Examines the career of Marie Sierra from her arrival in Australia in 1984, her coming to Melbourne in 1986 and her Barcelona studio residency in the mid 1990s. Explores how the roles of academic and artist sustain and inform each other. Deals specifically with works 'Justice' 1992 , 'Do that Job' 1993, 'Knowledge is Power' 1994, 'Planning' 1995, 'Public Address' 1995, 'Separation and Growth' 1996.
Fortunately not all critics are so urgently in need of friends that they write hymns of praise after every long lunch. Some even relish being labelled 'ungrateful'. I would argue that the only critic worth reading is an ungrateful critic. Looks at the role of visual art criticism in the newspaper columns of the daily press.
New media art has developed a close if troubled relationship with the figure of the future. Discusses Troy Innocent's ICONICA, Mousetrap by Ian Haig, RAPT by Justine Cooper, OSMOSE and EPHEMERE by Char Davies and Immersive Conditions a forum held at the Powerhouse Museum Sydney. Examines concepts of virtual reality and apparent reality.
The role of the arts within the Federal Coalition portfolio. Proposed new tax arrangements suggest a contraction in support for new innovative work in favour of much more conservative, market driven high end focussed practice, and a drop overall in arts activity.
The measure of an artist's public success is the extent to which his or her art matters to a particular community. David Keeling aims to present a critical discourse that participates in existing social and political debates. His turning point was not completing his post-graduate degree, not moving to the big smoke or winning a grant or prize, or having a sell-out exhibition but a revelation.
As it rushes headlong towards the stock exchange, lining its tattered pockets by devilishly offering students the educational stock of the deepest desire, university art schools shed its role under modernity of defining and transmitting cultural value. Mammon replaces machismo in the squeezing of art. And yet....?
Exhibition reviews Blak Beauty February 6- May 2 1999
Curated by Brook Andrew
Images from the Sea December 5 1998- June 27 1999
Djamu Gallery:
Australian Museum at Customs House,
Sydney NSW
The Northern Rivers Region of NSW has more practising artists per head of population than any other region of Australia. Issues such as surviving as a country artist, traditional art practice, commercial considerations, prescribed political and gender issues are raised. Critiques the project 'Beyond the Basin' funded by the NSW Ministry for the Arts and its resultant exhibition 'A Country Practice'.
Critics rarely talk about money and art. How to price a work of art and how to make a living of about $35,000 per annum are discussed. Artist need to work out how to make a name for themselves to increase the base price of their artworks. And anyway if you have to think about the price, chances are you can't afford it.
ANAT Australian Network for Art and Technology devised its 1999 National School, me.d.ia.te, to assist curators and arts workers in gaining a technical and theoretical understanding of new media art exhibition practice. It aimed to provide a 'world's best practice' model.