians invented one of the first forms of writing, now known as cuneiform. It began as small pictographs, which were then transformed into symbols. They wrote using a reed stylus to make the impressions in clay. There are over 600 signs/ symbols that make up this language. This writing covers many of the art works of the time, from statues to wall reliefs to tablets of writing.

A cuneiform tablet

The Mesopotamians were also highly skilled in their art forms. They created incredibly intricate carvings and engravings for various purposes. One example is the cylinder seals, which were stone cylinders that had a design engraved on them in reverse. The cylinder would then be rolled on clay and the design would appear the right way and in relief. Most of the seals were about 2-3cm tall and up to 2cm in diameter, but they were incredibly detailed and intricate in the designs. These seals were also very cleverly made with a hole drilled down the centre, so that the cylinder could be worn on a pin or cord.

Examples of cylinder seals

Herbert Bayer

Herbert Bayer is most well-known for his design of the typeface Universal. It "represents an attempt to construct a sans serif typeface on consistent principles." (Rowland, Anna, Bauhaus Source Book, p. 14) These principles were to construct the entire typeface out of circles and straight lines. This was very much in line with the Bauhaus ideals of modernism and simplicity. The ideals of the Bauhaus stayed with Bayer long after he left the Bauhaus, and travelled to the USA. His later works still had a modernist feel, despite the many years since his Bauhaus enrolment.

Herbert Bayer. One Reversed, 1969, colour screen print on paper

Bayer’s One Reversed, is a colour screen print. Although one of his later works, it still references his work at the Bauhaus, particularly in the use of the circle shape and the choice of colours. The combination of the chromatic colour change and the circular shapes give this print the impression that it could be seen as a colour study or an investigation into colour and shape. Despite being a flat piece of work, there is a sense of movement in the concentric circles and somewhat competing colours. There is a tension in the centre of the composition as the blue cross appears to be on top of the bright white yellow circles, however, the yellow circles move forward in the visual plane as they are warmer than the blue.  This tension gives the print a focal point, from which the eye can continue to explore the composition.

Herbert Bayer. Articulated Wall, 1986

Bayer was commissioned by the Denver Design Centre to design and build the Articulated Wall in Denver, exactly like the original (Bayer designed and built for the 1968 Mexico City Olympics), only taller. The original stood at 60 feet, the new one stands at 85 feet. It was constructed of “32 pieces of pre-fabricated elements each measuring 41' x 5'2" x 2'7".” Two million pounds of concrete were used to create this sculpture. Whilst the sculpture is the one pure, bright yellow colour, this actually adds interest as the shadows of the blocks above create many tonal differences on the blocks below. Because of the inherent nature of shadows this means that the tonalities are constantly changing and creating new designs on the wall.

Brent Harris at NGV

Looking through the Brent Harris Exhibition at the NGV the piece the stood out most to me was The Stations (1989). Having been brought up as a Catholic I am very familiar with the Stations of the Cross, and I remember as a child seeing them depicted around the church. Each scene was depicted in a fairly life-like manner with clear figures and lots of detail. This goes back centuries to the Middle Ages when majority of people couldn't read or write, so to explain the stories of the Bible (in this instance the Stations of the Cross) detailed paintings, drawings and stained glass windows were created to teach people. These were often very ornate with a great deal of colour.

This is quite different to Brent Harris' The Stations. Whilst he takes the same reference story of the Stations of the Cross, his depiction is quite dramatically different, as is his audience. Harris has taken his prints right back to very simple compositions made up of basic rectangles and a few curves, in black, white, and greys with a tinge of red here and there. Through the use of highly abstracted compositions Harris captures the emotion and pain of the Stations of the Cross, and brings them into a new context, for a new audience.

Yayoi Kusama (NGV)

Whilst at the NGV I happened upon Yayoi Kusama's Tender Are the Stairs to Heaven (2004). It is tucked away in a small room in the middle of another. The piece consists of a fibre optic cable bent to create a floor to ceiling ladder. Beneath the ladder is a large circular mirror that holds it to the floor, there is another mirror above holding the ladder to the ceiling. The fibre optic cable of the ladder is constantly changing colour giving the otherwise dark room and ambient glow. When you enter the room there is a buzzing emanating from the ladder; this combined with the changing lights gives the room a unique atmosphere that removes you from the rest of the gallery.

