RIPE 26.05 - 06.06 2016 — Gaffa Gallery Sydney
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RIPE Master of Art, Semester 1, 2016 Consolidated Studio
The Consolidated Studio is a core subject within
witness their sharing of knowledge and skill in the
the Master of Art program at UNSW Art & Design
spirit of communal advancement.
that is designed to develop trans-disciplinary modes of visual authorship and their relationship
For the exhibition to be the success that we see
to the expanded field of contemporary creative
here today, the students have worked tirelessly,
expression. It supports the development
not just within their own studios, but more
of practice based research and provides an
importantly with each other. Skills and roles were
opportunity for students to consolidate their
identified early and acted upon. Some students
practical and conceptual skills through the
contributed their professional skills, such as in
production of a resolved body of work. This in
photography or design. Others have lent their
itself is a rigorous undertaking, however, the
skills in organisation or communication and for
students are required to do this in the context of
others it has been through the installation of the
a group exhibition within a twelve-week period.
exhibition. Each of these roles are integral to the
This exerts considerable pressure on the students
successful production of an exhibition and each
individually and as a whole which combines to
one of the students represented in this catalogue
extend their potential within a group related
should be duly proud of their considerable effort.
dynamic. I would like to thank Liz McCrystal and Thalia The exhibition experience is designed to introduce
Smith for their support and willingness to assist
the students to the significant undertakings
with this endeavor; course convenor Allan
involved in the preparation and production of a
Giddy for his enthusiasm and guidance; Richard
professional exhibition. This semester we have
Crampton from Darkstar Digital and special thank
been fortunate to work with Liz McCrystal and
you to Franz Anthony for compiling this catalogue.
Thalia Smith of Gaffa Gallery who have been
And finally, I would like to congratulate this
generous with their time and their insights,
talented and committed group of emerging artists
especially surrounding their expectations, and the
and commend them for the professionalism with
processes involved in taking an exhibition from
which they conducted themselves throughout this
concept to realisation. For many of the students,
experience.
this is their first exhibition experience beyond the supportive environment of the University. Others
Michelle Cawthorn, sessional lecturer,
have exhibited before and it has been pleasing to
UNSW Art & Design. Sydney 2016
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Helen Amanatiadis
The Old Castle Acrylic on polyester 60 cm x 70 cm
Instead of becoming more spiritually evolved, society
Amanatiadis carefully constructs three
is becoming more focused on the surface of reality.
dimensional models of abstract artworks and
Reality is envisioned as a dystopia at the mercy of
through this process explores and reconfigures
worldwide global development which has subverted
the architectural space within the works. She
modernist design ideals. The contemporary human
dismantles the original works to create a new
condition and spirit, and how human beings interact
abstracted composition which is then translated
in this developed, technological, capitalist world, is
back into two dimensional form via the process of
explored through Amanatiadis’ practice.
painting. In doing she so reveals another spatial reality to reflect the contemporary dystopian state
These ideas are expressed through abstraction with
of being.
focused studies on works of Kandinsky and other abstract artists, whose ideas and concepts generated
Helen Amanatiadis is a Sydney based artist whose
the ideals and concepts of modern thinking and
practice encompasses drawing, painting and
architecture. They were also sensitive to the concepts
three-dimensional forms. She holds a Bachelor
of theosophy which arose at the dawn of the modern
of Fine Arts and a Bachelor of Art Education from
era. The works of these artists are examined via a
UNSW Art & Design.
process of deconstruction and then reconstruction.
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Franz Anthony
Singangsana (throne)
franzanth.com
60 cm x 84 cm
Digital painting, archival ink on paper
Just like human society, the relationships between
apparent, and each group’s actions continue to
organisms in nature are complex and intertwined.
evolve on their own with no end goal within sight.
In certain circumstances, hierarchy may arise, and individuals with beneficial characteristics stay on
Franz Anthony is an artist / illustrator / graphic
top of the pecking order. Influenced by the ever-
designer whose work revolves around the theme
changing environment and constant interactions,
of natural history and biology. He strives to
each character’s behaviours continually shift in
make scientific knowledge more accessible to
response to one another.
the greater audience through engaging visuals. Aided by the lush colours and diversity of shapes
“Singangsana (throne)” is the second piece in a
found in nature, his illustrations invite viewers to
series of four paintings narrating the evolution
immerse in the richness of the living world and
of early birds as a metaphor for human social
the stories behind it.
