Archive for the 'Art' Category

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Patricia Piccinini: Unforced Intimacies

Patricia Piccinini: Unforced Intimacies

Very rarely do I ever go to an art exhibit and am left positively speechless.

I felt a sense of uncomfortable disbelief at the sheer realism on offer.

Seeing a (sculpture) of a little girl with a kangaroo on her back was slightly disturbing.

Disturbing because in her lifeless sculpted form, she looked so very much alive.

I concentrated hard to see if she was actually – breathing.

Astounding. Confronting. Magical.

104 Exhibition Street. Level 4.

It is a free exhibit and you have until next week (Nov 21) to witness it for yourself.

There are no excuses.

Make time.

Go!

Continue reading ‘Patricia Piccinini: Unforced Intimacies’

Gorilla Crucifixion ‘not meant to offend’

Gorilla Crucifixion ‘not meant to offend’.
An artist has defended his installation of a lifesize gorilla on a crucifix in a former London church, saying it is designed to highlight a threatened African species.

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If Architects Had to Work Like Web Designers

If Architects Had to Work Like Web Designers.
So true, it makes me feel like shedding a tear!

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Worn Wild: The Alternative Designers Market

Worn Wild: The Alternative Designers Market

I attended the ‘Worn Wild: Alternative Designers Market’ this weekend as I wanted to shoot the catwalk for said event.

I had organized a photo-pass with the promoter months in advance and confirmed that pass once again this week. It always pays to make sure that all passes are in order to avoid any embarrassment at the door. Everything was in order with the doorman and the promoter but still, that didn’t stop one photographer in attendance practically hunt me down and give me the third degree asking for my credentials and all that goes with that. I found the whole situation incredibly embarrassing and caused unnecessary stress.

I was so angry that I was going to leave but thankfully, my girlfriend convinced me otherwise. Said photographer apologised to me later when he obviously found out I had every right to be there.

This was the only blemish of a really fun and enjoyable afternoon. Worn Wild is a fantastic event for all the designers, stall-holders and models in attendance who get to show their wares and amazingly gorgeous designs.

Like the Circa Nocturna event that was held several months ago, these gatherings always fun and colourful days and if anything attracts Melbourne’s creeps, ghouls and all-round evil things, I am so there!

Worn Wild was held at the Colonial Hotel – and designers and stall owners were spread out over three floors. Indeed, there was a diverse motley crew of folk – and just like the flyer read – Rockers, Queers, Ravers, Goths, Cyberpunks, Metalheads et al – were all in attendance. (And geez, there was one dude there who looked like the exact twin of Gorgoroth’s Gaahl! Exact!)

After the make-shift catwalk was set-up it was on with the show.

Photographically, the event was poorly lit – if lit at all, but that just made it all the more challenging to shoot. I think it is time to invest in a flash-gun for yours truly as I was shooting with natural light and getting all sorts of weird shadows on the model’s faces.

The event was hugely successful and well attended and a fab way to spend one’s Saturday afternoon. Big thanks to Melissa Clare for the photo-pass and for organizing such a great show.

Continue reading ‘Worn Wild: The Alternative Designers Market’

Dark Alleyways: Places, Spaces & Art From A Sinister Perspective: DALI: Liquid Desire

DALI: Liquid Desire

I have to be honest with you upfront. I do not like Salvador Dali. I absolutely adore the surrealist movement generally and believe there are still talented surrealist artists and filmmakers making great work even today. But Dali? Arguably the most famous of the surrealists, leaves me cold.

Freezing.
 
Nevertheless, I went to the NGV retrospective determined to see it with an open mind. And I was happy to see that one of the first things I came across was Un Chien Andalou, the film Dali made with the god of surrealism, Bunuel. It is still a masterpiece of surreal filmmaking. It is surely one of the few truly successful attempts at using free association in film.
 
I was starting to warm up…
 
But the chill quickly descended again as room after room of self-flagellation ensued. Self-promotion and shock-tactics aside, his art is average at best. But to be fair (as I’m trying very hard to be) he built up the mystic and the character of himself, the man, Dali, really better than any artist has before or since. His success and immense talent lie in just that – developing an amazing cult of himself. But as far as art? His re-imaginings of the works of truly great artists such as Velasquez, Michelangelo and Durer just serve to underline the deficiencies of his own artistic ability.
 
Phew, I’m getting worked up. Let me find some positives.
 
