Photomontage of Dada Poem

Artists Statement:

Get it?
Nope, Me neither.

Dada Poem

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Bauhaus

These are some lights i have in my house. I'm pretty sure they come from a lighting shop :) Its about 50cm long and its made mostly out of metal. I chose these lights as my Bauhaus-inspired object because of their simplified design. It has only the essentials without any extra flourishes etc.

National Photographic Portrait Prize @ NPG

Stuart
by David Finnegan 2008
I captured the moment when Stuart was waiting to go on stage to perform in his final bodybuilding competition. The area behind the stage is packed and there is no room to move. He found a spot to be on his own to focus and prepare minutes before heading on to the stage

This was the photograph i would have picked as the winner. One of the main reasons i liked it was because it goes against alot of 'rules' of photography and specifically portraiture; The subject is looking out of the frame, there is no detail in the backgroundl, no detail in the shadows etc etc etc. I also found it striking because you can't see the background, there's nothing around him to tell you anything about his charcter or where he is or what he's doing. He's also wearing a look of intense focus, but again we have no idea why or what has caused it. It's not until you read the explanation attatched that you get any information about the subject at all.


The Perch Creek Family Jugband
by John Van-Den-Broeke 2008
This great family band was playing at the Bangalow Sunday Markets. It was only at home, when looking at the photo on the computer, that I realised the young fellow, Chrisi, had an artificial leg and that there were many other things I had missed in this photo. This makes me wonder just how observant, as a photographer, I am.
This was the photo i chose that i thought shouldn't have been chosen as a finalist. In my opinion it's too cluttered to make good viewing. It also looks off somehow, as if the people in the foreground have been photoshopped in, just because of how the light falls differently on each of them.
(i wasn't really impressed with the one they picked as the winner either!)

Primitivism

1. What are some of the formal characteristics of Primitivist art?
- Deliberately simple or "childlike"
- abstraction of figures/distortion of bodies
- often rough application of medium (paint)
- often sexual, due to accessibility
- flattening of backgrounds/physical planes

2. What is the difference between "primitive" and "primitivism"?
The term "primitive" is used to describe something "basic, crude" (Collins English Dictionary, 1999. In art terms this was applied to art groups which were focused on non-western cultures, regardless of how sophisticated the artists or subject where themselves. The term "primitive" also used to be used quite derogatorily. This has more recently changed into a more acceptable term and meaning.
"Primitivism" is more of a view taken by artists who were fed up with modern popular culture, and viewed other 'exotic' cultures as much more interesting, and closer to the spirit. the idea behind it was to go back to a childlike state of viewing the world, getting in closer contact with our subconscience and leave behind the complicated technologies of their current lives.

3. Discuss how contemporary "primitivism" might manifest itself.
hmm, tough one. ok here's one: nudists! talk about going back to basics, they're giving up so much technology they're not even wearing clothes! thats gotta be considered a modern form of primitivism. Also like Silvia was saying, Primitivist were sort of like hippies, so i guess that means modern day primitivists are just called hippies by us now!

4. Find an example of a work at the NGA that you think might be primitivist and discuss what might make it so.


Paul CÉZANNE L'Après-midi à Naples [Afternoon in Naples]
[Afternoon in Naples (L'Apres-midi a Naples)]
(http://nga.gov.au/International/Catalogue/Detail.cfm?IRN=98698&ViewID=2&GalID=ALL)

This painting displays many of the characteristics of primitivism; flattening of the physical plane, distortion or abstraction of the bodies, quite sexual (nudity) etc.

National Archives of Australia

Corner of London circuit and Northbourne Ave, Canberra 1946
Max Dupain
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I like this photo HEAPS and i think that for us looking at it, it represents something special about Australia, that we are very much a growing nation. It's especially relevant for us here in Canberra, as most of us drive past this spot quite often. Looking at this photo it shows us just how much our own city has grown, and continues to grow. It's amazing how big the changes are, and even more amazing how much has stayed the same :)

Money Box of Cardboard
(NAA: 1337, 5487)

I couldn't find a picture or much information on this but it really stood out to me. The display was of a little tin money box, white with a picture of a building on it. I'm pretty sure they were made to commemorate the royal family's visit to Australia. None of this i really paid much attention to, the money box just struck me because i remember every primary school kid got given a template made out of cardboard, and when you put it together, they looked just like these money boxes! as a little kid i paid no attention to what i had to make this cool money box for, but now i know ha ha!

National Portrait Gallery

Portrait One:
Deborah Mailman 1999
by Evert Ploeg (born 1963)
oil on jute
(see NPG website: http://www.portrait.gov.au/site/collection_info.php?searchtype=basic&searchstring=mailman&irn=123)

This portrait really stood out to me at the gallery because of it's simplicity. Most portraits are designed to be pleasing to both the viewer and especially the subject, they want to be flattered. However this picture shows the subject in the most basic way, in a plain white dress that looks simply made, barefoot, looking relaxed and comfortable while looking at the viewer, and against a simple background constructed of hessian sacks. I think this was done purposely to reflect aspects of the subjects character. Deborah Mailman came from humble origins but has made a name for herself as an award winning actress, starring in productions from Play School to Rabbit Proof Fence. Her simple surroundings in the image and her laid back, relaxed posture show she's comfortable with herself, and she's made no effort at posing or dressing up to look her best. The portrait carries a real feeling of honesty and a sense that what is portrayed is absolutely realistic.

Portrait Two:
Michael Klim 1999
by Jonathan Anderson & Edwin Low
(Born 1961 & 1957 respectively)
gelatin silver photograph

(see NPG website: http://www.portrait.gov.au/site/collection_info.php?searchtype=basic&searchstring=Michael%20Klim&irn=128)

This is one of my favourite portraits from the gallery, because it is so surreal. I had to look twice to see that, yes, he really is underwater. It also goes against a few of the "rules" of portraiture, such as the lane divider disappearing into his head. however, this picture is a great representation of the subject. Even though he is underwater, he looks perfectly comfortable and not like he's having trouble breathing etc. This shows a little about him, being a world famous swimmer, he is more than likely more comfortable in a pool than out. He also has a very strong and domineering posture, a stance that is the very image of the medal-winning athlete who has represented their country. The whole portrait conveys a strong sense of who he is, and it's a very appealing image.