More than Steel and Stone exhibition brochure

UMBRELLA STUDIO CONTEMPORARY ARTS 482 Flinders Street, Townsville, QLD Monday — Friday 9-5 & Sunday 9-1 07 4772 7109 www.umbrella.org.au Front Image: Your Ride is Here, Robert Henry, 2014, Chillagoe marble, oak, 65 x 37 x 35cm Images Inside (Left to Right Clockwise): Venus, Robert Henry, 2016, Chillagoe marble, 48 x 44 x 15cm. Shark, Rainer Rusch, 2010, Mango wood, clear finish, 70 x 195 x 5cm. Atlas, Roselani Henry, 2016, Charcoal on paper, 50 x 70cm. Atlas, Rurik Henry, 2016, Mild steel, stainless steel, bronze, 25 x 67 x 27cm. Baba Yaga, Rafaela Henry, 2016, Hand-printed vinylcut, 37 x 47cm.

Umbrella Studio acknowledges the financial support of: the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland, the Commonwealth Government through the Australia Council, its arts funding and advisory body, and the Visual Arts and Craft Strategy, an initiative of the Australian, State and Territory Governments.

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MORE THAN STEEL AND STONE

Years and Still Counting!

Robert Henry, Rurik Henry, Rafaela Henry, Roselani Henry & Rainer Rusch

studio contemporary arts

30 September – 6 November 2016

umbrella

The title of this exhibition relates to most artists’ wish that their work is more than the materials that they’re made of, but also references the exhibition Steel and Stone, Creatures of Myth and Magic by Rurik and Robert held at Umbrella Studio in 2012. The ‘more’ in this case refers to more artists (in other guises an exhibitions officer, a retired geologist, a doctor, a teacher and a cabinet maker), more materials (steel and stone but also wood, paper, aluminium, lead, brass, bronze and copper) and more artworks (over thirty). The exhibition is a family affair with father, son, daughters and an uncle but we do not want to make too much of this aspect – it is just fun to work together.

The theme is objects and images with stories, some serious, some foolish but all with some relevance to life today. Most of the works derive from myth or folklore (Greek, Roman, Slavic, Norse and Asiatic) but a few include more recent references (quirks of nature, industry).

Myth may seem an old subject but it is one that is continually being revisited. Sometimes it is as straight re-tellings, sometimes it is development or continuation of characters or stories. We see this most commonly in film and literature (including comic books) but it also pervades other walks of life appearing, for example, as terms and concepts in medicine, philosophy and science.

We hope that the artworks are strong enough on their own to create interest and intrigue but have also provided some stories and comments to add to the experience.