@nikuzo87
This will be my first solo show in several years and my first show in Melbourne. It is a collection of new and recent paintings stemming from a larger body of work that delves into the often fragmented and abstract emotional responses to memories of people and places.
All are welcome to the opening Saturday May 6th 2-4pm. The show will remain open until the 27th May.
Currently Exhibiting with Piermarq in “Scalene”, alongside Max Daniels and Caleb Reid.
The show continues until March 24th 2016.
http://www.piermarq.com.au/scalene-group-exhibition/
New show at Project Contemporary Artspace, Keira Street, Wollongong, NSW, Australia.
The show features quirky, rare, fun and interesting collectables and odd bits and pieces. Here are a few shots from the install.
I will make the text brief, as I did not approach the work critically. I was just a passive, but engaged, viewer. I tried to just enjoy the art for what it was. Enjoy the images and I encourage you all to visit all of the local galleries in Wollongong, as well as the city gallery.
This is my third group show in almost as many months. After I had finished University last year and graduated, I had said to myself that I would aim for several shows, group and solo and at least one show in a Sydney gallery. Well I managed to accomplish most of those goals, with a solo show on the way later in the year. This current show which I am exhibiting in is a group show, showcasing the work of the newly elected management committee of the Project Contemporary Art space in Wollongong. The gallery was under threat of being closed down for good, so a new group of individuals came together to save the space so that there would be a place for contemporary art to be exhibited and sold in the Illawarra.
I also co-curated the show along side fellow artist Damian Bancks. The curatorial thinking was to show each artists work on their own, rather than mixing the works together, which could have also worked and would have made for an extremely interesting and wonderful show, however, we felt it necessary to show each artist work by giving them a decent amount of wall space each, followed by a smaller wall being occupied by a series of bio’s which informed everyone a little about who they were and of their practice. It is always a triumph when an artist sells there work, it means that their hard work and dedication has quite literally paid off, I’m not afraid to say that the creative arts industry is a hard one to break into and become a success; being able to live solely by selling your work. I have sold works in the past, but this was the first time I had sold work before the show opened and also sold multiple works on the opening night. I cannot begin to describe the joy that this brought me, the feeling of success. Firstly I paint and create art for myself, however the act of exhibiting is a way of putting out the thing you have created to be seen, critiqued and enjoyed by an audience. And you won’t always receive the best feedback, but that’s all apart of the creative process. Selling works gives you the sense that you have achieved something, that you were successful in creating something that caught the attention and admiration of someone, the work resonated with them for whatever reason.
Being still relatively young most would say that I have a very long way to go in the world of art, as an artist and as an exhibitor and even as a person in general. It’s moments like this that seem to make it all seem worthwhile, you know that you have had a hard road to traverse and will undoubtedly continue to experience a plethora of hardships, especially in this day and age where art has to compete more than ever against new age forms of entertainment; some newer than others. However hard the road is, it’s always worth the journey. And even though I like to think that my journey started seven years ago when I first walked in my first life drawing class while I was at TAFE art school, I see this moment as a milestone along the path to greatness and success.
Enjoy the pics from the opening night along with some images of some of the work I am exhibiting an get along to see the show if you’re in the Wollongong area before the 21st of April. And please take the time to visit and like my artists page on Facebook, plenty of content on there (link below)
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Nik-Uzunovski-Artist/225201424159742
Walking through the grounds of the National Art School you are immediately struck by the history contained within its historic walls. Once a prison for convicts, became the venue for one of the most prestigious and best known art schools in Australia and the world. Some of Australia’s best known artists have spent time studying and creating within its walls. And now, this venue hosts an exhibition of works by one of Australia’s most talented and recognised established painters, Ben Quilty.
After Afghanistan is a survey of works the artist has painted upon his return from his stint as an Official War Artist deployed with troops serving in Afghanistan. These works do not depict their subjects as the romanticized digger of the past, the good natured larrikin. These works expose the effect of war on the young men and woman that serve in the armed forces, their experiences, thoughts, feelings and emotions have been transcribed in the luscious painting style Quilty is most famous for. It is interesting that the majority of the exhibition is of portraits, even the paintings of the destroyed vehicles can be considered as portraits, even if in a metaphorical sense. The two vehicle paintings “Hilux” and “Bushmaster” both depict the burnout, crumpled wrecks of armoured personnel vehicles that were employed by Australian troops.
