RMIT graduates ‘Good+as+Gold’ @ fortyfive downstairs

I walked out of this exhibition impressed, with a spring in my step and a smile on my face.

‘Gold+as+Gold‘, at fortyfive downstairs, is the year-end exhibition for graduates from RMIT Object-based Practice, Gold and Silversmithing.

photograph taken with gallery permission

This is such a fabulous gallery space. The pieces look elegant on their spindly-legged tables; so much better than thick imposing plinths.

photograph taken with gallery permission

Participating artists (in alphabetical order by surname):

• Ruby Aitchison (Honours), Natasha Avila [website], Megan Ayton
• Sue Buchanan, Pamela Chan, Katie Collins
• Natt Diamond, Rachel Fares
• Eli Giannini, Fatima Grant, Ceciella Ezra Gregory, Annie Gobel (Honours) [hibernating blog], Marcos Guzman (Honours) [Kit & Caboodle profile]
• Zahrah Habibullah [website], Sarah Jones (Stubbs), Kim Jonsson
• Varuni Kanagasundaram (Honours), Inari Kiuru (Honours) [hibernating blog], Wendy Korol (Honours) [hibernating blog]
• Steven Leslie, Bethwyn Mell (Honours), Roslyn Ann Peric [Kit & Caboodle profile]
• Stephen Robb (Honours) [blog], Jana Roman [blog]
• Elise Sheehan (Honours) [tumblr], Kate Wischusen [website]
• Michael Wong, Xuelin Wong

photograph taken with gallery permission

Dominant materials, in my initial perceptions, included mild steel and enamel.
There were hardly any, if any, stones or gem setting.
Smithing was also more evident than previous years.

I enjoyed looking at much of the work, especially though:

• Zahrah Habibullah’s ‘Family Heirloom Brooch Series – Brother’; my most outstanding single piece in the exhibition, I loved the shape and the colouring
  

  photograph taken with gallery permission

• Inari Kiuru, ‘From Saturnalia Industrialis-series‘; I saw some of this collection in the ‘Wondernamel 2013‘ exhibition
• Kate Wischusen ‘Montparnasse‘ brooches; also admired at ‘Wondernamel 2013‘
• Michael Wong, beautiful smithing vessels
• Natasha Avila, ‘Immersed reflections‘ brooch
• Sue Buchanan, ‘Gold seams‘ bangle
• Pamela Chan, ‘A Brushwork‘, lyric blackened mild steel objects
• Elise Sheehan, ‘No full stops‘ group of objects [foreground]
  

  photograph taken with gallery permission

• Wendy Korol, ‘Goodbye Blue Wren #2‘ [middle-ground] & Rachel Fares objects [foreground], creating a little dialogue as they sat together
  

  photograph taken with gallery permission

• Eli Giannini, contemporary mourning jewellery displayed on custom-made mirrors

Naturally I purchased the accompanying book (as I do every year). It is of beautiful quality, and I like that this year it includes artist statements. However I’m in two minds about whether the $20 is a little on the expensive side; on one hand it’s pretty special, but on the other hand I expect those of us choosing to buy the book as a momento are also those who have supported the auction and fundraising efforts already.

The gallery works listing did not include contact details for the students, as the NMIT and Box Hill students did for their exhibition. It’s a small thing, but hopefully an artist can be found if a gallery visitor is exceptionally excited about their work.

‘Gold+as+Gold‘ is at fortyfive downstairs until 14th December 2013.

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2012 ‘As Above, So Below‘ @ Victorian Artist Society

2011 ‘It was like a Fever’ @ No Vacancy Gallery

2010 ‘Bell Weather‘ @ £1000 bend

2009 ‘Cornucopia‘ @ Guildford Lane Gallery

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ps. I wish I could point you to the 1st and 2nd year exhibition, but for the first time in ages there isn’t one. I may write about this development soon, but this makes me quite sad. And unfortunately I didn’t get my act together to see ‘Oomph‘, the Honours exhibition at RMIT First Site Gallery; for some reason I had in my mind that they were open on a Saturday.

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