MoMA/AGWA Series concludes... early.

So in a move that shatters that small amount of wow factor that the Art Gallery of WA had managed to build up since the ensconcing of gifted head curator, Stefano Carboni, AGWA has released a statement, seen here, that the monstrously successful MoMA lent series of exhibitions will be stopping with the current exhibition rather than completing its intended number of exhibtions. To put it into perspective; Dr Carboni is the former head curator of the Museum of Modern Art in NYC and emigrated to Dullsville in order to take up a real challenge - he took over as head of the Art Gallery of WA in Perth. It would be kind of like P!nk deciding that she is tired of the glam and decides to focus on karaoke venues in Northbridge.
The culprit? Well that would depend on who you asked. The state government may be digging an $800 million hole in the river foreshore, but dear reader, it was unassailably YOUR fault, because you didn't go and see the exhibition enough times. Actually that is crap, because a bucket of people DID go and see it and apparently loved it and went and saw it a bucket more times. What has relegated AGWA back to the 'one good painting on show at a time' situation of pre-Carboni is that the state government has still got to pay for the aforementioned hole in the river bank and can't rely on the federal government to make up the shortfall and discontinuing all contracted workers in the state government wasn't enough, so they cut the budget of AGWA too. Think on that for a mo; AGWA is now so cash strapped tha they can no longer afford a SUCCESSFUL international show. I pity us all the next few years of this shit.

Robyn Hosking ceramic artist

Robyn Hosking is an Australian based artist whose work in ceramics is a bit whimsical and a bit joyous without falling into the trap of being a bit crap and kitsch. Kitsch of course is a term that gets overused and misunderstood; it is a term that describes cultural parapheanlia, rather than something that is cheap and nasty. Today's kitsch will eventually be in museums. However, Hoskings stuff will be in museums because it it is very good and not because it is kitsch.

The above sculpture is clearly an aeroplane and uses the former Australian Prime Minister, Julia Gillard's face equipped with goggles. A two time former Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, Hangs from the bottom, obviously refusing to let go. With the other aeroplanes buzzing around, it doesn't look as much like a dogfight as much as it looks like a flying circus, which is basically what became of the Australian Labor Party in recent years. In fact one of the only problems with Hosking's work is hidden right there; it is very current. There is a different Prime Minister now and the relevancy of Hosking's work is already somewhat faded. Despite being such a beautiful work, Australians have very short memories when it comes to politics. Perhaps I was worng in my previous assertation that this was not kitsch. Perhaps it is kitsch because it is paraphenalia of the political-cultural institution. You can view Hosking's own blog here, which I hope you will do.

Art Marketing Blog: Fair? Jealousy? Typical

Art Marketing Blog: Fair? Jealousy? Typical: One of the more irritating aspects of working in the visual arts in one particular divide I straddle.  My host institution (a fine art u...

It does annoy me when successful artists are criticised for either appropriation or for the act of being successful. In this article Banksy cred is called into question because of the above and because he has been absorbed by the mainstream art world. Is it jealousy that calls out against him? Banksy started as a street artist who innovated (some would say appropriated) the use of stencils in graffiti in his native Bristol. Nowadays he is a megastar of the art world and has works shown in galleries (gasp, shock, the horror!) as well on the streets. Banksy is criticised in the article for being able to fly around the world plying his grossly successful brand of graffiti and there are Banksy works 10 minutes walk from where I am right now. I'm not sure that Banksy is quite as alone in that as the "true" NY graffiti artists would have you believe. In and around Perth and its environs, we have at least 3 street pieces by French artist SPACE INVADER and I saw another in Melbourne a few years ago. Personally I have made or exhibited art in Oporto, London, Nottingham, Perth, Melbourne, New York, Trenton amongst other places, and I am definately not grossly successful. In reality, appropriation and its tangled skein of ethnic, gender and theological considerations and engendered politics is an unavoidable comfit that all artists must deal with at some point. I would ask that the NY based graffiti artists to grow up and start thinking outside of a "you have, me want" kind of attitude. You want to outdo Banksy? Don't bomb his pieces; go to Bristol and do a piece so outstanding and innovative that it melts Bristolian heads and makes them forget their errant son. Don't be a hater, be an innovator.

Preparing of Balga Resin for use in paintings

On the weekend I was painting a canvas, as I often do. Even after 14 years as a professional artist I am still experimenting and trying to build a better mousetrap; I imagine I'll still be doing that when I'm 90+!

One of the materials that I specialise in and am constantly exploring is balga resin, which is hardened sap from a grass tree (Xanthorrhoea preissii, aka X. pecoris or X.reflexa) indigenous to the south-west of Western Australia. Now if anyboday wants some to conduct their own research/experimentation/painting with this then I am happy to send you some if you cover postage (please check first with your government website to make sure this isn't a banned substance in your country).

I have been trying for years to find an appropriate way to break down the resin for use as a paint without wastage or too much loss of its natural consistancy and on the weekend I think had a eureka! moment after I sprayed workable fixative over the top of some powdered balga resin already adhered to my painting. I'm not sure if it is the alcohol that is acting as a solvent or some other ingredient, but I have now experimented with a variety of amounts and achieved quite a good control of consistancy and drying time (the alcohol evaporates leaving the resin to reharden to it's natural state).

The resin in it's natural state looks like fire blackened brown pebbles. These can be gently washed in plain water to remove surface sand and char before being left to dry. When dry, use a mortar and pestle to grind the resin into a powder that can be as coarse or fine as you like. Use a mask because the resin is somewhat carcinogenic.

Using workable fixative in a glass jar, you can add the powdered resin to the fixative until you get the consistency and colour that you require. The excess powder will gather at the bottom but if left overnight in a sealed jar this will mostly be dissolved.

I also found that the solution can be mixed with molotow buff proof ink although I suggest being sparing as the ink is powerful and goes a long way. The balga resin itself is a blend of browns, yellows and reds and looks approximately like wood stain but without streaks. You will be left with a shellac like liquid that can be painted directly onto your surface. Allow to be completely dry before adding more layers.

I will add more pictures as my experimentation develops and hopefully be of help to you all!

update 23rd Oct 2013:
I really stress the importance of getting the resin as clean as possible before you start. I found that a lot of sand had been lurking in my block of resin! Also when it comes to brush cleaning, the resin can be cleaned off using more fixative, or you can do what I did and leave the brush to dry after wiping off excess; the resin will not clog the brush and will slough off when you flex the bristles.