dynamics. In the series, one tribe’s encounter with a foreign group causes a handful of individuals
He received the first prize for “Collision” by ARC
to develop new behaviours. By adopting the
Centre of Excellence for Particle Physics at the
knowledge gained by observing the foreigners,
Terascale (2016). His writings and illustrations
they dominate the social structure. Throughout
on natural history and biodiversity are regularly
the ages, the stratification becomes more
published by eartharchives.org. 3
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Kate Bell
Elf School
katebell.co
Ilford Galerie Smooth Pearl paper
Photograph on 32 x 32 cm (3 pcs), 15 x 15cm (2 pcs)
There are places on earth that people will never
of Kate’s life recently and influences her practice
see and there are endless possibilities of existence
by the observation of colours, emotions and
that we may or may not believe in. Children play
sensations of unfamiliar places. She blurs the lines
games with fairies in the garden or tell stories
between place and imagination by creating not
of ghosts. In adulthood this may be hushed by
what is visibly seen but rather a manifestation of
what we are accustomed to believe as false. It is
the emotion while there or what could be beneath
possible that there are secret worlds surrounding
the surface. In doing this, she creates scenes that
us and who is to say that they don’t exist?
are suspended between reality and imaginary worlds. In her work “Elf School”, Kate used
Kate works with a distorted representation
photography to bring this idea to life by creating
of nature through colour, texture, blur and
a scene of a secret fantasy land, in nature. She is
reflections. She uses these aesthetics to evoke
currently completing her Master of Art at UNSW
memory of imagination and a belief in the
Art & Design.
unknown. Travel has become an important part
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Alia Buhre
Constructed Methods of Materiality Flour / Photograph on matte paper Dimensions variable
“While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and
Buhre focuses on representations of the human
when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave
body with sculptural forms made out of bread
it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is
that allude to Jesus’ biblical reference. The bread
my body.” (Matthew 26:26)
being an edible form which becomes part of us, creates this exploration of a living being and how the body operates through exploring this relationship between body and decay. The life of bread is juxtaposed with the life of the human body through the mouldiness stages. This is a combination of opposites such as beauty and ugliness, the wondrous and disturbing. The imagery and sculpture in her work investigate this fascination of the abject body and grotesque subjects embraced in contemporary art.
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Madeleine Christison I Wonder Collage 42 cm x 29.7 cm
Madeleine Christison uses the subversion of
along with angles and curves created with each
conventional beauty as the subject of dialogue
composition. The titles of each piece go on to
with the viewer, the collaboration of vintage
elaborate Madeleine’s inner thinking during their
imagery she has collected fabricates a dialogue
creation. This is done to give the viewer a glimpse
into the collage and reinforces the uniqueness of
of her insight and connection to the artwork on a
each artwork.
deeper level. These aesthetics reflect Madeleine’s practice as an artist.
Each of the images cut from a vintage magazine, comic or postcard has been selected from
Madeleine Christison is a New Zealand born artist
amongst thousands of other images and then
currently practicing in Sydney, Australia. She
drawn together to recreate a new transformed
is due to complete her Master of Art at UNSW
artwork.
in 2016, She has also completed a Diploma in Graphic Design 2008.
The collages are designed to beguile on first glance but with a complex concept upon extended
A continuing theme of subversive conventional
viewing. The colour balance and negative, positive
beauty runs through Madeleine’s work.
and white space have all been thought through
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Graham Cowan
Bora Ring Digital photograph on cotton rag paper 49.4 cm x 61.75 cm
Rhythm dominates and destroys a calm regularity
In this series of works Graham Cowan has visually
in many aspects of life. Much of what we find
explored the nature of rhythm. Working from his
calming and peaceful is repetition of movement,
experience of the destructive overlay of rhythmic
of the predictable ebb and flow of daily life. Yet
excitation and resonance in mechanical systems,
the unchanging repetition of habitual actions
he has taken inspiration from music, dance, and
becoming ritualised make us crave for change
the gentle rhythmic actions of the everyday. In
and excitement. Rhythm is the overlay of beat
the image Bora Ring he has used photographic
and syncopation in a steady regularity. The
and engineering techniques to explore the ideas
regular pace of knitting, poetry and music making
expressed in the rhythmic form of Judith Wright’s
are calming to the spirit in ways we do not fully
poem. Using exquisitely made aboriginal tapping
understand. They all depend on rhythmic pulse to
sticks from Arnhem Land and stroboscopic
provide interest, excitement, rest.
lighting, he has recorded white hands tapping out a simple driving rhythm to symbolise “the tribal story lost in an alien tale.” (Judith Wright, Bora Ring, 1946)
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Rosa Daniela Diaz
Floating Mixed media installation Dimensions variable
Deep Ecology philosophy argues that ‘the natural
layering and collaging onto canvas using aged
world is a subtle balance of complex inter-
commercial patterns that had been given to her
relationships in which the existence of organisms
by her mother. This has evolved into a sculptural
is dependent on the existence of others within the
exploration of the aged pattern paper using
ecosystems.
