Brown Council

*Unattended lecture

Upon researching the works by Brown Council, it was quickly becoming evident and unfortunate that their works was not exactly what you call my cup of tea. Much of Brown Councils performing artworks had me question whether or not they should be considered artist. I am not one to say who and cannot be an artist, however, it is difficult to see understand works that evidently question what we can call art.

For instance, ‘Mass Action: 137 Cakes in 90 Hours’ 2012 is based on the idea of testing the limits of each of the four members of Brown Council. Over the course of 90 minutes, Brown Council attempts to bake all the cakes featured in the CWA cookbook Jams Drops and Marble cake as a tribute to CWA’s 90 year anniversary that is dedicated to the empowerment of women.

Now, tell me how exactly this would be considered being called art. I could imagine a river of reasons why this could possibly be called art, but for me personally, this is nothing more than a group of girls baking several cakes and simply labeling it art. Much of Brown Councils work I realised seems to be work that is stuck under university standards. Unfortunately as someone who has never seen or heard of Brown Councils work before, it saddens me to feel as if a lot of their work seems to lack that sense of sincerity or preparation as much of the works felt as if I could have made it within a day. However, that is not say that their other works lack credibility. It is simply the fact that these works do not offer a complexity that enables me to question or challenge my ideologies of the world. Setting up a stand with the sign ‘Photo with the artist $5’ simply just does not cut it. 

Darren Sylvester

Prior to the lecture, Sylvester’s name did not ring a bell, that is until he began to showcase his works which was recognisable as one of his works is displayed within the UTS Design & Architecture Building. Once Sylvester began speaking, it was evident that this man was quite charismatic character as he hinted on little jokes here and there, but most importantly, his accidental rise to fame within the music industry.

Apart from the funny adventures Sylvester had stumbled upon, it was great to see the work processes of creating his artwork. Sylvester brought along the photo documents that showcased how he created his work from when he started to categorise potential future ideas, and eventually the final artwork. The way that Sylvester explained his processes to us, as second year students, in my opinion was such a great asset as it show me personally the real (and I stress the word ‘real’) processes of creating art outside of university. It is easy to sit in class and learn about the theories of art, however, the personal journey in creating a final artwork is equally or possible more important.

Although Sylvester is now a musician, it in some way does take away from how we portray him as an artist as in my eye, he has gone way to commercial. However, who has the right to dictate who is or isn’t an artist. Sylvester in the end does create great work that is somewhat better than many artist featured in this series, and also based on his preparation and thought processes he puts in his work, it is hard to argue this man is any less of an artist.

Max Pam

This week’s lecture = Boobs and Thailand

Unfortunately, Boobs and Thailand seems to be the main points that pop right back into my head when I think about the photographer Max Pam. Not to say that Pam only takes images of these two things as I am unfamiliar with his works, but his latest books seems to do justice in portraying an average anlgo saxon man’s trip to exotic South East Asia.

Sitting here in front of the computer trying to figure out what exactly Pam was trying to convey in his lecture is an interesting task. Based on my previous experiences of writing these weekly blogs, I begin by trying to understand the back story of why exactly the artist/lecturer create such works and what draws on their inspiration. However, it is a change to notice that I cannot decipher Pam’s intentions. My note pad is empty as I found myself extremely engaged in his never ending stories about his multiple trips abroad. However, it is a shame but the question this week would be if I even consider this art or photography.

Based on Pam’s experiences through creating art, it is difficult to critique the credibility of his art as a second year art student. Looking back at the images that Pam showed us during the lecture, it was easy to relate to these as these were images that I have seen before, just not at galleries but instead Instagram. Instagram is a tool features on new smartphones that allow the user to snap images whenever of whatever the feel like, which seems to be exactly what Pam has done so here. Although these images spread across a few decades, it is a shame to know that Pam was created the typical Instagram aesthetic before Instagram. Perhaps Pam had made the mistake of revealing these hidden works too late, there is no longer that wow or shock factor that Pam had described, and we have all seen it before.

Patrick Pound & Lilian O'Neil

Patrick Pound 

One of the main points I learned this week is: Do not, for the life of god, trust CityRail to get you anywhere in life.

Arriving half way through Patrick Pounds lecture (which to this day I still feel my heart aching) it was evident that I have almost missed one of the highlights of this lecture series. Although the man was reading from a pre written script, his sense of humour and wittiness made following exactly what he was saying much easier. Throughout the duration of staying in PSM, Pound’s name was always one that pops up when tutors are showing us an array of artist we should gain some inspiration from, therefore, meeting the man behind the collection of found objects was what some may call a great ‘fan girl’ moment.

Fortunately enough I was able to skip in as Pound started speaking about his Museum of Air exhibition. The Museum of Air exhibition consist of displaying a series of found items that are in some way associated with the idea of air. Prior to this lecture, it was difficult to understand how an artist could possibly collect objects and arrange them together and call it art. However, this exhibition cleared some misunderstandings up.  The exhibition (although I did not attend) seemed to be quite successful in my eyes as Pound did a great job in tying the two concepts of mundane air and found items. It made sense to have the two concepts interlink as it almost encapsulated the idea of both life and death. The way Pound used air as the reason for grouping this collection of found objects seemed as though he was resuscitating these redundant lost items, which proved to be quite successful as it was as if the objects were conversing a story to the audience.

(Brash 2012 - Museum of Air)

Lilian O’Neil

Lilian O’Neil, young, blond, mid 20s? She looks exactly like us! Well not my Asian self, but she did however look as if she was also stuck in the treacherous adventures of university life, which made me like her immediately.

As she moved along and began to speak about her work it almost made me tear up with happiness when it became evident that she was in fact quite nervous. It was great to see that not all well or semi established artist who have successfully held their own solo show still does not feel completely comfortable speaking about their own works.

