Monash Gallery of Art - Ex de Medlici

Tooth and Claw

What a work of art.  This is a piece that has taken me by surprise. To finally see different kind of work from an alternative artist.  I was excited to attend this exhibition and see a piece of work by a tattoo artist.  Ex de Medlici is a tattoo artist that has a passion for old style navy tattoos and the mechanics of guns.  She has taken this contemporary military high powered weapon and surrounded it by softening and consuming them with garlands of flowers and other tradition tattoo pieces.

I love the repeated pattern of nautical stars and swallows which then blend in with the ornate asian flowers.  Even though the masculinity of the guns and the skeletons shows the harshness of what war can create, eX has allowed the viewer to see the beauty in the mechanics of these high powered weapons.  Every artists sees objects in different lights and eX goes beyond to allow the view to look at them at a different angle.

Her love of the military culture has dominated her artwork and as she has many friends in the military they have invited her to draw the weapons so she can have more of an objective view.  eX was recently invited to go to East Timor and was commissioned for the to do a piece of war art.

Making it Modern

Attending the Monash Gallery of Art is always a pleasure.  There are so many different aspects as to what they display and how the create the viewing point.

What I loved most about this exhibition was that is was photography based.  To me there was a connection between Henry Talbot's work and the love that I have for Annie Leibovitz' early work when she worked with dancers.  Even though their styles are very different, there are some similarities.

The pieces on display were black and white and were predominately of the naked female form.  Photos taken at different angles, showing the body.  Using the lengths and curves creating shapes and shadows, then the black and white imagery, creates a whole other effect.  Making each portrait an artistic feature and a dramatic story it self.  Almost as though the body is an object yea a form of art at the same time.

Henry has really shown an appreciation for the human form to show it as a shape, and as a beautiful organic form of nature.  The black and white quality almost features the simplistic beauty.

This was my favourite part of the exhibition.

Glen Hansard

I like the idea of being able to see everything as a form of art.  


I get inspired by a lot of different things and music is a big one.  One of the most influential musicians that takes part in my everyday life is Glen Hansard.  An Irish singer/ songwriter and guitarist.   He’s amazing in so many ways.  Not only with his generosity and a particular friend, but his music.  It’s not so often that I am inspired or drawn to music that way I am drawn to his.

In particular this song.  I mean there are others, but this one, it’s haunting.  You can feel the emotions, the passion, the conviction.  I would love to be able to express myself the way he does. I consider the thought that I don’t quite like the venerability.  Each show he explains the meaning behind each song.  Something I know I certainly would never do.  I’d rather express the fact that i got fucked over and that’s it really.  lol.  But then again, the song says it all.

Even though I can’t sing, write or play the way he does, I feel that listening to his music over and over again, it allows me to be rid of the emotions within.  I suppose not in the way I would like to, as I want to be the one to do it. But still. There’s a sense of letting go.

As closed up as I am, the fact that I hate being open about things.  A lot can be said for what I’m listening to and I suppose the volume in which its being played.  I’ve been told a few times that I am a very hard person to know, but I really don’t think so.  I thought in some cases I am obvious about a lot of things.  Maybe not what is on my mind exactly, but how I’m feeling at least.

My understanding would be, that if you know someone’s mood, you’d treat them as such.  If someone you care for needs you, then you’d be there for them.  They shouldn’t need to tell you they need you.  If you care enough, you’d know.  That’s the way I see it at least.

Anyway…. the fact that Glen Hansard can be true to his heart, I am grateful.  He says things I could never.  Sings them in a way I can’t.  At least I can relate…..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6wRT1MzmH4

The Bauhaus

1.  What is the Bauhaus?
The Bauhaus was a school in Germany that combine crafts and fine arts, but had different teaching methods.

2. What made it a different system for teaching design?
The styles of teaching were different as the students were encouraged to work in the workshop first, learn and understand the materials and getting skills in that way first instead of just drawing.

3. Who was Walter Gropius?
Walter Gropius was the founder of the Bauhaus.

4. Who was Johannes Itten?
Itten was one of the teachers.  He had a unique way of teaching and even encouraged students to meditate as he lived his life like a monk he applied it to his teaching too.

5.  What important book did he write?
The elements of colour - Design and Form

6.  Who was Moholy Nagy?
Moholy Nagy was a teacher that replaced Itten.

7. Why were the artists such as Wassily Kandinsky, Paul Klee and Lyonel Feininher influential?


8. How did the Bauhaus influence typography?
The Bauhaus basically through out all the serif fonts.  It was all about creating new and not having rules when it came to creating the new ones.

