Sunday, May 5, 2013

ARTIST'S CHOICE

DAWSON, Janet.  Coffee table 1964.  Laminex plastic sheet on composition board with metal legs.

Have you ever wondered how it would feel to select whatever you like from a major art museum, to curate your own exhibition in whichever way you wish?

Brisbane artist Michael Zavros is the latest in the Artist's Choice series of Exhibitions at the Qld Art Gallery to be given this opportunity, and what fun he has had!



Zavros says he has mimicked an interior-decorating aesthetic, where the space created becomes a composition, and the art becomes a decorative device.


De KOONING, Willem, Two trees on Mary Street ... Amen! 1975.


Here, a de Kooning painting, and an ancient Chinese horse by an unknown artist of the Tang dynasty.  





A special treat for Zavros, he was permitted to also choose items from the Qld Museum adjoining the gallery.
Note the historic collections of butterflies, and old-fashioned taxidermy: birds under glass..


Thanakupi, Moocheth, Arone and Golpondon story 1986.
A diverse collection of pots:
The round pot, Left, is by an indigenous female potter from northern Queensland, Thanakupi (1937-2011) of the Thaynakwith people.
This is stoneware, hand-built with slip and oxide decoration on an incised design...

Juxtapositioned with:


SHERMAN, Cindy.  Ancienne Manufacture Royale (Limoges), Manufacturer.  Madame de Pompadour nee Poisson (1721-1764) 1989.
Cindy Sherman, US artist generally known for her extraordinary photography, often portraying herself in various scenarios, commissioned this porcelain series in various colours.  Modelled after a Sevres original, this one in rose colour, silver details, and a transferred photograph of Sherman herself as Madame de Pompadour.

PICCININI, Patricia. Heaven bound, 2002.

I am very fond of the work of Australian artist/sculptor Patricia Piccinini.
She uses white automotive paint on fibreglass for this gleaming sculpture.





Zavros has built up a white themed display, including an old polar bear from the Museum - the days of that type of collecting are long gone...



AI Weiwei, Painted vases 2006.

Chinese artist Ah Weiwei gives new life to ancient pottery with bright acrylics.
As some of these pots are from the Neolithic period, this concept divides the masses.  At first I tended to find the idea objectionable, but I have come to like them, and see them as having found new life in their new form, whereas they would probably otherwise have ended up buried and forgotten.


Emin, Tracey, Always wanting you, 2007.

A final word from that quirky English girl, Tracey Emin -
we can make of that what we will..

Don't miss this Exhibition, it really is quite extraordinary!

Have a good week.

XXXX

20 comments:

  1. Since I will probably never get the chance to see this in person, I must thank you for all the photos and commentary. I almost felt like I was there. Pretty wonderful!

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    1. Tried to make it look good, which it is, and not show too much! There is lots more there for visitors to see. I loved it.

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  2. This looks very interesting, and i do like the idea of being able to make your own art gallery. how i would love that.
    some nice things you have shown us Patricia.
    sorry i am not there.!!
    happy Sunday
    val x

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    1. Wouldn't it be fun, Val? I would enjoy it very much too. Happy Sunday/Monday to you. P.x

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  3. Isn't it great? and Qld thought of it first, I think..

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  4. What a cool idea, loving butterflies and taxidermy all the way !!!!!

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    1. Love those birds under glass - wish I could have them for myself!!

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  5. What an eclectic selection of things - one thing that wouldn't be on my list would be Tracy Ermin's hat, but I am very attracted to the round pot made by the indigenous potter. I have been questioning in my mind Ah Weiwei's brightly coloured pots, but your comment has helped win me round because I do actual like them very much, especially against that dark burgundy coloured wall.

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    2. Ah Weiwei's pots have been in the collection for several years, and I must admit it took me months to come around. Glad you like them too! I think Thanakupi's pot is brilliant, and am always pleased when they have it out on display. I would love to have one of my own...

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  6. Patricia, I didn't know about the exhibition so thanks for the info. Love all of the images you have selected for this post especially the de Kooning painting and AI Weiwei's painted vases xxx

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  7. Hope you have time to pop in and see it Fifi. The de Kooning is great, isn't it? Glad you like the painted vases, too. xxx

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  8. Such an interesting collection of art pieces. You are indeed fortunate to have viewed it. You are quite knowledgeable in this area Patricia and I find your posts about the art world so enlightening! Happy Monday.

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    1. It really is a fun exhibition, the Artist's Choice. My university major was in Art History, so of course I bang on about it quite a lot!! Happy Monday to you too, and enjoy that lovely garden you have.

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  9. What an interesting exhibition. The first thing I recognized, was the Alvar Aalto chair.
    Too bad that we " up here " won´t be able to see all the art pieces.
    Thank you thus for posting these pictures !

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    1. Well spotted, Mette. It was difficult to choose which pieces to show or discuss, so of course not all of them made the commentary! You have much wonderful art in Helsinki; I hope I can visit there one day.

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  10. How interesting. I think my favorite photo is the one with the colorful Chinese pots and the acrylics.

    Darla

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    1. Lots of vote for Ai Weiwei's pots. They make me want to try it on some old pots and make my own line up.

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  11. I'll come clean and admit that I'm not a lover of most contemporary art, and especially not of installation art, but this exhibition is definitely an exception, Patricia. I too find the idea of painting Neolithic post almost sacrilegious, but have to say that they really work in that context. Gosh, I do sound like an old stick-in-the-mud. :-)

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  12. No, not a stick in mud at all Perpetua! In fact many people don't like contemporary art. It was ever thus. I always try to find pieces that I think are interesting or have something to say to write or talk to people about. Re the pots, we are told there are enormous numbers of them buried in China, thus making it less concerning to do this.

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