O’Neil’s collage artworks which captures her interpretation of her love life with her then significant other were in fact very beautiful. She explains how these were like personal maps which is something that I surprisingly understood 100% because words sometimes does not do justice is explaining exactly what you feel or see inside your head, which is where art becomes a great medium for that purpose. As the lecture ended and a Q&A was initiated, a question came up that asked if O’Neil could possible explain every inch of one particular collage. It is great to see that upon looking at her work it is in some ways abstract as not everybody can interpret why she purposely put something here and there, only she the artist can decipher that, which I think is what makes her work quite interesting as we are invited to see what exactly is going on in someone else’s train of thoughts and feelings.

(O'Neil, 2011)

 Reference:

Brash, J. 2012, Displays that risk blowin' in the wind, theage, viewed 10th May 2013, <http://www.theage.com.au/entertainment/art-and-design/displays-that-risk-blowin-in-the-wind-20120904-25cfk.html>

O'Neil, L. 2011, Love Machine, artwhatson, viewed 10 May 2013, <http://www.artwhatson.com.au/mop/gallery-2-love-machine/love-bomb>

Petrina Hicks

Simplicity and careful manipulation of photographic tools are aesthetics and skills that Petrina Hicks successfully employs throughout her works. From the point where I started the PSM course up until today, I have continuously tried to narrow down my aesthetic approach after each assessment, which I have finally concluded towards a simplistic and clean aesthetic (like Hicks). Therefore, in saying so, Hick’s works acts as a great influence in progressing my design and photography endeavours. Through the lecture, Hick’s explains the how she consistently tries to remove as much as she can from her photograph and she had explain her dislike towards noisy art. This resonates greatly with my approach in art as this is one of the main focuses I act upon when creating art. By looking through her collection of works, it is easy to say that I applaud her ability to do such justice in what she explains as a ‘classy’ aesthetic. Through the course of creating multiple assessment, it is safe to say that removing as much detail in ones work to create a clean and simplistic aesthetic is not as easy as it seems. Hick’s also point the difficulty in creating such consistent work as she expresses on the importance of understanding ones photographic tools, which is extremely evident through the skills she employs in creating consistent lighting in her work that allows the audience to recognise it being Hick’s work.

Throughout the lecture, Hick’s explains how her shift from the commercial photographic industry towards creating art instead is due to the lack of complexity commercial photography offers. Rebelling against the commercial goal of selling product to the audience which consist to using photography advertisements to tell the audience what they need, Hick’s again successfully ties the two notion together. Although there is no direct meaning in each photographic series Hick’s create, she has done very well in intertwining the way art allows the audience to make up their own narrative through the ambiguous nature of Hick’s has presented, with the aesthetic that is evidently greatly influenced by commercial photography.

Tony Albert

This weeks lecture is probably going to be the hardest to discuss. Aboriginal art – What exactly can I say without coming across as being rude or potentially racist?

Let’s just say that within my 20 years of life, Aboriginal art has become an art form that I have become very familiar with.  Not to say that all aboriginal art looks the same, but we all recognise the traditional colours and ideas that are portrayed within this style of work. However, what is different within this weeks lecture is the way artist Tony Albert approached this particular category. Work such as Pay Attention Mother Fuckers, is one that speaks out to me most.

As someone who categorises Aboriginal art to portray the traditional style of this category such as the typical yellow, red, black and browns it is enlightening that Albert notes this in his line of work, explaining to the audience to understand Aboriginal artist as individuals instead of just Aboriginal artists.

However, what made this lecture so full of emotions that I did not expect to be expressed that day, was the amount of anger an emotion Albert exerted (to the point where I thought I was going to see my first crying artist). There was so much emotional anger that Albert had against the treatment of Aboriginal teenagers and the population in general, that it is difficult to take note of his actual work, or this lecture for a matter of fact. Although Albert's work is one that is interesting and unique, it was as if I was listening to an essay written by someone who is simply too angry. 

Kate Mitchell

Kate Mitchell

Kate Mitchell’s lecture I must admit was one that has been most interesting thus far. Due to Mitchell’s use of humor that plays on the idea of the childhood imagination, this particular lecture enabled the audience to have a breath of fresh air from the typical contemporary art lectures expected each week.

Another reason for favoring Mitchell’s lecture and works so much is based on the close similarity of how I approach my latest project. Like Mitchell’s idea of the present moment, spontaneity, and cutting to the chase, I am trying to create something different that offers both the audience and myself a breath of fresh air, thus focusing on the idea of the plethora of the cat phenomenon that has grown online. Whilst discussing her works, Mitchell often notes on how the inspiration of her works are often random and spontaneous adventures that she wanted to experience for a period of time that seems to be impossible. For instance, Mitchell’s work ‘This is not a joke’ (2008) plays with the idea of how Looney Tune characters are often seen falling into random holes within cartoon. Mitchell recreates this scene (that would never happened in reality) by using a saw to cut a circle beneath her, which she eventually falls through. This idea of playing with the impossible being impossible is quite interesting and it allows me as the audience to reminisce about the situations that every child wanted to re-enact based on what they saw on cartoons where the impossible was possible through its fictional setting.

However, the only aspect that I would possibly change would be the way Mitchell had set up the lecture. Although it was a great that she did not read off a pre written script, her constant breaking after each sentence was very hard to follow. I would often find myself stopping and collecting what she said as her lecture did not provide a constant well-articulated flow.

Reference:

Kate Mitchell on Artabase. 2013. Kate Mitchell on Artabase. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.artabase.net/artist/1181-kate-mitchell. [Accessed 30 March 2013].