Tessa Blazey ‘Fabrication’ @ Pieces of Eight

The latest exhibition in the window of Pieces of Eight is ‘Fabrication‘ by Tessa Blazey.

photograph taken with gallery permission

The display is like a little world of its own, with small men adrift in a landscape of enormous crystalline structures.

Most of the rings are square and either black or gold. The necklace elements are triangular or circular. There is a clear geometric theme!

The rings below have a focal point that looks to have been cast from mineral samples, some of which are exhibited alongside. It’s an interesting concept actually, and I particularly like the gold tourmaline crystal ring (pictured in the very bottom left corner in the image above).

photograph taken with gallery permission

Exhibition media states:
“In ‘Fabrication’ Tessa Blazey creates intimate sci-fi worlds and geometric wearables through a series of new jewellery pieces for Pieces of Eight Gallery. Exhibited are two collections exploring her concepts of fabrication; the invention of a story or fiction and the process of manufacturing.
The collections are highly sculptural and unified by their common conceptual origins- Blazey’s fascination with mineral specimens, their formal geometries and structures. There is a striking contradiction of scale in the work which is both clever and playful. The ring series uses the process of casting, transforming complex and beautiful mineral specimens into miniature architectural worlds. In contrast to this, her series of bold chains manipulate crystalline structures and geometric forms to monumentalise the language of chain-making.”

Tessa’s blog has some lovely images of her work; and the Pieces of Eight blog has fantastic photographs of the opening night [post] and a very interesting interview with the artist [post].

Tessa Blazey’s ‘Fabrication‘ is at Pieces of Eight until 12th September 2009.

Update (31st January 2010): Craft Vic blog has a story and some more images of Tessa’s work here.

Katie Jacobs’ ‘Raining in my Heart’ @ Pieces of Eight

It’s taken me a number of weeks before finding the time to visit Pieces of Eight to see the new work by Katie Jacobs ‘Raining in my Heart‘. The Pieces of Eight blog has a great interview with the artist.

image courtesy of the gallery; photographer Andrew Bachram

The window display is quiet and pensive, still, and maybe a little forlorn and lonely (not in a bad way though, if you know what I mean). It’s worth going into the gallery as there are also unique brooches as part of the collection (with backings made by David Parker). For scale, the one below is about 4cm long at a guess.

photograph taken with gallery permission

I had decided not to read the interview until after I had seen the exhibition myself – I find I can be easily influenced, and so I wanted to find my own reactions, connections and feelings first. But knowing more about the artists’ intent and journey to the finished work always heightens my enjoyment of the work, and deepens my understanding and appreciation; and also adds to my collection of different ways to approach and express art.

I love porcelain and the silver glaze on the mountains almost looks like topping on ice-cream!

‘Raining in my heart‘ is in the window of Pieces of Eight until 15th August 2009.

Laura di Florio ‘The View (Melbourne)’ @ Pieces of Eight

I have admired Laura di Florio’s work at Pieces of Eight for a while now, perhaps even a number of years! The softness and colouring of the images she uses is almost nostalgic to me.

Her most recent work ‘The View (Melbourne)‘ in the window of Pieces of Eight (so you can see it 24 hours a day), is a panoramic skyline of Melbourne – and it is beautiful. Sadly though, I feel my photographs do not do it justice.

photograph taken with gallery permission

The interaction of the images changes and the feel of the piece depends on what side you’re viewing from. I really like the ones with trees.

photograph taken with gallery permission

The Pieces of Eight blog has a great interview with the artist, with good images of this work.

Laura di Florio ‘The View (Melbourne)‘ is at Pieces of Eight until 18th July.

Update (10th July): the Pieces of Eight blog has a new story on this exhibition, with some beautiful photographs.

Meredith Turnbull ‘Some Become Strangers’ @ Pieces of Eight

I like visiting Pieces of Eight in North Fitzroy. Currently the window exhibit is new work by Meredith Turnbull ‘Some Become Strangers‘.

window exhibit; photograph taken with permission of gallery

There’s a great interview with Meredith on the Pieces of Eight blog, including images of some of the work. I like knowing more about the artist’s intent and vision for their own work, it adds to my understanding and enjoyment. Particularly lovely is the evolution of the name of the exhibit; in Meredith’s words: “‘Some become strangers’ is a Stevie Nick’s song that I love. It’s quite poetic, it’s about love, specifically the loss of it or the loss of someone who was once close.” I’ve been listening to Stevie Nicks a lot lately too!

photograph taken with permission of gallery

Most of the pieces are close to white, which I am really responding to lately. I like the ambiguity of materials, it could be bone or paper and you won’t know for sure until you touch it. The setting is very effective – (I think) the pieces rest on images of the city, as though they are exploring their landscape, alive and animate.

photograph taken with permission of gallery

‘Some Become Strangers‘ continues until 20th June 2009, and is visible 24 hrs.