Calendar: November 2009

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Peter Greenaway ‘The Last Supper’ @ Melbourne Festival

One of the most advertised features of the Melbourne International Arts Festival is Peter Greenaway’s ‘The Last Supper‘ multimedia extravaganza. The interior of North Melbourne Town Hall has been transformed to mimic the interior of the St. Maria della Grazie Church in Milan – a ‘clone’ of da Vinci’s masterpiece painting high on one wall, and a table stands in the middle of the room with all of the items shown in the painting reproduced in what looks like white plaster.

from exhibition media; click on photograph to link through to original source

I haven’t seen the painting in person and I imagine this would have been quite amazing in its original setting; this is the first time this installation has been shown outside of Milan.

The projections on the painting are pretty and lovely and I am told a technical wonder; and I liked being immersed in the loud music. Though after the initial fascination with some of the lighting angles etc, it came to feel a bit clinically experimental and without narrative to me (highlighted by the repetition of a number of the sequences). Not that there’s anything wrong with that; perhaps that says more about my lack of knowledge of Greenaway’s work or philosophy.

Both the painting and the opposite wall are projected upon – I stood against a side wall and moving my head left then right to look at each wall at varying intervals actually gave me a bit of travel sickness of a sort (not entirely enjoyable).

I saw this the day before I attended Greenaway’s lecture. I wonder if it may have been more, or in fact less, interesting to see it after the lecture. I would have had more background; though on the other hand, during the lecture I was a bit disappointed to learn that some of the sequences in ‘The Last Supper‘ were in essence not unique and had already been explored in his first venture of this sort ‘The Watchman‘. Again, that may say more about my expectation, but it would have been more powerful to me if the light sequences had something specific to say about this special painting and not a technical bit of fun that could be applied to any painting…

I’m happy I went to see this, but sadly it didn’t blow my mind. However it does has many redeeming points, is worth seeing, and does have something interesting to say about the interaction of moving image in art and the art of installation. Lots of food for thought.

Peter Greenaway’s ‘The Last Supper‘ is at the Melbourne International Arts Festival until 8th November 2009; the projection is 20-minutes long, and is held every half-hour.

Carlier Makigawa ‘October 2009’ @ Gallery Funaki

This month has been so crazy that I didn’t make it to Gallery Funaki to see this show until the weekend. Carlier Makigawa is showing her new collection ‘October 2009‘ – and it’s just lovely.

photograph courtesy of Gallery Funaki; used with permission

Her previous botanically-inspired collection included round-section wire, in voluptuous curves. The new work uses straighter lines; the metal is thinner, more delicate. The fineness of the wire invokes something more expressive; thoughtful and pensive in the larger pieces, hard-edged and determined in some of the smaller pieces.

photograph courtesy of Gallery Funaki; used with permission

Of the twenty-six pieces there are: three bracelets, four rings, a neckpiece, fourteen brooches and four objects. The neckpiece is in the window; the bracelets and objects on the left of the gallery; the brooches and rings on the right of the gallery, with large-scale black-and-white photographs of Carlier’s assistance Leah Teschendorff wearing some of the pieces. The separation works well; a kind of progression is seen through the smaller scale rings and brooches, to the bracelets and on to the objects.

photograph courtesy of Gallery Funaki; used with permission

Most of the pieces are made in sterling silver; though there are three in 18kt yellow gold, three in monel, and lacquer is used in one piece. A little shot of colour is injected with small pieces of coral in two brooches.

photograph courtesy of Gallery Funaki; used with permission

While the smaller pieces are beautiful, the objects had the most impact on me. Each of the four objects has two independent structures held in tight relationship; they are not attached, but interwoven. They seem to mournfully reach into each other, there’s a yearning; each needing the other, but there is space between them. I was deeply touched by them.

photograph courtesy of Gallery Funaki; used with permission

The exhibition media states: “Carlier Makigawa explores the parameters of small spaces in her new exhibition October 2009. Her spare, exacting constructions in silver wire have a monumentality that defies their scale and delicacy. Her new work consists of brooches and objects which move beyond the botanical inspiration of her earlier work to engage with more abstract notions of movement, compression and spatial manipulation.” It’s funny to me that the intent is in terms of abstraction and spatial exploration, yet I felt a very personal and emotional response.

For more images of Carlier’s work, see JMGA NSW site here. Marcus at ArtBlart has also reviewed this exhibition here, and includes more images.

Carlier Makigawa’s ‘October 2009‘ is at Gallery Funaki until 31st October 2009 – go and see it!

Beauty in the city

Walking through the mall one early Saturday morning … actually looked up … and saw some beauty

These buildings house David Jones.

Bourke Street has some gems of early and mid century architecture.