Morphing Nature Spiritus
Antique dress dummy, wool, wood, dress, faux birds, paper collage, lantern
Originating from Tamborine Mountain exhibition, Specimens, Morphing Nature Spiritus is an anthropomorphized personification of the changing seasons. She embodies the innumerable seamstresses of nature; infections spinning webs and weaving cocoons, birds fashioning their nests. She is the symphonic simultaneity of change, birth, life, death and decay in nature.
Beautiful one day, fruit salad the next
Judith Wright Centre of Contemporary Arts
Once upon a time, a group of artist who didn’t know each other attended a Flying Arts’ workshop on Exhibition Development. It quickly became apparent that these artist, all working in very different ways, shared some similarities. Even more remarkably, they were all really nice people who liked each other. They thought a group show would be an excellent idea!
These artist have very different creative ways of work, yet each of them makes art that lends context to their own living experience. They all believe strongly in the value of art and are sharing with us some quite remarkable stories. Each of these artists makes art that has multiple meanings, and that is the key to enjoying and appreciating these works. As viewers we must engage with the works to complete the creative process and add out own personal perspectives and interpretations to the artist’s unique visions. That’s the way we collaborate with the artist to create meaning.
Each one of these artists makes art that is challenging because they are all keen observers - and observation is a skill that is also require for healthy relationships and learning. To practice art is to practice observing and observing is one way we make sense of our world.
This exhibition presents us with glimpses into other worlds where things are different. Central to each of these artists’ creative works is a complex richness that is about things that are sometimes impossible to talk about. When we view these artworks we can gain a glimpse into what lies beyond the surface because these artists don’t always work with the objective correctness of things as they are but rather with the potential of new appearances of things, the way things could be.