Walking on Eggshells - Two Stories of Art and Immigration.

Last week I was invited to two art events, both of which I knew would be very different. Tuesday was the launch of a Masters student's art installation at the National Art School. "Red Journey with Two Perspectives" by Pamela Leung. Wednesday was a 30th anniversary celebration party at The Billich Gallery in The Rocks, Sydney.

"Red Journey with Two Perspectives" consisting of Leung's two installation pieces "Beyond Birth" and "I Am Alright, I Am Not Alright" directly address timeless issues of immigration - fragile, ephemeral, tactile, these introspective yet accessible works; detailing - the emotional and psychological trauma and hazards of having to, needing to; leave a country, under duress - in finely realised contemporary artworks. (Continues below)

Pamela Leung with "Red Journey with Two Perspectives"

Then Wednesday, the 'Erotica' party and 30th anniversary celebration at The Billich Gallery.

(continues below)

Charles Billich mingles with guests, Billich Gallery 30th anniversary party.

After the art of Leung, one might assume on seeing the commercial leaning(?) fine art of Charles Billich, that he has forgotten his migration story; embracing his personal freedom and an Australian identity completely.

And yet it was during Billich's speech that he directly referenced his early journey to Australia, from communist Croatia sixty years ago, one where he had been incarcerated for his politics and faced a future of uncertainty. In researching Billich for this brief article, I found some 2011/2012 wordpress blog posts, fictional letters, to himself from Josip Broz Tito, written to him from-hell no less! No he has not forgotten his past.

Now recently I read the work of the Czech-born writer who went into exile in France in 1975, Milan Kundera's The Curtain, 2005; a series of essays on art and history. It's the reading of the Kundera text that made me much more aware of how non-linear art-styles/movements really are and how culturally embedded our perception of how art should be, is. On page 52 of The Curtain Kundera writes
"..I began to marvel at the fact that the terms "novel,""modern art,""modern novel,"meant something other for me than my French friends. It was not a disagreement; it was, quite modestly, the recognition of a difference between the two traditions that had shaped us." and so on.

It seems very much like a case of, the art victor writing the history as they see it and goodbye to the rest.. So now there is a predominant belief that art flowed through quite specific Central & Western European developments mostly ignoring the outliers of European culture, then war took ART to America; and the rest, of course is history..

And there's another curious side to modern and contemporary art, the prickliness between "applied" art (graphics, photography, design, (advertising)) and "fine"art. Certainly in Australia one is seen to be somewhat tainted as an artist if you made your living in the world of applied art; before you took on a role in fine art. All of which may come as something of a surprise to art lovers who are outside of the closely cloistered fine art networks. After all didn't Andy Warhol work as a very successful illustrator before becoming one of the most famous artists of modern times! Haven't we have moved on from all that by now?

So two evenings in a row, two very different art shows, and yet very pertinent and current Australian stories and a connection out of similar experiences for both artists, taking place both 40 and 60 years ago respectively. For both Pamela Leung and Charles Billich are immigrants who chose Australia to escape danger, to find a new home, and thankfully to make art here as well.

http://www.pamelaleung.net/
http://www.billich.com/
http://www.uniqueeventphotography.com.au/

Telling Stories in Pictures all over Sydney..

Kent Johnson, Sydney, Australia.

0433 796 863

kent@artcommunication.com.au

www.kentjohnsonphotography.com.au

www.fashionphotographysydney.blogspot.com/

Facebook Twitter

White Rabbit - 'Double Take' Opening Night.

I think its pretty obvious to everyone by now that I do make it to quite a lot of art openings - and I have no doubt mentioned before that like all 'art gigs' be they Theatre, Concerts - Rock or Classical or the Opera or Ballet; every gig gets its own unique crowd or audience in attendance. It was probably my Dad who more or less enlightened me to this 'art' phenomena by telling me that some people would see him perform in a show at one theatre but would never set foot in that one...

So yes, every crowd is different, and part of the difference is the reason they are there, and its been something I have long been intensely interested in; I don't just look at the art, see the performance, listen to the music; I check out the nature of the crowd as well.

I had heard about the White Rabbit openings, I had heard that you would have to queue to get in. Queue for a 'normal' gallery opening. Surely they must be joking! Well, it was true, and on a chill late winter evening I joined the 100 meter or so queue for my first taste of the White Rabbit and I knew I was in for something different; the girls were dressed for summer clubbing - but then in Sydney that's the go all year round, though not something I would normally associate with art openings and on a night like this that was a different kind of cool.. The crowd was large, the full capacity one-in one-out policy was tightly enforced, 40 minuets after joining the queue I was inside in the warm well lit and spacious gallery.

While there were quite a few familiar faces at the opening, the whole affair had something of a Gala Event feel to it and that was reflected I think in a very different crowd to the type I usually see at openings. That's great of course, great for the gallery and great for art in Sydney in general. The work is distributed over three levels and while there was a 'loose crush' on the drinks allowed ground floor it was not too hard to get a good look at the art on the upper levels. Tu Wei-Cheng’s Valentine’s Day chocolate shop, was just one of many outstanding installation pieces and although most of the chocolate is made of silicon there is the delectable and unmistakable aroma of real chocolate wafting over the counter. Love or War? Lets make chocolate instead. Will I be back? Absolutely, and sooner rather than later as I want to get to know the art and these artists much better.

http://www.whiterabbitcollection.org/

30 Balfour Street
Chippendale NSW
Thursday to Sunday, from 10am to 6pm