stitching to create form. These new processes and techniques echo the meanings Diaz wishes to
Diaz asserts that there is a connection between
convey: the importance of conservation through
all living things on this planet. We as humans are
repurposing of materials: the multiplicity of
part of this interdependency and are increasingly
connections between nature and the human
disconnected from it, placing it in jeopardy rather
spirit: the fragility of nature and its many layers
than recognising and valuing its sacred nature.
and the layers within us.
Diaz’s fascination with the natural worlds intricate systems, patterns and relationships
Unexpectedly, during this process she has found
has led her on an exploration through process
fragments of her self.
and materiality. Recently she has begun tracing,
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Emily Fowler facebook: RockArt8
Women’s Way Mixed media on plaster and paper 53 cm x 37 cm x 33 cm
“No aspect of Chinese culture carries greater
in Chinese calligraphy. From her work, Fowler
significance than the written word.
reflects on Chinese femininity and values from the
Chinese characters convey both semantic
past and compares them to the present.
meaning and aesthetic value.” Maxwell Hearn, The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Emily Fowler is a multi-disciplinary artist whose practice encompasses ceramics, sculpture,
Women’s Way is Fowler’s latest work that looks
western and Chinese painting and calligraphy. She
into the roots of her Chinese heritage. She
graduated from UNSW with a Computer Science
explores the thousand-year-old traditional
degree and has worked in the corporate sector
Chinese rules and regulations that have been
for more than 20 years. Fowler has returned
imposed on women over the centuries. These
to UNSW Art & Design to study a Master of Art
rules are still embedded deeply in Chinese
and has further developed into a contemporary
culture even to this day. Fowler’s sculpture is in
and conceptual artist. She has participated in a
the form of the ancient Chinese word meaning
number of exhibitions and her work is held in
‘woman’, also displaying many of the rules written
private collections in Australia.
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Valerie Grey
Out the Train Window Oil on canvas 60 cm x 60 cm
We all have our own way of seeing. We scan sift,
Valerie Grey is a Sydney-based painter, with a
sort, discard from the range of visual images and
Masters in Visual Arts from the UNSW School
cues in our field of vision. That sifting of visual
of Art & Design. Prior to taking up painting,
cues is what guides Grey’s work. She has been
she had worked overseas for many years as a
working on a series of paintings which try to evoke
management consultant. Wherever she had the
the passing of time over a visual image from one
opportunity she kept her art practice going, and
glance to the next. Catching the shifting light as it
though intermittent and sporadic, the many
glances off surfaces, the blur as our eyes quickly
overseas locations have each left an imprint on
skim an image, these little moments of blur and
her art practice. Since 2013 she has devoted
clarity are what interest her.
herself fully to her art practice.
The work she has prepared for this exhibition encapsulates her efforts to catch the shifting light, the moment half-there, half not-there.
RIPE
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Terhi Hakola
Death of Shirt (Fire and Water) 2-channel video 3 minute duration
Hakola’s interest lies in the space, where
and ugly. This work explores the transformation of
unconscious and often feared elements of human
an object (shirt), when subjected to a destructive
experience live. Her work explores themes around
force, as a metaphor for bodily degeneration.
death, displacement and fragility of human life.
Fire and water, ancient classical elements,
Things unseen and unsaid, thoughts hidden and
are the vehicles of the destruction. According
forbidden, memories forgotten and lost; the
to Hinduism, these are the elements that the
spaces that wait to be discovered, awakened and
body dissolves into upon death. The video
prodded. This is the fertile and boundless ground,
documentation of ‘death’ of a shirt invites a viewer
where exploration can start.
to meditate on the elusiveness and temporality of human existence. It considers the potential
Hakola’s work “Death of Shirt” is concerned with
to understand death as a continuous change
impermanence and death; in our culture often
or flow from one form to another, a state of
seen as a culmination of loss, and therefore abject
impermanence inherent to both life and death.
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Da Ju
The Shade Ceramics, glaze 250 cm x 120 cm
This work is a wall installation with plenty of
Ju was born in China in 1991 and is currently
ceramic pieces and different glaze of colours.
studying in Australia. He has graduated from the
The concept of this work is from the wallpapers
Sydney College of The Arts and commenced his
but Ju has transfer them into solid. From the top,
Master of Arts in 2015. His major is sculpture and
the colour of the ceramic pieces are white and it
installation, he uses ceramics in his sculptures.
flowing down to darker, at the bottom of the work where it totally changes to black. Ju wants to show the visual of colour changing in this work and make it look stronger through the large number of pieces. If there are lights on the work, the glossy glaze becomes more interesting.
