The current exhibition at Traffic Jam Galleries , UNTITLED, focuses on guest artists new to the Traffic Jam gallery space , namely Oliver Ashworth-Martin, Andrea McCuaig, Beth Radford, Annabel Scanlen, Loribelle Spirovski, Wade Taylor, Murat Urlali and Kareena Zerefos.
UNTITLED features works by local and interstate practitioners with artists at varying stages of their artistic journeys. Most of the artists would predominantly be considered ‘emerging’. The works of this group may challenge , inspire , amuse or thrill, but diversity is also a key factor, reflected through the various artists’ approaches , subject matter, response and medium.
Oliver Ashworth-Martin is deeply inspired by the natural landscape and is represented by some stunning sculptures and very detailed drawings . The sculptures use a sense of space carved out of the particular work and also feature some amazing textures in parts . There are also both a coloured and black and white version of a very detailed larger than life drawing of a banksia.
Murat Urlali a Turkish-born Australian artist who strives to create a bridge connecting idealised Western imagery with spiritual symbolism of the Islamic world . His work is represented by a series of decadent , opulent Baroque inspired tondos with glittering tiny mirrors , coy cherubs and/or angels that also show Turkish influence and two turquoise vertical rectangular canvas panels that use floral and geometric shapes in repeated patterns similar to a carpet or tiles.
Beth Radford ‘s work is extremely ordered patterned and geometric, coolly abstract yet full of surging flowing lines .There is a clinical use of symmetry and sequence , pattern and progression, repetition and replication in some ways perhaps similar to the ‘Op Art’ of Bridget Riley .The surface of the painting seems to shimmer, ripple and fold hypnotically.
Loribelle Spirovski is represented by three urgent , vibrant works. Portrait of No One 3 is a portrait of a young handsome man , full of energy.But look closer Spirovski has almost crossed out most of the work with defiant black lines .While the face is still visible there is a sense of movement . Portrait of No One 1 is a vivid portrait of a (perhaps) older man in animated conversation caught in profile with a prominent nose. Homme 11 is a strange rather Surrealist work of a faceless person swirling as if in a mirror. There is also perhaps a Japanese influence with the composition and use of line.
Wade Taylor from Perth W.A. explores issues about Australian identity and landscape linking in to his common themes including notions of suburbia, nostalgia, the everyday, and cultural artefacts all with a sense of observing hidden suburban domestic details not normally painted and an ironic sense of humour.
Kareena Zerefos works across an assorted range of fields including painting, illustration, art direction and design. For this exhibition there are two wonderful incredibly detailed botanical drawings – Morphology 1 & 11 , and two dreamlike delicate fantasy paintings of a haunting child’s face emerging from a banksia .
Andrea McCuaig‘s bold ,swirling abstract works ( as seen in the Curving Isolations and /or the Gesture, Shape Colour series ) revealing the texture of the brushstrokes reveal her interest in and long term study of kinaesthetic relationships between embodied motion in dance and how these can be re-enacted to generate gestural abstraction in painting.
Annabel Scanlen in this exhibition provides delicate drawings of graphite pencil, ink and watercolours that hauntingly depict desert and/or the urban settings , details of houses and structures looming softly , emphasising her concern for the environment.
A most exciting exhibition. Go see.
UNTITLED runs at the Traffic Jam Galleries : 7–28 March 2018