dan rule journalism various text

$AROUND THE GALLERIES Dan RulePublished: The Age, A2, August 7, 2010. WHAT Dadang Christanto: Behind the VeilWHERE Gallerysmith, 170–174 Abbostsford Street, North Melbourne, 9329 1860, gallerysmith.com.au Though intricately beautiful, Indonesian-born artist Dadang Christanto’s new series of acrylic-on-linen works find their grounding in the silence of grief. Part of long term point of enquiry into the effects of organised human violence, Behind the Veil’s striking, large-scale paintings tell the story of the female ethnic Chinese victims of a wave of racially fuelled violence that swept through Jakarta in May 1998, which left over 1000 people dead and witnessed the rape of countless innocent women. For the most part, Christanto’s paintings take the form of straight-on portraits, the beautifully ornate pattern, lightness and colour of the veil forging a stark contrast against the expressionless face and bleak, burnt backdrops. A common motif is that of pixelation. In the face of all the has happened, Christanto’s subjects “self-censor”. Pixels cover their mouths, ears and eyes; their trauma to be kept forever silent, their experience to remain confidential. It’s a poignant, but still incredibly life-affirming collection. Indeed, there is a true, unyielding sense of resistance here. Though victims of unspeakable acts, these women have transcended the experience through sheer resilience alone. Wed to Fri 11am–6pm, Sat 11am–4pm, until August 28. Gallerysmith at Melbourne Art Fair: Stall A61, today 11am-7pm, tomorrow 11am-5pm. WHAT How Nature SpeaksWHERE Arc One Gallery, 45 Finders Lane, city, 9650 6710, arc1gallery.com There’s hardly an unconvincing work amid this striking group show of Arc One represented artists. Featuring Lyndell Brown and Charles Green, Justine Khamara, Murray Fredericks, Janet Laurence Sam Shmith, Imants Tillers and Huang Xu, what makes How Nature Speaks so strong is its artists’ very much singular approaches to the curatorial brief. Murray Fredericks’ vast, immersive landscape photograph Salt 304 captures a tempest of storm clouds unleashing upon a central Australian desert salt plain, the sight so alien as to seem apocalyptic. Sam Shmith’s digitally layered photo work – which renders a darkened, night time landscape from the window of a moving train – seems frame our contemporary knowledge of landscape or nature in terms of a disconnected, cinematic experience. Huang Xu’s highly detailed, isolated studio photographs of plants and refuse and Janet Laurance’s layered glass, ink and photographic works, meanwhile, point to the incursions and connections between humanity and nature. Justine Khamara’s sculptural work proves something of a standout. A glacial mountain rendered with shards of mirrored glass, it is concurrently dangerous and beauteous. But beyond that, its reflective surfaces return our refracted, fractured gaze. It is a vessel for personal, subjective, self-analysis. Tues to Sat 11am–5pm, until August 21. Arc One Gallery at Melbourne Art Fair: Stall F24, today 11am–7pm, tomorrow 11am–5pm. WHAT Julia deVille: Night’s Plutonian ShoreWHERE Sophie Gannon Gallery, 2 Albert Street, Richmond, 9421 0857, sophiegannongallery.com.au While their engagement with Greek and Roman mythology might suggest a certain theatricality, the most affecting of Julia deVille’s taxidermy and jewellery works possess a more elegiac quality. Adorned with diamonds, white gold and other precious metals, her various creatures seem frozen in time. Though death is an obvious precursor to the works, what we’re afforded is a moment of life frozen in time. A stillborn piglet adorned with diamond-dusted snout sits proudly on a plinth; a tiny, stillborn fawn rests gently in what seems like sleep; a golden gosling, replete with diamond and white gold headpiece, surveys the room, head tilted in observation. Though anchored in the Edgar Allan Poe poem The Raven – and its reference to the Greek myth of Hades, the god of the underworld – delving too deeply into deVille’s thematic gestures proves almost a distraction. What really makes her work transcend is its remarkably sensitive treatment of a subject that has passed. Though mournful, these works quietly celebrate a life, or a life that should have been. Tues to Sat 11am–5pm, until August 21. Sophie Gannon Gallery at Melbourne Art Fair: Stall D11, today 11am–7pm, tomorrow 11am–5pm. WHAT The Stony Rises ProjectWHERE RMIT Gallery, 344 Swanston Street, city, 9925 1717, rmit.edu.au/rmitgallery The Stoney Rises Project represents an un-layering of place. Developed by the RMIT Design Resign Research Institute, this vast group show brings together a host of architects, designers and artists in an examination of the histories and potential futures of Victoria’s Western District. It provides several fascinating vantages. There are several highlights, including Carmel Wallace’s photographs and assemblages to Gini Lee’s layer and object strewn mapping works. Mon to Fri 11am–5pm, Sat noon–5pm, until September 11.$

AROUND THE GALLERIES Dan Rule
Published: The Age, A2, August 7, 2010.