RIPE
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Jackie Kennard
8:15, 8:35, 8:40
Instagram: @jackiekennard
60 cm x 68 cm (3 pcs)
Photography, archival ink on paper
The act of creating allows Jackie Kennard to
the inks suggests movement, reflective of the
indulge, to escape, to dream, to exist in a realm
way her mind and thoughts continuously flick
outside of the roles that shape and define her in
back and forth.
her daily life. The images she paints allow her to tap into her sense of self, float along in the terrain
As she strives for a sense of depth and a
of her subconscious mind, and hopefully inspire
kaleidoscopic explosion of colour in all of her
her children to follow their dreams and not just
pieces, she examines the materiality of working
stick with the status quo.
with different surfaces including thicknesses and colours of paper, aluminum and copper plates.
Drawing from the Turkish marbling method
Photography also plays an important role, as the
known as EBRU and weaving the internal
final artworks are a photographic image of her
monologues of her mind into her art, Kennard
kinetic artworks.
aims to spark a sensory response from the viewer whilst also escaping from her daily
Kennard is a Sydney-based artist, in her final
routine. Through her works, she explores, and
studio semester of Master of Art at UNSW Art &
experiments with colour and abstraction using
Design.
different paint and ink mediums. The fluidity of
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Dale Kentwell dalekentwell.com.au saltwatercountry.net.au Forest Bark pieces with hand dyed hemp twine and acrylic paint 70 cm x 80 cm x 80 cm
Artists spend their lives collecting. Gathering
reparation and regeneration where they have
experiences, materials and ideas. The information
been burnt, drilled and stitched, highlighting the
they bring back to the studio is then, rearranged,
contrast between hope and despair / destruction
reinterpreted, played with, added to, taken away
and renewal.
and changed to become a unique language - a point of view. Dale Kentwell has worked as a
Sydney based, Kentwell is a multi disciplinary
bush regenerator for the past 30 years and her
artist whose practice encompasses painting,
art practise has been informed by this intimate
photography and sculpture. She began studying
connection to the landscape. In these works
art at the Seaforth College of TAFE, NSW,
Kentwell explores the fragility and vulnerability
completing an arts certificate in 1984, a Bachelor
of our natural environment, where in urban
of Visual arts,1986-88 at UNSW Art & Design,
areas our bushland is generally not valued, with
Sydney and is now completing her Master of Art at
illegal clearing and tree poisoning a common
UNSW Art and Design.
occurrence. These bark pieces represent
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Alison Kritzler
Poised in an Expanse of Significant Points Muslin, sand, steel and tumeric Dimensions variable
The fragility of these hanging forms bely a certain
A sense of the abject is featured in the work and
strength beneath the structure. The installation,
her practice is concerned with ways in which
“Poised in an Expance of Significant Points,”
the abject- the disgustingly beautiful, can be
speaks metaphorically of a life’s journey. The
articulated. The porosity of the membrane within
forms play with dichotomies of hard and soft,
the work interacts with the viewer as ideas of
the interaction of viewer and object and external
transference and transformation are explored.
and internal relations with the world. These
Ideas about art forms as being transformative
dualisms recur throughout Alison Kritzler’s work
objects are playfully articulated and can lead the
as she intuitively unpacks subjective responses
viewer to formulate associations. Kritzler conveys
to materials through an exploration of abstract
a sense of the breakdown between what is self
forms reminiscent of the body, yet somehow
and what is other, through a play with materials
disembodied.
that denote ideas of containment and perforation.
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Jannene Kyytsonen kyytsonen.wix.com/ spacecyborg
Body Imaging Mixed media installation 150 cm x 40 cm x 40 cm
What are we really seeing when we look at the
Her practice in installation work and painting
human body? Body image is the focus of many,
collide as she presents her paintings on
especially in the fashion industry, as people seek
transparencies in a structure incorporating
to define themselves through their physicality.
sculptured partial body forms. In “Body Imaging”
Modern medicine, however, has given us the
she is inviting us to see portraiture from a new
opportunity to reshape our form and structure,
perspective, from the inside, and, through the
and medical imaging has given us a new means
structure of the body.
to assess our bodies. We can now see beyond the surface to our biological elements, but our brains need time to learn how to interpret this imagery. Jannene Kyytsonen’s multi-media work evolved out of her own experience of bio-enhancement. She explores the acceptance of the future physical multilayered aesthetic through the ‘ripening’ of our perception.