Monash University Exhibition

On attending the Monash University Exhibition in Caulfield, Emilie and I have now discovered that we went to the wrong side of the exhibition, to our relief.  In doing so it seems that we have missed out on some great design work and instead left appalled and traumatized by the so called art we did see.

Upon our arrival, we entered a dark room.  Once we walked in the doors they closed behind us leaving us to feel trapped in complete darkness.  In front of us there was a LCD screen with a gaunt looking face staring at us.  Feeling creeped out we walked around the corner in hope to fine the exit to see another screen with a mouse running in its wheel.  Each room we walked into got a little more weird.  This is when we decided that we must be in the wrong place.

After escaping that creepy experience, we made our way to the entrance of the Design and Arts building.  As we walked in there was a lady at the front, we made sure we were going in the right direction after being spooked.  The lady at the entrance directed us down the closest hall to the right.  Walking closer to the hall we were directed to walk down we were greeted my horrific photography of three images of women being raped and attacked.  They were untitled, but there description was "Victim wearing Calvin Klein"  and "Victim wearing D&G watch"  For me this was disturbing, I was questioning if the artist behind this was trying a new fashion campaign?  Shock value?  Either way it was not something I believe should be on display or even considered art never mind greeting people.

Moving down the hallway, the art became more intense.  Four paintings on the wall were a self portrait of the same guy but each had a mirror image.  One was a normal painting and the reflection was either, stabbed in the face, twisted, or even had its eyes scratched out.  Not something that I really wanted to continue to see Emilie and I entered another dark room where a video was playing.  At first we were unsure of what was going on and what the point was.  The girl on the video was crouched on the floor surrounded by red.  We weren't quite sure what to make of it until we turned around and saw correspondence on the wall.  This girl was vomiting, and she wanted to display it as her work of art.  But the Dean had to refuse it due to OH&S regulations and the bio hazard it would cause.  How in the world cold she for starters even want to display her own vomit, never mind consider it any form of art?!

Horrified, we walked on, almost concerned as to what we were going to be exposed to next.  Going upstairs we entered a room where there were a number of paintings all done by the same artist.  Again, another rape victim, but all the other 20 odd paintings that were being displayed were all related to Hollywood misfortunes.  The weird and twisted world of what the A list stars go through.  Whether is be Paula Abdul who found her stalker had commit suicide out the front of her house, or Liza Menelli and one of her husbands that was obsessed with Judy Garland and made her make porn.  Everything was weird and twisted.

The last straw for Emilie and I was when we entered one exhibition, looking at a piece of art, I heard Emilie calling me over to one exhibit.  She was explaining how she saw this particular artist on Acurrant Affair one night.  Looking at this so called piece of art, it looked like a cake tin that she had used, putting a few plastic flowers in it and pouring resin in to set it.  Emilie told me to look closer.  There were actual human feces added to this display.  I had to doubt check my reading the description.  To my disappointment, she was right.  In disgust we both turned around to be even more horrified.  There on the wall opposite this monstrosity was a video of the "artist" in the process of MAKING her art.  It was disgusting.

We left there and then.  This is not something I wanted to be exposed to, and personally I don't think anyone should be.  I believe that if this is what people are now trying to consider a form of art, then we might need to go back to when art actually had rules.  There is no talent in creating anything of this sort and I cant imagine anyone would want to see bodily fluids in general never mind as art.

This exhibition should not be displayed or promoted and we should have been warned of the graphic content before viewing each exhibit.  If this is something Monash University is trying to nurture their students into doing I'm glad to not get an arts degree.

Walking away from this, I have never felt so sick and violated.  I'm sure when constructing the Bauhaus to let students open their mind and be free with their art and thought process this is NOT what they had in mind.

Napoleon Perdis

Born 19th March 1970, Napoleon Perdis is one of Australia's well known makeup artists.  Perdis worked as a makeup artist on weekends for brides and in 1992 he opened up his own studio in Ultimo, New South Wales.  In 1993 he won a makeup competition at a beauty expo with a look he created that was inspired by Cher. His career expanded from then to 1995 when Perdis created his own line of cosmetics products which he sold through his own concept store and then later through major department stores.

