Todd Fuller - Studies in Motion

TODD FULLER + FLATLINE Studies in motion 9 September to 4 October 2014

Studies in motion Appearing effortless whilst contorting an incredibly disciplined body, the indication of a trained dancer is in their miraculous ability to show faultless fluidity of line, generating profound emotion in audiences via a mastered physical self. Similarly, the capacity to encapsulate complex gestures that articulate tangible expression via simple mark making techniques is the evidence of a practiced draftsman. Todd Fuller, an artist who employs sculpture, drawing, painting and hand-drawn animation within his practice, examines the structural foundations of line, shape and rhythm that is evident is both performance and visual art as the basis of his next exhibition titled ‘Studies in motion’. This exhibition will also feature his collaborative work with choreographer Carl Sciberras under the guise of Flatline. Fuller and Sciberras’ dance/art hybrid draws on the points in which the two disciplines intersect with a sense of vibrancy and innovation.

Having worked with artist Mylyn Nguyen, singer Abby Smith and various composers throughout his artistic practice, Fuller’s work lends itself to collaboration. Flatline immerses Fuller’s practice into the area of performance – live and documented. As to create a symbiotic dialogue between the two areas of art and dance, Fuller and Sciberras have taken their thoughts first developed in inspired emails and have workshopped them, evolving their disciplinary convergence into new and alternative realms. Towards the end of last year the culmination of Flatline’s developments were performed in an industrial space within Sydney’s Carriageworks. The result was an experimental exploration into the relationship between the hand-drawn line and the lines created by a controlled and athletic body, emphasised through thoughtful and atmospheric sound.

In June of this year, dancers Niharika Senapati and Yilin Kong joined Fuller and Sciberras on a residency at Bundanon. Having danced as a teenager and continuing

Todd Fuller, ‘A dance for Paul Klee’ 2014, chalk, charcoal + pastel on paper, 61 x 116cm

to take classes into his adult life, Fuller’s insight into the physical and mental involvement of performance has allowed his drawings and animations to knowledgeably capture the flux and flight of a dancing body. Throughout the residency, the group decided to take a more art-centric approach with all members participating in drawing classes.

From this experience, a three-part performance has been choreographed in which white boards are marked with specially crafted crayon-tipped shoes, allowing the dancers to transcribe their choreographed movements. Finding inspiration in the compositions of art-historical works, such

as Vincent Van Gogh’s ‘Starry Night’, Théodore Géricault’s ‘The Raft of The Medusa’ and Gustav Klimt’s ‘Bildnis der Helens’, Flatline’s cross-disciplinary investigation does not just provide an occasion for art and dance to meet, but a complete blurring of boundaries.

Considering the physical act of mark making within this performance, which will be showcased live during the exhibition, Fuller has created a body of work that illustrates the gesticulation of dance. Allowing the progression of dancing bodies to unravel within his refined sketches,

Todd Fuller, ‘figure 8’ 2014, collage, chalk, charcoal, pastel, acrylic, antique book on paper, 53 x 76cm

Fuller’s drawings capture sophisticated movement with expressive line work. Within Brenda May Gallery’s Black Box Projects Space, a spliced film will accompany the works on paper. This video work follows Senapati dancing at the beach from an aerial perspective, revealing her traces left upon the sand. Fuller has then expanded on and examined the implications of these traces, animating handdrawn segments that are integrated into the film.

input of the other. Though Flatline’s performances are choreographed, showing intention rather than incidence, Fuller’s hand-drawn works allow the transitory placement and erasure of his line work to remain visible, permitting audiences to see the hand of the artist. These captured, constructed and choreographed moments are complied to form this multifaceted exhibition that ultimately examines the marks we make and the traces we leave behind.

Following and conducting the lines created by the bodies of dancers, Todd Fuller captures the physicality of dance in artworks that simultaneously document temporal acts and construct unraveling sequences. Flatline’s hybrid performance and video pieces focus on the structural crossovers of art and dance, inspiring one with the

Olivia Welch

Flatline, ‘Sketch’ (performance detail) 2014, Carriageworks, Sydney

TODD FULLER SOLO EXHIBITIONS 2014 Studies in Motion, Brenda May Gallery, Sydney.

2013 Taking Flight, Sydney Grammar School, Sydney.

There’s no place like Rome, Brenda May Gallery.

2012 Somewhere in between, Brenda May Gallery, Sydney.

2011 Tense, Brenda May Gallery, Sydney.

In Solitude, Deakin University, Melbourne.

2010 Storyline, Brunswick St. Gallery, Melbourne.

GROUP EXHIBITIONS 2014 Elephant in the Room, Brenda May Gallery, Sydney.