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Brianna Lehrke
Comfort Photography, archival ink on paper 42 cm x 60 cm
Brianna’s passion for photography has often
This body of work explores the archival aspects of
lead her through a variety of genres and styles.
film based photography and how a culling process
Predominately working as a Children’s Fashion &
is determined. Brianna looks at finding the beauty
Portrait photographer, Brianna has always aspired
within the imperfect negative that was once
to be a well rounded artist both commercially and
discarded within her archived images over the last
artistically by pushing her knowledge and comfort
20 years.
zones to explore portraiture, landscapes and conceptual based work. She explores the natural,
Brianna graduated from RMIT with a Bachelor
organic and nostalgic aspects of a person’s
of Art with distinctions. She is currently studying
life and photographs in a way that may leave
Master of Art at UNSW. Brianna has participated
the viewers reflecting on their own pasts and
in group exhibition shows including RAW at
experiences.
the RMIT Design Hub (2014) and small group YAAD at Gallery 36 (2013) and Footsteps of the Impressionists at Gallery 36 (2013).
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Emmanuel Madu Pinterest: emmanuelmadu Tumblr: maduemmanuel Instagram: infinite_skillz Powerfer Acrylic on canvas 24 cm x 18 cm
Born and raised in Nigeria, Emmanuel is an artist
For this show “Ripe�, Emmanuel explores the
drawn and inspired by realism and the human
female aura and plays with ideas of abjectification
form, more specifically the window of expression
of women but hopefully usurps the male gaze.
and feeling that tells stories without spoken words
Rather than relegating the women to abject-hood,
often found in facial expressions. Through his own
Emmanuel invests the work with an emancipatory
identity, his works are detailed and constructed
spirit that celebrates the vitality of women.
but not limited in various forms to black women, capturing their beauty whilst expressing stories of hardship, struggle, strength and empowerment. Emmanuel was largely self-taught and developed his own skills in sketching and paintings employing unorthodox materials such as sand, make-up and silicon. He constantly pushes materiality and conceptual limits in an experimental manner.
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Christian Mushenko
Aloha Kakou: may there be love between us
christianmushenkoart.com
Duraclear prints on perspex, installation of 7 sheets 30 cm x 62 cm x 43 cm
Humans have an almost universal connection
This body of work aims to introduce the elements
with nature. Immersed in it, we become
of harmony, creating a depth and a resonance
grounded to a more basic force. Watching a
to the images (just as chords in music add an
night sky filled with stars or standing at the
emotional context to the melody). Mushenko has
ocean gazing at the horizon can be moments of
toned the colour of the shadows and highlights of
sublime enlightenment. Emotional responses to
an image in values representative of a perfect fifth
the landscape have long been romanticised as
chord. The image is then repeated with successive
metaphors for the human spirit.
plates showing a progression of ‘chords’. To Mushenko, the work becomes the notation of a
Mushenko’s practice explores the landscape
song of pleasure and pain; love and loss.
as visual poetry speaking to us in emotional terms. Abstracted forms trigger a feeling above a recognition of form or subject matter. Elements of light and dark, colour and form in the portrayal of water and sky are read in a personal way by each viewer.
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Hannah Orrock
Tell Me I’m an Artist / Pretty Deep Acrylic on plywood 30.5 cm x 30.5 cm
Éscoffier once said that ‘la nostalgie’ (or
In Australia and elsewhere chronic diseases such
homesickness) was simply a longing for the food
as diabetes are on the rise and particular foods
of one’s childhood. The birthday cake unlocks
have become patholigised in terms of ‘risk’. Foods
potent memories of the past for many adults.
such as sugar are constructed as ‘bad’ and food
The Birthday cake promises the dreams and
itself is now spoken about using the language
desires of child-hood delivered in cake form –
of addiction. Will birthday cakes become a relic
an impermanent materialization that is rapidly
of the past? Will sugar be taxed in the same way
consumed after the song is sung and the candles
that tobacco and alcohol are? Birthday cakes are
are blown out.
a paradox. They mark a moment of celebration and the passage of time in somebody’s life. They
You can learn a lot about a culture by observing
are made with love, but they might also conceal
how festivals are celebrated. The ritual of the
a toenail, a bomb, or even just a coma-inducing
birthday cake may be nutritionally empty but it
amount of sugar.
is full of meanings. Orrock’s work investigates the genre of birthday cakes as a form of popular cultural expression. The birthday cake acts as both a celebration of individual identity and as a signifier of the culture in which it is created. RIPE
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Harry Partridge
The Meeting of Sun and Sap Acrylic on canvas 90 cm x 90 cm
Is reality a fixed concept, or do we see it
sees well, what is essential is invisible to the eye”
differently? We have all had experiences of seeing
Coming to his own process of making art at a
a scene of such impact that we will remember it
mature age, Partridge draws from his career as a
for the rest of our days; and yet our companion,
structural engineer certifying the works of many
seeing the same view, will retain nothing of that
sculptors. Through the medium of painting he
vision. Memory depends upon the depth of
explores what is ‘real’. This may be evident in
impression.
such works as “The Meeting of Sun and Sap” where all except the essential is stripped back.