WHAT Dadang Christanto: Behind the Veil
WHERE Gallerysmith, 170–174 Abbostsford Street, North Melbourne, 9329 1860, gallerysmith.com.au

Though intricately beautiful, Indonesian-born artist Dadang Christanto’s new series of acrylic-on-linen works find their grounding in the silence of grief. Part of long term point of enquiry into the effects of organised human violence, Behind the Veil’s striking, large-scale paintings tell the story of the female ethnic Chinese victims of a wave of racially fuelled violence that swept through Jakarta in May 1998, which left over 1000 people dead and witnessed the rape of countless innocent women. For the most part, Christanto’s paintings take the form of straight-on portraits, the beautifully ornate pattern, lightness and colour of the veil forging a stark contrast against the expressionless face and bleak, burnt backdrops. A common motif is that of pixelation. In the face of all the has happened, Christanto’s subjects “self-censor”. Pixels cover their mouths, ears and eyes; their trauma to be kept forever silent, their experience to remain confidential. It’s a poignant, but still incredibly life-affirming collection. Indeed, there is a true, unyielding sense of resistance here. Though victims of unspeakable acts, these women have transcended the experience through sheer resilience alone. Wed to Fri 11am–6pm, Sat 11am–4pm, until August 28. Gallerysmith at Melbourne Art Fair: Stall A61, today 11am-7pm, tomorrow 11am-5pm.

WHAT How Nature Speaks
WHERE Arc One Gallery, 45 Finders Lane, city, 9650 6710, arc1gallery.com

There’s hardly an unconvincing work amid this striking group show of Arc One represented artists. Featuring Lyndell Brown and Charles Green, Justine Khamara, Murray Fredericks, Janet Laurence Sam Shmith, Imants Tillers and Huang Xu, what makes How Nature Speaks so strong is its artists’ very much singular approaches to the curatorial brief. Murray Fredericks’ vast, immersive landscape photograph Salt 304 captures a tempest of storm clouds unleashing upon a central Australian desert salt plain, the sight so alien as to seem apocalyptic. Sam Shmith’s digitally layered photo work – which renders a darkened, night time landscape from the window of a moving train – seems frame our contemporary knowledge of landscape or nature in terms of a disconnected, cinematic experience. Huang Xu’s highly detailed, isolated studio photographs of plants and refuse and Janet Laurance’s layered glass, ink and photographic works, meanwhile, point to the incursions and connections between humanity and nature. Justine Khamara’s sculptural work proves something of a standout. A glacial mountain rendered with shards of mirrored glass, it is concurrently dangerous and beauteous. But beyond that, its reflective surfaces return our refracted, fractured gaze. It is a vessel for personal, subjective, self-analysis. Tues to Sat 11am–5pm, until August 21. Arc One Gallery at Melbourne Art Fair: Stall F24, today 11am–7pm, tomorrow 11am–5pm.

WHAT Julia deVille: Night’s Plutonian Shore
WHERE Sophie Gannon Gallery, 2 Albert Street, Richmond, 9421 0857, sophiegannongallery.com.au

While their engagement with Greek and Roman mythology might suggest a certain theatricality, the most affecting of Julia deVille’s taxidermy and jewellery works possess a more elegiac quality. Adorned with diamonds, white gold and other precious metals, her various creatures seem frozen in time. Though death is an obvious precursor to the works, what we’re afforded is a moment of life frozen in time. A stillborn piglet adorned with diamond-dusted snout sits proudly on a plinth; a tiny, stillborn fawn rests gently in what seems like sleep; a golden gosling, replete with diamond and white gold headpiece, surveys the room, head tilted in observation. Though anchored in the Edgar Allan Poe poem The Raven – and its reference to the Greek myth of Hades, the god of the underworld – delving too deeply into deVille’s thematic gestures proves almost a distraction. What really makes her work transcend is its remarkably sensitive treatment of a subject that has passed. Though mournful, these works quietly celebrate a life, or a life that should have been. Tues to Sat 11am–5pm, until August 21. Sophie Gannon Gallery at Melbourne Art Fair: Stall D11, today 11am–7pm, tomorrow 11am–5pm.

WHAT The Stony Rises Project
WHERE RMIT Gallery, 344 Swanston Street, city, 9925 1717, rmit.edu.au/rmitgallery

The Stoney Rises Project represents an un-layering of place. Developed by the RMIT Design Resign Research Institute, this vast group show brings together a host of architects, designers and artists in an examination of the histories and potential futures of Victoria’s Western District. It provides several fascinating vantages. There are several highlights, including Carmel Wallace’s photographs and assemblages to Gini Lee’s layer and object strewn mapping works. Mon to Fri 11am–5pm, Sat noon–5pm, until September 11.

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