This piece is more than something to look at; it is an interactive experience that depends on your interaction with the elements of the piece. If you stand and look from a distance the ladder appears to disappear a small distance into the ceiling and floor. As you get closer and look down into the mirror the floor appears to drop and the ladder appears to continue eternally into the ground. Similarly as you look up the ladder appears to continue rising and leading up to infinity. To really grasp the power of this piece is has to be experienced, and it is the experience that matters.

Light Works at NGV

Light Works at the NGV is a photoghraphy exhibition, with pieces ranging from photograms to large scale installations and digital light-based technologies. There were a few pieces that particularly caught my eye. The first were two Bill Henson photographs from his Paris Opera Project (1990-91). Untitled 31/85 (1990-91) is a large photograph. In the lower third of the composition is the dark silhouette of a forest, the focal point is a diagonal white blue flash of light, possibly lightning. The photograph is simple but very dramatic emphasised by the movement of the white blue light. The second Bill Henson was Untitled 36/105 (1990-91). The focal point of this photograph are the twilight orange clouds against dusty blue sky. They are obscured by silhouettes of trees and dark clouds in the foreground. This photograph has an almost sinister and drak feel to it, but at the same time it is very peaceful and serene. (click images for a larger view)

Bill Henson Untitled 31/85 (1990-91)

Bill Henson Untitled 35/105 (1990-91)

Another photograph in the exhibition was Adam Fuss' Untitled (1991).  It is a very large rectangular photograph, and the composition consists of many eliptical shapes that begin very large (cropped out by the edge of the frame) and continually get smaller towards the centre of the image, ending in a decent sized round white elipse in the centre of the image. The outer elipses are a very dark blue purple and they gradually get lighter towards the centre of the image. The photograph gives the impression of a tunnel and at the right angle the rings almost look like they are moving.

Adam Fuss Untitled (1991)

Unexpected Pleasures at NGV. Part 2

The next section of the Unexpected Pleasures exhibition at the NGV looked more at jewellery in a creative sense. A number of the artists in this section had developed a signature using the aesthetics of modernism. Simple, clean lines and an absence of decorative detailing is what makes this work powerful. One artist featured in this section was Johannes Kuhnen, whose work I recognised from his talk at AgIdeas. His Interchangeable Pendant System followed the modernist’s interest in modular components. Made out of anodised aluminium and stainless steel his pendants have a wonderful simplicity about them, but they are also very diverse in with so many options for different colours and colour combinations.

Mark Edgoose's Ring and Box no.1 looks at jewellery when it is not being worn. When not being worn the ring becomes part of the box which then forms what looks like a miniature scale sculpture. I found the concept of having the ring constantly seen as a piece of work whether or not it was being worn very intriguing, and in this instance quite successful.

Mark Edgoose Ring and Box no.2 (2010)

Mark Edgoose Ring and Box no.2 (2010)

Unexpected Pleasures at NGV. Part 1

Unexpected Pleasures: The Art and Design of Contemporary Jewellery at the NGV looks at what defines jewellery and what jewellery means to different individuals. The first section looks at jewellery as a reminder of people, experiences and places, with each piece having personal meaning to the wearer, maker or both. Kiko Gianocca's brooches are made of a glossy resin and photographic image. The brooch is to be worn glossy side facing out which reflects the people the wearer encounters, and the inner face has the image which references a place or time with significance to the wearer. I found this piece interesting because it has meaning past the aesthetics of it; here the jewellery becomes a reminder of something rather than a simple accessory, with little meaning.

Moving on from this was a section on turning points with a variety of pieces whose inspiration was pivotal for new expression and redefining ideas. Otto Künzli created his piece Gold Makes Blind for a jewellery prize, which stipulated that the piece must include a gold ball of a specific weight. Künzli complied, but made the fold completely invisible by coating it in rubber. This questions the notion of precious, and the value put on materials such as gold.