Harry Partridge’s work explores this variability and
Partridge is currently studying for a Master of
the idea that there are layers of reality through
Fine Art at UNSW Art & Design.
which one can see deeper and deeper. As SaintExupery says “It is only with the heart that one
This is the first exhibition of his work.
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Colin Polwarth
Traffic Light
colpol.com.au / studiocolpol.com.au
acrylic, AA batteries, LED lights
Aluminium, resin, glue, pigment, 76 cm x 76 cm x 3 cm
red, stop amber, caution green, go.
No longer the exclusive territory of the road, the humble traffic signal of amber-caution is explored with a new materiality as a departure from the constrictions of convention, functionality and
Contemporary society depends on symbols
life-saving realities. The beauty of the symbol in a
for its safe functioning. Nowhere is this more
re-contextualised format is re-examined.
evident than on the roads that structure our cities and lives. Colin Polwarth’s practice has a long,
Caution is associated with amber; amber is a
intimate involvement with human interaction,
rich, ripe, golden phenomenon associated with
infrastructure, symbols, semiotics, legibility,
circumspection, age and wisdom. The symbol and
movement, urban fabric and the environment.
colour have a dialogue of semiotics. The work forms part of a larger body of work ’Road’ that
Polwarth explores the structural and aesthetic
re-contextualises symbols in the landscape by
form of the symbol; seeking out the qualities
Polwarth.
that make it enduring, it is reinvented with a new materiality and scale. An aesthetic arises from an intimate and restrained interference with the symbol as an artefact. RIPE
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Ellena Lolly Rados ellenarados.com ilovedrawing.com.au
Sonnet I Oil on board 44 cm x 30 cm
Our world is sublime. Beauty abounds in nature:
Sydney based, Rados is a multi-disciplinary
colours, lines, shapes and plays of light reveal
artist and visual art lecturer whose practice
worlds within worlds.
is concerned with the energetic counterparts of the material world. In Sonnet 1 & 2, she
In the painted “Sonnet� series, Lolly Rados draws
applies layers of glazed and opaque oil colours
inspiration from the palette and stylised forms of
to activate colour harmonies. Mindfulness is
The Nabis movement and Australian Symbolists
the framework underlying each of her artworks
to produce works of chromatic resonance. Studies
encompassing painting, printmaking, drawing
of trees and their purity of form were made at the
and installation.
Cook’s River in homage to Sydney Long, who also painted the site in 1894.
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Jan Rae
Light Dance
janrae.com.au
58 cm x 88 cm
Photography, archival ink on paper
Gesture, movement and music create rhythms
Jan Rae is a painter and a dancer who has been
and patterns which underpin the nature of
exploring these patterns of movement through
tango. These patterns define the energy and the
light paintings, video and drawing. She is
precision of the dance. The movement of the feet
fascinated by the visual nature of the dance and
contrasts with the circularity and relative stillness
the gestural aspect of mark making.
found within the embrace, which symbolises the very essence of the dance: connection.
The making of the digital print “Light Dance” was a performance piece, in which lights were attached
In tango, the feet maintain a connection with
to the feet of a man and a woman dancing tango.
the floor whilst changing weight and it is this
The traces of their movements were captured,
‘groundedness’ of the free leg that connects with
using long exposure photography.
the music and gives the dance its own character and a patina of imagined patterns on the floor.
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Eleanor Rex
The Space Between Us Drypoint etching 216 cm x 78 cm
Drawing from personal and collective memory,
sensitivity and use of meditative and repetitive
Eleanor’s work is concerned with the human
mark making serves as a way to both immerse
condition and the underlying duality of existence.
and map a delicate inner landscape whilst
Her work is primarily concerned with themes of
referencing the intricate patterns that underpin
place, belonging, isolation, loss and ritual.
both life and subsequent decay.