Collectors – An excerpt from the private collection of Jeff Hinch, Brenda May Gallery, Sydney.

In Tandem, Brenda May Gallery, Sydney.

Sculpture at Scenic World, Katoomba, NSW.

Drawn out, Art Est. Art Gallery, Sydney.

New to Video, Newcastle Regional Art Gallery, NSW.

Sculpture 2014, Brenda May Gallery, Sydney.

2013 Christmas Show, Brenda May Gallery, Sydney.

re:the body, Global Centre for Research Drawing, Langford

120, Melbourne.

Teaf13, installation festival, South Korea.

Mighty Small, Brenda May Gallery, Sydney.

Please Be Quiet, The British School at Rome Gallery, Rome.

Spazi Aperti, Romanian Academy, Rome.

Paper Works II, Brenda May Gallery, Sydney.

Sculpture 2013, Brenda May Gallery, Sydney.

2012-3 Langue, Peacock Gallery, Auburn.

2012 The 15th Asian Art Biennale, Bangladesh.

The Sculpted World, Whitehorse Art Space, VIC.

Chiaroscuro, Brenda May Gallery, Sydney.

In The Mirror, Brenda May Gallery, Sydney.

Major Artists, Major Works, Brenda May Gallery, Sydney.

Sculpture at Scenic World, Katoomba, NSW.

Sculpture 2012, Brenda May Gallery, Sydney.

2011 The rest is silence, DEATH BE KIND gallery project, Upstairs

at The Alderman, Melbourne.

In Situ, Mosman Festival of Sculpture & Installation, Sydney.

Body Language, Brenda May Gallery, Sydney.

Lust, Brenda May Gallery, Sydney.

Art + Humour Me, Brenda May Gallery, Sydney.

Sculpture 2011, Brenda May Gallery, Sydney.

Double Lives; Duple Trials, Malt Cross Gallery, Nottingham.

Emerging Artist 2011, Linner Gallery, New York.

B R E N D A M AY

SELECTED PRIZES + RESIDENCIES 2014 Finalist, Adelaide Perry drawing prize (Flatline collective)

Finalist, Sculpture at Scenic world 2013 Finalist, Hazelhurst Art on Paper Award.

Residency – William Fletcher Travelling Fellowship to Rome.

Finalist, Emerging prize, Gosford Regional Gallery.

Artist in Residence- Sydney Grammar School.

2012 Honourable Mention, The 15th Asian Art Biennale, Bangladesh.

Winner, Fisher’s Ghost Art Award for sculpture.

Finalist Kedumba Drawing Prize

Finalist Adelaide Perry Drawing Prize

Finalist Jacaranda Acquisitive Drawing Award

Finalist, Wilson Visual Arts Award.

Finalist, Paul Guest Prize, Bendigo Art Gallery.

2011 Art Start Grant recipient, Australia Council.

Queen St. Studio residency, Fraser studios.

Finalist, RBS Emerging Artist Award.

Finalist, Sculpture at Scenic World.

Finalist, Deakin University Contemporary Small Sculpture Award.

Finalist, ColongeOFF VII international videoart festival.

Finalist, Noosa Regional Travelling Scholarship.

Equal First, Deakin University Award, Emerging Artist

Awards, Walker St Gallery, Melbourne.

2010-11 Residency - Storrier/Onslow Cité Des Arts, Paris.

2010 First place, Newcastle Emerging Artist Prize, sculpture category.

Finalist, National Youth Self Portrait Prize, National Portrait

Gallery, Canberra.

Finalist, Mount Eyre Vineyard Prize, Rex Livingston Art Dealer.

Ethical Art Prize, Tap Gallery.

National Finalist, Adelaide Perry Drawing prize.

2009 First Place, Lloyd Rees Memorial Youth Art Prize.

Mark Henry Cain Award.

Australian Bronze Award, NAS.

Nava Ignition Award-professional practice.

Finalist, Churchie, Nat’l Emerging Artist Prize, Top 11

Moving Image.

COLLECTIONS Artbank; Newcastle Art Gallery, NSW; Museum of Contemporary Art Library Collection, Sydney; Deakin University Art Gallery; Sydney Harbour Trust collection; National Art School Archive; Lane Cove Council; Jackson Lalic Lawyers; Private Collections in Australia, China, England, France and Hong Kong.

G A L L E R Y

2 D a n k s S t r e e t Wa t e r l o o N S W A u s t r a l i a 2 0 1 7 www.brendamaygallery.com.au info@brendamaygallery.com.au tuesday - friday 11-6 saturday 10-6 t. 02 9318 1122 f. 02 9318 1007