Otto Kunzli Gold Makes Blind (1980), rubber and gold

Another piece that caught my eye was Ted Noten's Tiara for Maxima. In 2002 Noten entered a competition among 40 others (21 finalists) to create a tiara for the new Dutch crown Prince's bride Máxima Zorreguieta. Noten's tiara design consisted of a shiny protective polo helmet from which the tiara was cut with profiles of former Dutch Queens cut out of the tiara, as little guardian angels. I liked this piece because it was a bit quirky and not what is stereotypically expected for a royal crown or tiara. 

Ted Norten Tiara for Mazima (2002)

Highlights of AgIdeas

The following are small snippets about different designers and artists who spoke at AgIdeas. These are people who inspired or challenged me, and who gave me a new insight or different perspective into design and the design industry.

Kerrie Stanley, Milliner (Australia)
Stanley's enthusiasm for her work was quite infectious. She spoke about how important it was for her to have a mentor to look up to. As well Stanley also noted how important it is to remain true to yourself in your work, especially when working in collaborations. She also spoke about the importance of relationships and 'playtime'.

Jon McCormack, electronic media artist (Australia)
Whilst I couldn't really grasp the science behind McCormack's work, it did provide an insight into a completely different type of design.

Jeffery Copolov, (Bates Smart), Architect (Australia)
Copolov gave an intense case study of the new Royal Children's Hospital. Much of the building's design revolved around the incorporation of nature into the design as well as making it a family and child friendly environment. It was fascinating to see just how much work and detailed thought goes into the design of such a building. And not only the structural design but also the colour palette and interior design that when put all together really give the hospital a distinct vibe and atmosphere.

Dale Herigstad, graphic, motion graphic and interactive designer (USA)
Herigstad spoke about designing for an interactive screen space. The concept behind his latest work revolves around the content space and the viewer's interaction with this space. I was fascinated by his vision for the potential ownership the user has as interfaces become more and more interactive.

Poras Chaudhary, Photographer (India)
Chaudhary showed such passion and dedication to his photography was very inspiring. I love the use of colour in his photographs, which show such diversity in colour and culture. Chaudhary has 4P's that he remembers in his work; Preparation, Possibilities, Patience and Passion.

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MadeThought from AgIdeas

MadeThought is a multi-disciplinary design consultancy based in the UK. Paul Austin and Ben Parker studied together and then formed the consultancy 11 years ago. The core of their work is to conceive an idea and implement it as singular concept in a simple way. They have a very deliberate and crafted aesthetic; and they always strive to create long-term brand strategies for their clients. MadeThought do a variety of work, including promotional material, exhibition space design (including signage), branding, packaging design and web design.
The following is an analysis of an exhibition designed by MadeThought, based on information gathered at their talk at AgIdeas and from the MadeThought website. (www.madethought.com)

Beauty in the Making Exhibition, designed by MadeThought for GFSmith. GFSmith’s exhibition, Beauty in the Making, took visitors on a journey through the history of paper and the process of its making. The exhibition consisted of public talks, workshops and exhibitions. MadeThought was required to create the signage and information points throughout the exhibition space, invitations and sample bags. The purpose of the exhibition was to show the traditional techniques of paper production and design, and to highlight the authentic heritage of GFSmith’s brand. MadeThought was required to take all of this into consideration in their designs for the exhibition. The audience of the exhibition and the promotional material was designers with and interest in paper, its production and use. MadeThought wanted the final designs to emphasise the qualities of the paper and compliment it rather than overpower it. The final designs emphasised line through cuts and fold of the paper. Stacks of paper were used for the signage with the information laser cut out of a different coloured paper which was then placed on top of each stack.

The simplicity of the signage design is what draws the viewers’ attention, it is effectively used to inform the viewer about the exhibition, rather than ‘become’ the exhibition. The recurring motif of the folded corner, as seen throughout much of the signage and the invitations adds a dynamic element to the compositions individually as well as tying them all together as a complete set. This motif would also help lead the viewer through the exhibition right from the invite through to the end of the exhibition.

I think the work is very effective; it has retained the simplicity that allows the paper to speak for itself, as well as informing and guiding the viewer through the exhibition. The bold colours used in the stacks of paper are effective in drawing the viewer’s eye to both the information and the paper itself. It is a simple, clever and effective way of exhibiting the product and informing the audience.