“The Space Between Us” is a large scale drypoint
Sydney based, Eleanor is a multi-disciplinary
etching, part of a series of work exploring the
artist whose practice encompasses drawing,
relationship of the microcosm and macrocosm,
printmaking, and photography. She holds an
with particular reference to humanity and
Honours Degree in Visual Communications,
our subsequent relationship with the natural
and is currently completing her Master of Art at
world and place upon the earth. Her delicate
UNSW Art & Design.
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David Ross
Jest Catchin’ Up on the Retro Good Times Acrylic on canvas 60 cm x 120 cm
The swinging sixties was a time of revolutionary
Ross’ Body of Work – “Jest Catchin’ Up on the
change in the ways in which everyday people
Retro Good Times” – is a whimsical reflection
viewed life. In the context of post-WWII,
on the impact that the experimental artists of
consumerism and luxury items replaced
the 60’s era - such as abstract expressionism,
conservative traditional values of the previous war
colourfield, kinetic, op and pop - had on modern
years. In the overthrow of traditional values, many
art. His work is a joyous celebration of their naïve
new art styles, movements and philosophies
sense of joie de vivre, and expresses the sublime
were to appear. The sixties, therefore was a hot
magnitude of collective unconsciousness that
bed of creative thought, and it was in this radical
connects us all through tacit primordial bonding
environment that David Ross was to develop his
whilst he adheres to avant-garde, post-modernist
own contemporary art vocabulary.
methodology in his artmaking. Ross is currently in his final year of a Master of Art degree at UNSW Art & Design.
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Nilofer Sohail
Migration: Presence of Absence Mixed media print 30 cm x 40 cm (3 pcs)
The bond of relationship is strong enough to
two languages Gujarati (India) and Urdu (Pakistan),
keep one tied for centuries with people and places
she focus on “Language” as the most noticeable point. The images from childhood and cultural
“Migration: Presence of Absence” talks about the
fabric prints are use to show the attachment
experience of movement from one place to another
between past and present.
and its impact. It illustrates how one feels when adopting a new culture while still connected to the
Nilofer Sohail is Sydney based Pakistani artist who
old one and outlines how presence of something
specializes in miniature painting. She graduated
means nothing and absence of something means
with distinction from Indus Valley School of Art
everything. Instead of erasing old and adopting
& Architecture, Karachi, Pakistan in 2012 and
new surrounding, through her work she shows the
currently pursuing her Master of Art from UNSW
unconcious efforts of preserving old culture while
Art & Design. She has exhibited her work in several
adopting new one.
group shows includes The Art Fest in collaboration of Canvas gallery and Vasl Artist` Collective,
Nilofer Sohail`s work narrates her migration from
Karachi (2014), Pursukoon Karachi at Art Council,
India to Pakistan, where a unique and personal
Koel gallery, Karachi (2013), 11th Emerging Talent
amalgamation of culture and language has evolved
show,V.M. Art gallery, Karachi (2013), The Fantastic
in her life. Using text in her work i.e. the mixture of
Frosting, Canvas gallery, Karachi (2013). 27
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Gate Tangtrongsakdi Transboundary Emboss print on paper 50 cm x 50 cm
The Mekong is considered one of the longest
Gate Tangtrongsakdi is a Sydney-based artist
rivers in the world. It is a trans-boundary river,
who works across a variety of mediums such
flowing through six countries: Cambodia, China,
as screen printing, printmaking, drawing and
Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam. The
digital media. She felt limited working on digital
Lower Mekong Basin is crucial to the livelihood
mediums where everything moves in such a
of more than 60 million inhabitants. Two
fast pace that is when she discovered her love
thirds of the population main income are from
for printmaking. Gate wanted to work with
agriculture and fisheries, and are therefore
something more tactile and hands on instead of
wholly dependent on the Mekong’s water
staring at a computer screen all day.
resources. What will be the livelihood of the inhabitants along the Mekong river after seven
Gate is currently in her final semester of
major dams are build across the river.
her Master of Art at UNSW Art & Design and completed a Bachelor of Design in visual
Gate engages blind embossing using zinc plates.
communication from the University of
Through blind embossing she aims to highlight
Technology Sydney, she worked as a freelance
the delicate balance the Mekong river holds and
graphic designer.
its progression through time.