The NGV has ’staged’ the exhibition beautifully. It is a sumptuous, clever ’set’ for his work. And I use the words ’staged’ and ’set’ deliberately, as that is what this is, it is theatre, spectacle, not art. So pretty much exactly what I feel about Dali: a great spectacle but light on artistic integrity.
 
Blockbuster art shows are what they are: crowded and over the top. But when you could have seen the excellent John Brack exhibition down the road, why bother spending an uncomfortable few hours at the shrine of conceit and pretension that is Dali?
 
Just sayin’…

Is it cold in here?

Creepy: So Many Broken Umbrellas

Creepy: So Many Broken Umbrellas

Gorker gallery is proud to present the first Melbourne show from Western Australian artist Creepy. ‘So Many Broken Umbrellas’ is a collection of works exploring a range of aspects in the life of the artist, delving into the core ideas behind the culture of living in a city, survival and our journey toward the inevitability of death. These ideas take form through wall installations, canvas’s, wooden box’s, laser cut etchings and paper illustrations to create an environment for a wonderful exploration into the mind of this extremely talented visual artist. Creepy’s street art is very unique and striking and he has translated this style to the Gallery setting seemlessly.

Visit Creepy’s website: www.creepy.headtank.com

Launch Night: Thursday August 27 – 6.30pm – 8.30pm
Exhibition runs until Sunday September 13.

www.gorkergallery.com

Continue reading ‘Creepy: So Many Broken Umbrellas’

Creepy: So Many Broken Umbrellas

Creepy: So Many Broken Umbrellas

Gorker gallery is proud to present the first Melbourne show from Western Australian artist Creepy. ‘So Many Broken Umbrellas’ is a collection of works exploring a range of aspects in the life of the artist, delving into the core ideas behind the culture of living in a city, survival and our journey toward the inevitability of death. These ideas take form through wall installations, canvas’s, wooden box’s, laser cut etchings and paper illustrations to create an environment for a wonderful exploration into the mind of this extremely talented visual artist. Creepy’s street art is very unique and striking and he has translated this style to the Gallery setting seemlessly.

Visit Creepy’s website: www.creepy.headtank.com

Launch Night: Thursday August 27 – 6.30pm – 8.30pm
Exhibition runs until Sunday September 13.

www.gorkergallery.com

Continue reading ‘Creepy: So Many Broken Umbrellas’

Joel-Peter Witkin

Joel-Peter Witkin

Joel-Peter Witkin is a photographer whose images of the human condition are undeniably powerful. For more than twenty years he has pursued his interest in spirituality and how it impacts the physical world in which we exist. Finding beauty within the grotesque, Witkin pursues this complex issue through people most often cast aside by society — human spectacles including hermaphrodites, dwarfs, amputees, androgynes, carcases, people with odd physical capabilities, fetishists and “any living myth . . . anyone bearing the wounds of Christ.” His fascination with other people’s physicality has inspired works that confront our sense of normalcy and decency, while constantly examining the teachings handed down through Christianity. His constant reference to paintings from art history, including the works of Bosch, Goya, Velasquez, Miro, Botticelli and Picasso are testaments to his need to create a new history for himself. By using imagery and symbols from the past, Witkin celebrates our history while constantly redefining its present day context.

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Worn Wild – The Alternative Designers Market

Worn Wild – The Alternative Designers Market

You could be forgiven for thinking that Harajuku had found its way to Melbourne, when on Saturday the 5th of September Worn Wild, the Alternative Designers Market goes into its second year as part of the official Melbourne Spring Fashion Week program.

This time The Colonial Hotel on the corner of King and Lonsdale streets Melbourne will be the new home for all things worn wild by rockers, ravers, queers, hippies, goths, metalheads, emos, Lolitas and clubbers. For that gorgeous corset, showpiece accessory or the most original street styles, Worn Wild packs it all into a bustling market atmosphere, where the crowd are as interesting as the designs on display.

As an exciting addition, this years program will see independent Australian and international alternative designers strut their stuff on the catwalk in Worn Wild’s first ever fashion parade. Within minutes you could be walking down the street in one of the unique creations just seen on stage.

This is an all-ages event with something for everyone – men, women, teens and kids. From clothing to accessories, jewellery to hair artistry, gifts to homewares at discounted prices direct from the creator that you won’t see anywhere else Worn Wild has it all.