These metaphorical paintings (“Bushmaster” above) act as a powerful visual metaphor for the destruction and carnage that a war can have. Although the portraits of the soldiers act as visual representations of the emotional and psychological impact of war, they don’t display any overt signs of physical injury. The two aforementioned works are metaphors for the physical impact of war. One can imagine if these armoured machines can be disabled with such ease then what chance does a man or woman have against contemporary weapons?
Most of the works subjects are male, there is one portrait, “Captain Kate Porter, after Afghanistan”, that depicts a young female soldier. The blurb next to the work provides the viewer with a small background and insight into the work and its subject. We are told about Captain Kate Porter, a young officer who not only fights for her country as a soldier, but represents her country as a rugby union player. The stereotypical mould is smashed, we are presented with a strong, young and healthy person. However, when we look at the portrait of her (below) we see a more vulnerable young woman. Sitting, arms crossed, naked. When we see images of soldiers they are usually kitted up in armour and weapons, we are presented with a formidable image. This work shows us just how vulnerable a person can be, and how much of an impact war has on a person. We are presented with a fleshy, tired, depressed and vulnerable person who you would initially assume was a strong, arse kicking, gun toting soldier.
The stereotype has been smashed! We now understand that she, and the other soldiers represented here in paint are human, like me or you. Except that they have assumed the greatest responsibility and have made the greatest sacrifices so that we can live here and not worry about war and terrorism coming to our shores.
Quilty’s approach to painting these works reminds us that the human subjects are that, they are human. Flesh and bone. Full of feelings, fears and anxieties. All now amplified by their experiences as Australian soldiers serving to protect Australia and its people. We are made aware of and presented with the negative impact of war, rather than the popular romantic representations of soldiers who have experienced hell.
Ben Quilty: After Afghanistan
21 February – 13 April
On display at the National Art School
Forbes Street, Darlinghurst, Sydney.
I have just prepared a series of old work on paper to be re-used as drawings and small studies on paper. The works were originally developed as a conceptual process of writing letters or cards to artists I liked, a one way correspondance, talking to the artists, some of which have long been dead, as though they are close personal friends. The work was interesting, though I felt that it had room to grow in a different way and at a different time. And I thought it best not to waste the materials I have on hand. So I have torn the cards in half to make roughly 96 seperate pieces of paper to work on. And also there is the possibility of increasing the total number of works by again halving some of the paper to create smaller sheets to work on, making them more portable and accessible.
I will be work on top of the existing text, I feel the potential for interesting visual outcomes, the typography lending to the potential aesthetic outcome.
A majority of these will be featured in a solo show I am planning on having later this year. Stay tuned for updates and progress.
Well I was aiming to exhibit several times this year, with at least one show in Sydney. In a matter of two months I’ve managed one group show in Wollongong, my local city and also exhibited in a group show in a Sydney gallery, The Newtown Hub Gallery. As for what’s to come? Well I will continue to produce work and continue with my interning at pocal galleries. I have recently become a comittee member at Project in Wollongong, where I will be getting more involved with the operation of the gallery and ensuring it succeeds as a not-for-profit organisation. Additionally I will be going for some major art prizes such as the Dobell Prize for Drawing.
That is all for now. So stay tuned, and thank you for all of the positive support thus far.
Well I finally did it, got myself into a gallery in Sydney. Even though it isn’t an almight commercial space with an influential art dealer who could promise me big sales and great fame and wealth. Exhibiting in Sydney was a goal of mine, and I acheived that just a couple of months after graduating from University. After an interesting experience submitting my work last week I attended the opening night. Some great work by several other artists, in a great space on Enmore Road in one of Sydney’s art precincts, Newtown. The show was great, the live entertainment was awesome too. A chilled out creative environment with like minded people coming together to exhibit and see visual art in all its glory.
Overall it was a great experience, and a great feeling acheiving a goal that I had set for myself. Enjoy the pics and if you can get along to the Newtown Hub Gallery, 22 Enmore Road, Newtown, Sydney, N.S.W.
