Adriana Varejao

It is interesting to look at Lucio Fontana's works from the late 1960s and actually realize how influential they have been on the art world. This piece by Adriana Varejao and also many others of hers question what lies beyond the piece, both physically and psychologically. Countless pieces by Varejao are violently ripped up, revealing the bloody, fleshy and pulsing organs beneath the surface of the work. This illusion, or more correctly Varejao's presentation of art being something that is alive, beating and in a way capable of feeling draws links towards Fontana's philosophies. We see that she is potentially trying to communicate the power of art becoming more than just an image, but being emotive and soulful. This notion being one which I see Fontana not only also addressing, but initiating.

LOVEhelen



Images from:
www.ngv.vic.gov.au
http://lunettesrouges.blog.lemonde.fr/lunettesrouges/2005/05/azulejos_e_saud.html

Spatial Manifestos

Lucio Fontana. What else is there to say.
He is, in my eyes, one of the most progressive, challenging and exciting artists of the 20th Century.
Fontana was born in 1899, Argentina, and died 1968. His initial practice in sculpture, I feel, has given him a unique, more analytical approach towards his paintings. What I have found most interesting about his works, is that Fontana not only questions the power of the image which he makes but take this further, and questions the power of the canvas. Through his slashing of the canvas, he not only violates the very foundation of the artists' image, but actively highlights what lies beyond the canvas. Our minds seem to always extend the image beyond the frame, yet it is Fontana's disruption of the surface which physical opens-up the world of art to a more conceptual view on painting.

There is a lots of informations out there about Lucio Fontana, he collaboration with other artists in writing Artistic Manifestos, such as Manifesto Blanco (1946). And also initiated the artistc movement of Spatialism.

Through out this semester of Uni, I have countlessly found his works a vibrant source of inspiration, both technically and conceptually. I find Fontana's work challenging and I really love them more each time I review them.

If you are interested in Lucio Fontana's work, you don't have to go far to see an original!!!! The NGV International Gallery on St Kilda Road, Melbourne has one of his pieces in their permanent collection. .........it's gold!

LOVEhelen

Ricky Swallow

I’ve been wanting to go see Ricky Swallow: The Bricoleur exhibition at the NGV Ian Potter Centre since I heard that it opened in mid October last year. So I guess it was better late than never, as I finally went and saw it, on it’s last exhibiting day (today!).

I realised walking though his works, that I was a complete fool to leave this exhibition till the last day. I found this amazing sense of affection towards his pieces. They seemed to tap into and touch the need to cherish and care for them, and ultimately care for the things that we care about. Swallow seemed to be highly concerned with the concept of death, but more so in the tribute of it, and the element of time mixed with emotion that is imbedded in life. His works are immaculately and sensitively carved from wood or cast bronze, and with beautiful attention to detail. The use of a technique that you feel has experienced time through its construction, also a complement to his concepts. What I really enjoyed about this exhibition is that Swallow seems to pay homage to the luscious and tender Still Lives of the Dutch Masters through clever symbology, while still harbouring strong sentimental values of his own, and current society. While never being overly confronting, Swallow’s works seemed to invite the viewer into the work. Letting the subtlety of its meaning reveal itself in our (the viewers) own time.

It is difficult to articulate the sense of compassion and appreciation of his works after this exhibition. So here are some of my favourite pieces from the exhibition:

LOVEhelen







p.s. Don’t worry if you missed-out on the exhibition at the NGV, Ricky Swallow’s website is wonderfully extensive; with photographic documentation of all his works. And while it is not the same as seeing them in person, you can still enjoy his techinique.

Images sourced from:
http://www.rickyswallow.com/work/