Studio Access at Watts Design

As part of the AgIdeas Design Conference Studio Access evening, I went to Watts Design, this is some of what I experienced and learnt that evening.

Watts Design, in South Melbourne, is a graphic design studio established in 1988. They are a small design studio with six staff members; three senior designers (including founders Peter and Helen Watts) and three junior designers. Watts Design works predominantly in three areas; branding, packaging and marketing/advertising.  Some of their recent work includes the Fowlers Vacola rebrand, which included redesigning the corporate identity, as well as the packaging and producing some publications such as annual reports. Watts Design also designed the packaging for the new range of Cobs popcorn, as well as the Cobs popcorn campaign, which was implemented across a range of marketing and advertising platforms.

When given a design brief, Watts Design will analyse it and do some preliminary research into what the client is asking for. They will also look at market research to see if there is a potential for a broader, new or different target audience that the client could be reaching, but is currently not. Watts Design will then go to the client with as many specific questions as possible so that they can be sure they know what the client is after. They will also offer suggestions as to other possible options for the client to consider; from looking at a wider target audience, to other possible format options (in the case of print media).

When developing work for a client Watts Design will continue to do further research into the background and history of the client; to gain a complete understanding of the client, and their wants and needs as a business. They will also research the current market for the product/ visual communication that the client has asked for; this includes competitors both nationally and internationally. They rely heavily on the questions asked of the client at the beginning of the process, as they believe that if they ask the right questions from the start the right design answers will come out in the process. Watts Design will then begin generating work, as the work is being generated, developed and refined they are in constant internal consulting, asking other staff members for their opinions, criticisms, and feedback. As they are most often bound by time, this consulting must be done as often as possible so that they do not spend too much time following a concept that isn’t right or appropriate for whatever reason. Only once a final concept is fully resolved do they return to the client and present the single final design. They do not show the client more than one concept as they find it is more effective for Watts Design to resolve one concept as fully as possible rather than half resolve more concepts that will ultimately not work as well for the client.

Over the course of the evening the group of us were also able to ask various questions and get tips about the industry. Overall it was a fun, interesting and informative evening.

William Kentridge Five Themes at ACMI

The William Kentridge Five Themes Exhibition at ACMI featured Kentridge's work from different times throughout his career, categorised into five 'themes'.
The piece I found most interesting at the exhibition was the piece What Will Come (has already come) (2007). It is a 35mm animated film projected onto a round steel table and reflected in a cylindrical steel mirror in the centre of the table. I found this piece interesting because of the many ways it could be viewed; on the steel table top, as a distorted image, or on the cylinder as a rotating film without distortion. The film itself was quite fragmented, with many different images coming up, some with recognisable references to historical events, whilst others seemed to come purely from the artist's imagination. Overall I found this piece looked at the cylindrical nature of history and its potential for distortion.

I also enjoyed Theme 3 – Parcour d'Atelier: Artist in the Studio. This theme was comprised of 7 Fragments for Georges Méliès (2003), a multi-screen projection, Journey to the Moon (2003) and Day for Night (2003). 7 Fragments to George Méliès is a homage to the early French film director, and according to Kentridge is meant to reflect the "invisible work that must be done" before beginning a piece of work. I found these works interesting because of the use of everyday objects to tell the story.

Guest Lecture - Carlos Flores

Three words come to mind when reflecting upon Carlos Flores' talk last week: passion, versatility, and collaboration. Carlos spoke about each of these as being very important in creating successful designs. I was really inspired by his genuine enthusiasm and passion for all of his work. I was fascinated by the variety of work Carlos does and the extent to which the designs extended. From a shop fit out and stationary all encompassed within the one job, to building a giant robot head with his cousin for a digital festival. Such a variety disciplines and skills combined to create these designs, and a collaborative process involving people specialising in a variety of  disciplines. I suppose I had never really considered just how broad one design agency could be with the work that they create, And hearing about Studio Equator and the work that Carlos does has really opened my eyes and allowed me to consider how much broader my future work can be.