Recently, the Perdis business has expanded to the United States where there are a number of concept stores and his products are also stocked by Ultra beauty product stores and other independent retainers.  In the countries that also provide makeup education, Perdis has set up The Napoleon Perdis makeup Academy by professional trainers for people who want to pursue a career in makeup.  His business partners are his younger brother Emanuel Perdis and his wife Soula-Marie, with whom he co-founded his cosmetics empire.

Napoleon has always used a vast variety of colours when creating his artwork in makeup artistry.  Always wanting to create a new look that is fun and energetic.  Creating a look that inspires and intrigues.  Makeup is more then just perfecting a look its creating a style and an accessory.  Blending and smudging the colours together, but also using items like sticky tape to help create strong lines.  Anything to help create a look.  Whether its making the eyes stand out, or bringing a particular colour out in an outfit or even creating a creature for theatre its all about a certain technique and a desire to bring out the colour in a persons life.

Lisa Schmoldt

Lisa Schomldt lives in Port Charlotte Florida and has been tattooing for 14 years.  She owns her own tattooing shop called Otherside Ink.  Lisa has a number of hobbies and interests that inspire her artwork of tattooing.  Music, travel, art, faeries, all things Egyptian and everything other worldly and not of this dimension.

When being asked what made her want to become a tattoo artist, she responded in saying that there was nothing in particular that made her want to be a tattoo artist.  But she did explain that when growing up she saw a lot of BAD tattoos that made her think she could do better.  With that thought in mind, Lisa became a tattoo artist.

Lisa believes that she doesn’t have a set style when it comes to her tattooing skills, but at the same time she prides her self in the fact that she assures all her tattoos are unique and as individual as the person who is getting them.  She enjoys the technical aspect of tattooing, clean line structure, solid shading and solid hues of graduated colour are concepts on can really apply to any tattoo.

Just like me, her inspirations are that of Amy Brown and Brian Froud and actually specializes in recreating their artwork as tattoos.  her work is amazing and the attention to detail is extremely specific.  At the same time, she puts her own spin on it to ensure the artwork is not exactly the same and reflects that of the person  who will own that image on their body for the rest of their life.  

“I was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, raised in a small town in missouri and moved to Florida where I graduated High Schoo, This is where I have resided since.  My art training came straight from birth as both my parents met in art school which is where I was conceived.  I have always had and artisti sense aboutme and took every course school had to offer.  After high school I marred and had children, in doing so, I did not pursue my artistic abilities until around 1992, when I received my first tattoo and was introduced and intrigued by this form of expression and became instantly mesmerized by the artistic rendering in skin of such artists as Kari Barba, Juli Moon, Judy Parker and Vyvyn Lazonga.  Learning and relearning this craft has been a long hard road of ups and downs,  Filled with insights from many people of all spectrums of the industry.  I joined the APT (Alliance of Professional Tattooists) in 1999 and follow all guidelines proposed by out professionals withing the industry when practicing the art of tattooing and have been certified in cross contamination and diesease prevention.

I have attended nummerous conventions and seminars over the years throught the US and have proven to be valuable learning and meeting experiense for me.  The artists I have been in contact with and have tattooed me, have all, in come small or in some cases, very large ways contributed to the level of tattooing I am at today.  

I try to work with my clients to achieve their internal visions, manifested outwardly, so that they can reflect to the outer world that which is within.  Tattooing for me is very much about the exchange I have to have input from the client.”

http://www.tattoosbylisa.moonfruit.com/#/bio/4509630855

 a Brian Froud piece

 Brian Froud

 Amy Brown

 Amy Brown

 Amy Brown

Brian Froud

Another artist that I admire is Brian Froud.  He's another person that is infected with the belief that faeries really do exist.  I have always had a fascination with his work as early as I can remember.  Watching the Movie Labyrinth and The Dark Crystal always use to encourage my imagination.  It was Brian who came up with the characters in both these movies and it was his wife that helped make them all the more life like.

Brian Froud was was in Winchester in 1947 and graduated with Hounours from maidstone College of Art in 1971 with a degree in Graphic Design.  Froud then began working in London on numerous projects ranging from books jackets, magazine covers, advertising and even illustrating children's books.

Using a variety of different media from acrylics, coloured pencils, pastels and inks, Froud has created a unique style that has become well recognized fantasy images of the Twenty first century.  Froud is an eccentric mind and has a wide knowledge of all things folklore and mythical.  Thus feeding his imagination and creating some of the most amazing artwork to inspire.

