Tag: blog

Henrique Oliveira’s Recycled Wooden Sculptures

Gallery Angela A SparksLeave a comment

These amazing recycled wooden installation sculptures, are the genius of artist Henrique Oliveira.  Created and assembled from plywood barriers which have outlived their purpose on construction-building sites. Henrique takes deteriorated plywood boards, which have lost their structural integrity and strips them down into thin layers.  These thin layers of plywood, are painted with a watered […]

Ideas of Barak

Gallery Angela A SparksLeave a comment

   Ideas of Barak, Drawn by Vernon Ah Kee, black charcoal on primed acrylic, stretched canvas, in Brisbane, 2011. Contemporary Portrait, overall size 1800mm H x 2400mm W. Currently on display at NGV, Federation Square.   Currently showing at the Ian Potter Centre, at the NGV, Federation Square is an historical indigenous art exhibition. On […]

In Memory of My Dad

Angela A SparksLeave a comment
My Dad Dominic
My Dad Dominic

As a child, I recall wandering around our family home admiring my fathers oil paintings.  To me they were special, I could stare at them for endless amounts of time and get lost in the images.  Every wall was adorned with his art, even though he didn’t paint anymore they were a part of him and a past life he once had.   Now with 6 children to look after he and my mum worked tirelessly to provide for their family.

With great respect and gratitude, on behalf of the entire family, I thank you dearly for your sacrifices, the values you taught us as well as the attitude that you can do anything you put your mind too and that you did.  You were an amazing man, an inspiration to us all, I wish you were here to share this moment in my life and the happiness in fulfilling ones dreams.

Dads replica of another artists work that he admired
Dads replica of another artists work that he admired

Love always, your daughter

Angela

Conceptual Art

Angela A SparksLeave a comment

reach4thesky

Reach for the Sky!

Conceptual art is taking off in Melbourne in a big way, almost every reputable art gallery you step into has some form of conceptual art on exhibition.

But what is conceptual art?

Many struggle to appreciate this genre, wondering where it fits in the realm of what is perceived to be ‘Art’ and that’s where it gets interesting.

As an admirer of art, we often look for the skill involved, the time taken and the creativity of the piece or perhaps the beauty aspect, or accuracy of detail, its historical value or rarity.  Conceptual art may not hold any of these attributes we’ve come to expect, instead it can be rather simplistic or obscure, repetitive, messy or perceived as weird.

Conceptual art is about pushing the limits of what is considered to be art, pushing the mind beyond what is seemingly acceptable.

As a viewer of conceptual art, take your time, is it an installation or perhaps it’s a ready-made assisted sculpture or an item stuck to a wall?  Allow yourself to get lost in the piece, is there a title?  Walk around it if that’s possible, review from varying angles, is there an interactive element, if so, get involved.  Examine the materials used and what significance they may hold, what does the lighting say, is there an emotion via the colours used?  Ponder and discuss the art, what was the artist trying to say, is there a message behind the confusion or the simplicity?

What’s your thoughts on conceptual art?

Do you enjoy this form of art?

Do you find conceptual art challenging?

Do you like to unlock the key?

Looking at the conceptual piece above, what does it say to you?

I look forward to your comments

Current Exhibition at NGV – Fed Square

Angela A SparksLeave a comment

Currently showing at the Ian Potter Centre at NGV Federation Square is a historical indigenous art exhibition displaying varying forms of indigenous art from the early nineteenth century until the present.

Titled ‘Moving Backwards into the Future’ the collections narrative expresses the combination of past, present and future without the relevance of time, a bit like time travel. The connection and experience the indigenous elders have with their spiritual ancestors as well as the Universe via ‘Dreaming’.

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The collection comprises over 100 works of traditional pieces with intricate hand painted barks, shields and hollow log coffins to modern pieces like the large wall sculpture made from recycled rusted barbed wire and corrugated iron, an installation of drift wood and nylon to glass jars with black and white photos depicting family heritage.

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It’s worth a visit, so pop by and get a feel of ‘Dreaming’