I found the case study on 'PATS the Philly Way' very interesting as it began with the creation of the business logo which was then used to create the stationary (business cards and letterhead etc.). I guess this first captured my attention because I am very interested in this form of design. I was fascinated to see how the graphics from the stationary and menus were then adapted into the shop fit-out. This whole process has really inspired me and reconfirmed that this is what I can see myself doing in the future.

I also loved how Carlos spoke about all of his work. His enthusiasm was catching and his passion was seen clearly throughout his work.

Mad Square at NGV

For me, the most interesting section of the Mad Square exhibition was the Bauhaus section. I had never before seen the work of the Bauhaus, and I was facinated by the simplicity of the designs and their use of colour. The individual use of bold, flat, primary and secondary colours added to the basic simplicity of all of the designs. The furniture designs in particular consisted of very basic forms and shapes. By stripping the designs back to the very basic elements (especially colour and shape), they were able to create very modern looking designs that would appeal to a large audience. As well as appealing to a wide audience the simplicity of the designs would have made the furniture more accessible to more people as the production costs would have been significantly lower than the more complex design of the era.



Felix Nussbaum's The Mad Square

I found the transition through the rooms and their respective movements very intriguing, as each was so distinctly different, yet they were all connected by the political and social environment of the time. From the German Expressionists who painted and drew a very sombre environment and outlook often portraying the effects of the war. To the Dadaists in Zurich who wished to be anything but mainstream and instead sought to debunk all order and disipline in favour of anarchy. To the simplicity and modernity of the Bauhaus and thier use of the basic elements. And the constructivists whose work was also simple and free from clutter, hoping to evoke a social change. Then to the Metropolis and the underground, with the introduction of film and very angular design against the underground life of the cabaret and the paintings of the underground activities. To the so-called 'degenerate art' and finally the painting for which the exhibition was named Felix Nussbaum's "The Mad Square", a work which references the tension and turbulence that characterised the era .

Sensorial Loop

"Hemispheres" by Michele Elliot, is part of the RMIT Gallery 'Sensorial Loop' exhibition. This piece caught my attention, because of the movement and therefore the constant change to the work. It is an instalation, that consists of two large circles (made of thick card) on the wall about 2 metres apart, with the right-hand one slightly below the left one, hand-made wooden pins (in the circles), and dark red cotton strung between the circles, held by the pins. The intriguing part of this composition is the every changing position of the cotton string, as there was a breeze blowing onto it. This movement created interest that made this piece stand out from the others in the room.

"Twenty Four Evocation of the Wet/Dry" by Cresside Collette, also part of 'Sensorial Loop' at RMIT Gallery, is a composition of 24 small tapestries (approx. 20x13cm). The tapestries show the transformation of the landscape from Collette's home country of Sri Lanka, to her current home Australia. 12 of the tapestries are a more literal interpretation of the landscape, in terms of the colour and contour of the tapestries. The other 12 are 'pairs' or 'shadows' which shift into a more abstract style, which symbolise "the blurring of edges of memory into a pure colour sensation." This change of landscape is evident in the change of colour, from cool, lush blues and greens, with hints of yellow and ochre, to harsher warm tones of red and orange, with hints of blue. I found it really interesting how something as simple as a landscape can portray such feeling and emotion throught the use of colour and the sharpness of the shapes.

Flinders Lane

Of the galleries and exhibitions on Flinders Lane, two in particular really captured my attention.
The first was e.g.etal, a jewellery exhibition and shop. There was a great variety of styles in the jewellery there. I particularly liked the work of Jasmine Watson, whose work had a clear floral theme to them. I liked the clarity and sleekness of her designs and the beautiful simplicity of them.

I was also drawn to the vibrance of Kathryn Wardill's glass bead collection. I was again struck by the seemingly simple designs that were actually quite intricate, which lead to a very effective overall appearance.

The second gallery was the Flinders Lane Gallery. I was immediately struck by the realism of Naomi White's "Secret Path" (see below). I liked how by simply looking at the painting I was transported 'into' the painting, where I could imagine myself actually being there.
I really enjoyed seeing the level of detail that was in this painting and how the detail really added to the overall feel/atmosphere of the painting.



Naomi White "Secret Path"