Fast developing a reputation as Australia’s number one subcultural and alternative melting pot this is one event you can’t afford to miss. For all the latest goss and to stay up-to-date with who and what’s going to be there or just to find out more about this years ‘Best Dressed’ after party go to www.wornwild.com

Obey Plagiarist Shepard Fairey

Obey Plagiarist Shepard Fairey.
Most well known for his “Obey Giant” street posters, Shepard Fairey has carefully nurtured a reputation as a heroic guerilla street artist waging a one man campaign against the corporate powers-that-be. Infantile posturing aside, Fairey’s art is problematic for another, more troubling reason – that of plagiarism.

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Obey Plagiarist Shepard Fairey

Obey Plagiarist Shepard Fairey.
Most well known for his “Obey Giant” street posters, Shepard Fairey has carefully nurtured a reputation as a heroic guerilla street artist waging a one man campaign against the corporate powers-that-be. Infantile posturing aside, Fairey’s art is problematic for another, more troubling reason – that of plagiarism.

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Sam Jinks

Sam Jinks

At a first glance, Sam Jinks’ amazing sculptural pieces could easily be confused both in subject and realism with now British based Australian artist Ron Mueck. While there’s similarity in the level of detail, Sam’s work introduces creative and often dark subtle tweaks to reality. Pieced together using silicon paint and human hair, Sam has captured gestures and expressions that leave your mind racing with questions. It’s almost as if there was once an entire life behind these frozen forms. Technically brilliant. Amazing. (via)

A naked man is hung up by the armpits at the far end of a room. He makes a sad impression, not just because of his dangling indisposition, but because of his diminutive proportions. Every visible detail of the skinny body is presented, but child-size.

Some samples after the jump and as always, more amazing stuff at Sam’s website.

Continue reading ‘Sam Jinks’

The Design Process

Peter Belangor of Macworld Magazine has managed to capture everything I love with one small video… design, photography, Photoshop, Mac, Canon 5dmkII. These are tools I use on a daily basis, but to see them so beautifully in sync like this… well it brings a tear to the eye!

Cover creation from Peter Belanger on Vimeo.

Peter Belangor: “After working on the latest cover for Macworld Magazine I wanted to show what is involved in making a cover. I focused on the three main areas: the photography, Photoshop and design. I chose a time lapse format to convey lots of information in a small amount of time. The only drawback of time lapse is that since half a day goes by in 30 seconds, the whole process seam so easy! Lots of details were left out of the design process (like the cover meetings and rounds of layout options). I began to photograph the design process after the layouts had already been narrowed down to just three cover designs.”

“On the technical side, for the time lapse video, I used the Canon 5D Mark II with a 24mm-70mm zoom. I chose the 5D because of its great image quality with high ISO’s. Canon’s sRAW1 gave me the flexibility of a RAW file with the file size of a jpeg. The actual Macworld cover was taken with a Phase One P65+ digital back attached to a 4×5 Sinar X camera with a 65mm lens.”

“Many thanks to Rob Schultz for allowing me to invade his office and literally shoot over his shoulder.”

X-Ray Love

X-Ray Love

The following images are of a erotic nature – so if you are easily offended (well, you shouldn’t be reading Dogmatic) DO NOT proceed past this point. For the rest of you, please don your X-Ray specs now.

Continue reading ‘X-Ray Love’

Joel-Peter Witkin

Joel-Peter Witkin

I have a magnificent book in my collection based on the works of Joel-Peter Witkin. You’d be hard pressed to find a more macarbre and sinister collection of photography anywhere. His work is disturbing, sometime sickening, always… always twisted.

As a child, Witkin witnessed a horrific car accident that would influence his work later on in life.

It happened on a Sunday when my mother was escorting my twin brother and me down the steps of the tenement where we lived. We were going to church. While walking down the hallway to the entrance of the building, we heard an incredible crash mixed with screaming and cries for help. The accident involved three cars, all with families in them. Somehow, in the confusion, I was no longer holding my mother’s hand. At the place where I stood at the curb, I could see something rolling from one of the overturned cars. It stopped at the curb where I stood. It was the head of a little girl. I bent down to touch the face, to speak to it – but before I could touch it someone carried me away.

His work often deals with such themes as death, corpses (or pieces of them), and various outsiders such as dwarfs, transsexuals, hermaphrodites, and physically deformed people. His complex tableaux often recall religious episodes or famous classical paintings. Because of the transgressive nature of the contents of his pictures, his works have been labeled exploitative and have sometimes shocked public opinion. His art was often marginalized because of this challenging aspect.

Check out more of his work here.

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