Artwrite Issue 48 |

Joan Cameron-Smith, Ronsie Chan, Chen Chen, Lorraine Chung, Mitchell Keith Eaton, Bronwyn Hadkins, Sophie Rose, Amy Hartmann, Hareen Johl, Peter Johnson, Caren Lai, Clement Lai, su-wen Leong, Elio Lee, Yi Ran Li, Ben Messih, Natasha Mikitas, Megan Monte, Rebecca O’Shea, Vanessa Anthea Macris, Yuning Sun, Miriam Williamson, Judy Wills, Jingan Wu, Rakel Yamanaka

Image and copyright permission

Mitchell Keith Eaton

Editorial

May 30, 2012 / peterjohnson / Comments Off

By Christiane Keys-Statham & Emily Sinclair

2012 is a big year for the arts and culture sectors in Australia. Our new National Cultural Policy will shortly be released postponed due to budget concerns – a victim of the surplus, and will hopefully reflect, inspire and, most importantly, commit to supporting Australia’s incredibly diverse and vibrant arts communities.

Our class this semester is made up of people from many different backgrounds, cultures and walks of life. The defining idea behind this issue of Artwrite is to provide a snapshot of Australia’s artistic and cultural life on the eve of the National Cultural Policy. Continue reading

Poli-ism: A New direction?

May 30, 2012 / rebeccaoshea / Comments Off

By Miriam Williamson

The position of the arts in the Australian political landscape has ebbed and flowed over time.

In early May this year the arts sector waited with anticipation for the launch of the National Cultural Policy, due to be launched the week of the 2012-13 budget, only to be disappointed it had become victim of the federal budget surplus.

Out with the old, in with the new – maybe?

May 30, 2012 / sophiehague / Comments Off

By Joan Cameron-Smith

After six months of construction, the Museum of Contemporary Art in Sydney has opened the doors of the new Mordant wing. Marking this occasion, the aptly named exhibition Volume One: MCA Collection, a selection of works from the museum’s collection, is a significant marking point – this is a new chapter for the future of the MCA and within the visual arts landscape of Sydney. Continue reading

Time in Reality: Marking Time

May 30, 2012 / rebeccaoshea / Comments Off

By Caren Lai

Rivane Neuenschwander, Um dia como outro qualquer (A day like any other), (2008)

An exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney.

Marking Time, an exhibition whose title fittingly marks the opening of the new Museum of Contemporary Art, explores the ways artists visualise and conceptualise time and its transit. The exhibition opened on 29 March 2012 and features major works by eleven Australian and international artists, including: Jim Campbell, Tatsuo Miyajima, Rivane Neuenschwander, Edgar Arceneaux, Daniel Crooks, John Gerrad, Lindy Lee, Tom Nicholson, Katie Paterson, Gulumbu Yunupingu, and Elisa Sighicelli. The exhibition is presented through a wide range of media, including drawings, installations, sculptures, sound, and light. These accompany the study, concepts and representations of time.

Is it that time already?

May 30, 2012 / sophiehague / Comments Off

By Clement Lai

In recent years, there is no doubt that Christian Marclay’s The Clock (2010) has been one of the most celebrated contemporary artworks, receiving rave reviews worldwide in London, New York City, Los Angeles, Boston, Ottawa and now Sydney. In last year’s 54th Venice Biennale, Marclay was crowned the Golden Lion for best artist for The Clock. Mr John Macdonald, a filmmaker and writer, describes himself not as a contemporary art exhibition habitué, returned to see The Clock for the fourth time and had waited for an hour and a half in the cold outside the Paula Cooper Gallery in New York City.[1] Even the art critics Waldemar Januszczak of Britain’s The Sunday Times and The New York Times Roberta Smith have praised The Clock as the year’s best exhibition.[2] Why is it that Marclay’s The Clock is so successful and has aroused such enormous interest from the general public that they queue outside galleries and museums to see it, while being revered by the arts industry? In this article, I will examine the constitution of The Clock and the reason for its popularity. Continue reading

Child’s play

May 30, 2012 / sophiehague / Comments Off

By Emily Sinclair

William Yang, 'Australia now' (2009), installation view, Contemporary Art for Contemporary Kids, 2010, Image courtesy of Sherman Contemporary Art Foundation, Photo: Emily Sinclair

Museums and galleries are turning to their youngest group of art lovers in an attempt to make education a top priority in their exhibition programs.

Cabinet of catastrophe

May 30, 2012 / sophiehague / Comments Off

By Miriam Williamson

Janet Laurence 'After Eden' 2012, installation view, commissioned by Sherman Contemporary Art Foundation, image courtesy of Jamie North

Review of After Eden an installation by Australian artist Janet Laurence commissioned by the Sherman Contemporary Art Foundation (SCAF), Goodhope Street Paddington 16 March – 19 May 2012.

“Perhaps I can only show a pathos and expose a tenderness”
– Janet Laurence 2012

Get smart

May 30, 2012 / rebeccaoshea / Comments Off

By Ronsie Chan

Ronsie Chan investigates the annual festival that has targeted the young minds of Sydney’s emerging artists.

The youth are always seen as the future pioneers. Emerging artists should be seen as the future ‘new ground breakers’ of the art industry; they are the group of artists who have the spark of creativity burning brightly within them; they are determined to establish themselves with their own particular style. These artists often produce the most exciting works and are definitely worth drawing more attention and appreciation from the public. The important contribution that they make to the vitality of Australian cultural life should be valued by providing them opportunities and exposure.

COFA students writing about art, life and the universe

Category: Artwrite Issue 48 (page 1 of 4)