Froud's work has brought a lot into the minds of his fans, help their imagination expand and see the world as he does, and in doing so he has collaborated his works into a number of books.  In 1978 Briand Froud and Allen Lee (creator of the muppets) put together a book called FAERIES.  It was such a success that it made the number four spot on the New York Times list.

J'Aton

From watercolour faerie paintings, to photography and tattooing also comes a passion for fashion.  J'Aton is one of those designers that I love every piece of.  There are the standard Couture labels like Gucci, Armarni and Prada that the trendy fashion girl swoons over.  But for me, it's the beautifully hand stitched and well thought out pieces of art that J'Aton design.

J'Aton was established in 1995, by Jacob Luppino and Anthony Pittorino in Prahan Melbourne.  Their designs are mainly for evening and bridal wear.  J'Aton were publicized even more as Chris Judd's girlriend, Rebecca Twigley, wore the famous red dress to the Brownlow medal awards.  Since then the duo have been in high demand by Australia's society and celebrity elite.  They pride themselves in their traditional methods and techniques when it comes to designing and handwork.  Liking to keep with a certain style but always putting a unique twist to a new gown.

It is with this visions that makes these designers produce such beauty.  Creating inanimate, yet twisting swathes of male mist, creating an illusion of graceful movement.  It's fashion like this that will inspire a generation to abandon the casualised fashion and skank-chic for glamour.

Annie Leibovitz

One of the most inspiring women to me would have to be the world renown photographer Annie Leibovitz.  Born in 1949 Waterbury, Connecticut, Annie Leibovitz enrolled in the San Francisco Art Institute intent on studying painting.  After her sophomore year was completed, she travelled to Japan with her mother and this is where her fascination with photography began.  When she got back to San Francisco she began to take night classes.

Her career started 1970, when she got a job working at the Rolling Stones magazine.  Even thought Annie Leibovitz didn't see her self as anything more then an amateur photographer she got the job done and everyone liked her style. Her first assignment was to do a shoot of John Lennon and Yoko Ono.  This shoot was to end up on the cover of the magazine.  Two years later, she was named Rolling Stone Chief Photographer.

In 1975 when Annie Leibovitz serves as the official photographer for the Rolling Stones on their world tour.  It was from this while she was on the road with the band that she produces her iconic black and white portraits of Keith Richards and Mick Jagger all shirt less and gritty.

In 1980 Rolling Stone sent Annie Leibovitz to photograph John Lennon and Yoko Ono again.  They had just released their duet album "Double Fantasy".  Leibovitz had in her mind that she was going to do a shoot where the couple would pose nude, but when she got there Yoko wasn't comfortable with the idea.  Even though disappointed Leibovitz worked with what she had and used polaroids to show Yoko the idea.  This was to be a memorable shoot, even though it did not go as intended the shoot was a success with Yoko Ono fully clothed with John Lennon nude and wrapped around her.  A few hours later, John Lennon was shot.  This image made the front cover of the Rolling Stone the next day as a commemorative issue.

Since she didn't learn how to take photographs in colour, Annie Leibovitz had to teach herself how to develop and understand the different lighting techniques that came with colour photography.  In doing so she has become known for her wildly lit, staged and provocative portraits of celebrities.  Her style is unique, elaborate and captivating.  Always that of a story.  Her vision is a unique one yet she is able to show it to the world through her work.

What draws me most to her work is that the photographs are more then just pictures.  They are a moment captured in time.  Each photo has been thought about rather then just taken for the sake of being taken.  The one below was from Nixon's resignation.  While all the other media photographers had left after the helicopter took off, Leibovitz stayed and took the epic photograph of the soldiers rolling up the red carpet.  This is one of the most memorable pictures taken.

David Downton

David Downton is a remarkable fashion illustrator.  At the moment Chadstone Shopping Centre has a small exhibition of his work celebrating his art in the industry of fashion.  David Downton use to be an editor till his interest was in fashion illustration.

Looking at his images he has captured not only the couture beautifully with a few simple looking strokes of the brush, but he has also managed to create an almost photographic image of the model.

What I love about his work, is that once again he works with water colours, being my favourite medium, but also the fact that his art is so simple.  The more simple the strokes seem to be the more effective and eye catching.  He has a talent in which allows him to make the most simple painting dramatic and effortless, but you cannot look away due to the simple beauty of it all.