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Jenny Tubby
Gubbins
jennytubby.com.au
6 minutes duration
Single channel video
Jenny Tubby is an Illawarra based artist working
After graduating with a Bachelor of Creative
with a diverse range of media including; video
Arts from the University of Wollongong in 2010
performance, collage, painting, projection and
Tubby’s work was selected for the National
installation. As an artist her interest is in the
Graduate show ‘Hatched’ at the Perth Institute
exploration of social, political and cultural issues
of Contemporary Arts. In 2011 she received a
through a variety of visual processes. The concept
Wollongong Art Gallery residency and in 2014
and context of each body of work determines the
was a resident at Redgate Studios in Beijing.
materials used which are often found or recycled. Tubby has been a finalist in a number of prizes Tubby creates objects and environments that
including Meroogal Women’s Art Prize (2014),
invite the viewer in to explore, contemplate and
Hazlehurst Art on Paper Award (2013), Waverley
engage their curiosity. Deploying humour and
Art Prize ( 2004-2006 & 2008) for which she
absurdity she draws inspiration from the mass of
received a Highly Commended and Blake Prize
things we create and discard. Recycled materials
for Religious Art (2004). Tubby is currently
and everyday objects are manifest as wonky,
completing a Master of Art at UNSW.
amusing and grotesque things that are presented using video combined with other objects.
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Rebecca Waterstone
The Lost and Found
mtnsmade.com.au/listing/rebecca-waterstone
butterbox lid
Beeswax, oil paint, eucalyptus oil, 25 cm x 40 cm
Rebecca’s work explores distilled, personal
A former art educator for 21 years, she has
sensory experiences of place, and subjective,
exhibited in Australia and Scotland since 2006.
romanticised memory. Referencing traditions
She co-established Single Track Gallery on the Isle
of Minimalist Abstraction and Colour-field
of Skye, and was Head of Art at the University of
Painting, muted, chromatic spaces encapsulate
the Highlands and Islands, establishing the art
visceral responses to immersion in ethereal,
department, and forging relationships with artists
atmospheric landscapes.
and institutions in Scotland and Australia.
Minimal planes of cast beeswax and found
She was Vice Chair of ATLAS, an ambitious
wood, with subtle variations in surface and
contemporary arts organisation on Skye. A
colour, act as delicate, but potent fragments,
pioneering producer of contemporary art, ATLAS
embodying the residue of history and place, and
connects artists and audiences, and responds to
time-weathered memories. The opacity and soft
Skye’s unique landscape, culture and people.
edges of beeswax are metaphors for the blurring and erosion of remembered experiences over
In March 2016, she was part of a joint exhibition,
time, and their preservation.
‘Ethereal’ at m2 Gallery, Sydney, (part of Spectrum Now Festival, and Art Month).
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Marcus Wisman
Splasht Collage on cardboard installation 30 cm x 40 cm
Playing with our imagination is how we create new perspectives of the world. This explores the process of reviving the mind and inventing other realms inside our heads. In his art practice of mixed-media, Wisman experiments with drawing, collage and installation to explore the fascination of surreal possibilities. He imagined worlds of colour trapped inside a liquid form, waiting to splash out into the real world. Instead of seeing the transparency of colour through liquid this work represents colours in a raw form.
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Yu Zeng
Pink and S
Instagram: @yuamowa
65 cm x 84 cm (2 pcs)
Photography, archival ink on paper
Femininity is associated with social identity and
of thinking and depiction in our culture, past and
physical features. It is an ideal defined by the
present, by referencing the mythology of female
characteristics, behaviors and roles that we as a
role. The mythology in photography are using
society assign to women. Ideals of femininity are
the reference of goddess Hera, who is the wife of
traditionally associated withgentleness, empathy,
Zeus. And she was in charge of woman, marriage
sensitivity, caring, compassion, and tolerance.
and birth, lily is one of the significant symbols of her representation.
Yu Zeng’s work reflects on femininity and seduction as represented by commercial imagery
Yu Zeng is an international student who
and tradition art forms. Her subjects, whether
anticipates her Master degree in Sydney 2016.
people or objects, are loaded with symbolism and
Her practice encompasses drawing, oil painting,
exist within an altered reality. In this pink series,
collage and photography forms. She holds
she describes this process as one of seductive
a Bachelor of Architectural Studies from the
subversion, combining highly symbolized objects
University of Adelaide (2014). Her Chinese
and elegant body compositions with an unsettling
background and overseas study experience
ambiguity. She draws attention to habitual ways
provides inspiration for her art work.
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RIPE — Gaffa Gallery Sydney 26 May - 6 June 2016 UNSW Art & Design Master of Art Semester 1, 2016 Consolidated Studio www.artdesign.unsw.edu.au COVER
Christian Mushenko
DESIGN
Franz Anthony
PRINTING
Darkstar Digital
with thanks to sessional lecturer Michelle Cawthorn and course convenor Allan Giddy ISBN · 978-0-7334-3718-2
— This catalogue is also available to download from issuu.com/ripe_artists/docs/catalogue/
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