how to drown an albatross

I am one of 14 Great Southern artists (that's artists from the Great Southern, not GREAT artists who come from the south) involved in this PIAF exhibition. I only finished my piece for it yesterday. I'm kind of looking forward to it - I haven't been in a group exhibition like this since 2008 when I participated in ArtiStories in Denmark.

My work is a simple video projection. I will post it here once the exhibition is up and running. It is a 'themed' exhibition and luckily I had an idea for something that fit - otherwise I wouldn't have bothered. I actually don't like being driven by other people's themes, but this one worked quite well for me. You'll be pleased to hear I haven't been cured of my addiction to apocalyptic gloom.

There will be 10 minute talks by the artists (including me) on Saturday 1st of March at 3.00 pm. Very casual. This is my artist's statement:

Michelle Frantom, How to Drown an Albatross, digital drawing/video

'Is it he?....Is this the man?

By him who died on cross,

With his cruel bow he laid full low

The harmless Albatross'

In a world where humans are the dominant species, 'interconnectedness' is generally considered to be a positive thing. The digital 'web', transport networks and invisible lines of electronic communication evidence our ability to penetrate almost every realm of existence. This work focuses on the negative outcomes of our obsession to leave nothing untouched.

A conceptual thread ironically links the albatross's 'webbed feet' to the human-made 'web-like' thread that has taken its life. Just as in Samuel Coleridge's, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, the 'harmless Albatross' has once again been sacrificed because of humankind's obsession with itself.

(Original reference image of albatross: G Robertson, Australian Antarctica Division, Tasmania)

You are welcome to come to the opening next Friday 21 Feb @ 7.00 pm at the Albany Town Hall, but please RSVP to Annette Davis by 17 February: adavis@westnet.com.au 

country town architecture

I had to travel to Katanning yesterday as part of my job overseeing some TAFE courses there. I really love the ambience of country towns with their odd mix of architecture. The old pubs with their big verandahs still take central place. And you can stop in the main streeet in your car to take photos. Brilliant.

examiner's reports

The verdict about my thesis from both examiners is that it will pass with 'Minor amendments', which means: 'minor textual and/or structural amendments are required'. The examiners provided detailed reports (one was 7 pages long) with page numbers so it shouldn't be too difficult to work my way through the document (again!)

There are 5 possible outcomes, from 'No amendments' to 'Fail', so this is a good outcome. Even so, the list of changes is a bit daunting. I suspect it will look more manageable once I have gone through them one at a time.

The general feedback was very positive. Both examiners enjoyed the artwork and the written exegesis. One concluded: 'Overall I felt that it was a successful show which achieved the qualities of the terror of the sublime'. The same examiner also commented on the section entitled 'The Gap': 'In this section the writing of Michelle races - it sparkles!'

The second examiner said: 'Thank you for a very interesting and challenging thesis. The interweaving of imaginal psychology with art practice positioned at the dramatic and huntingly beautiful location of the Gap...., gives rise to an inspiring argument'.

There are suggestions to delete ideas that have not been argued fully which is fine because the overall argument will still prevail. There are also comments about 'generalisations', but mainly I will simply have to delete or briefly substantiate some of my claims.

Unfortunately my supervisor has gone on holidays for 3 weeks, and I will need her help to tease out which changes I should make, which I should argue against - there is at least one instance where I will be doing that.

But it certainly is a relief to know I am nearly there.

back to basics

If you follow my website blog or indulge in Facebook you will have seen these. This is what I have been playing around with in the studio lately (among other things) - Artisan (water soluble oils) - Paynes Gray, Titanium white, a couple of palette knives and some cardboard.

I'm also doing something hybrid (digital combined with real materials) for PIAF this year with the MIX group of artists, and contemplating the Mandorla prize because I have wanted to enter it for decades and this year's theme suits me perfectly (more on that later. If you can't wait for me to blog about it, click on the link).

The first work has been done on panels cut from a very solid waxy cardboard box, the second on black card. A quick coat of gesso and I'm into it. It's liberating not having to paint for something, or worry about whether it's archival quality. I've let go of that idea now, because I can always make anything that works into prints and they can be archival if they need to be.

image 1: The Hangman (after watching the classic film 'Anne of a Thousand Days')

image 2: Floating Cube (original name, eh?)

when art practice = spiritual practice

My computer desktop, e-mail inbox and studio have never been emptier. Since submitting my thesis, having the exhibition and doing my artist's talk there is nothing driving me. I don't start back at my 'job' (paid work) for another couple of weeks so I've been telling myself to relax, do nothing, have a rest. Truth is I have little motivation or energy anyway. 

I have been throwing myself in the ocean to surf each morning and lying around watching old movies in the afternoon. Occasionally I wander aimlessly in my now sparsely furnished studio after reorganising it when the big paintings were loaded on the truck for Perth. I still don't know what I am going to do with them when they come back - I like my new spacious studio the way it is.

It's all very well taking a break from 'work', except for me my 'art practice' is also my 'spiritual practice'. It has been this way for a very long time - no wonder I am feeling a little bereft.

There are things I discovered along the way that I want to explore now that I am free to do so, so I don't need to reinvent myself - the process is ongoing. Throughout my study I never lost sight of the reasons I make images in the first place. However, as part of this re-evaluation, I do feel the need to go back to the core of what my art is about and why I do it. The very significant insights I have had into the role of images in human consciousness will no doubt influence what I do next, and it is this I want to pursue. 

The study and research will continue - it is what I do, it is why I am here on the planet. I am on a mission and that won't change until I have reached a point of wisdom where I don't feel the need to pursue anything. Only then will I be able to truly rest.

exhibition images

If anyone is interested I have just put all of the images exhibited for my PhD at John Curtin Gallery in November 2013 on my website. I actuallly did some work in the studio yesterday and have been indulging myself in some digital drawing.

This is a screen shot of a work in progress - my digital drawing (on right) from the reference photograph on the left (courtesy of G. Robertson, Antarctica Division) It might be in the PIAF exhibition in Albany in 2014, but I haven't settled on an idea yet.

I am just loving the digital drawing.

a hard act to follow

I was prompted to post this because of Sarah Toa's latest offering. In fact I could have written it, from a slightly different perspective of course - but I have the same shit going on in my head: 'Maybe this is it. Maybe I have pulled off one good....(book) body of work....and this is it'. I think I know just how Sarah is feeling.

It's been a dizzying few weeks: the exhibition opening at JCG 3 weeks ago and all the wonderful feedback; back up to Perth last weekend for my artist's talk. It's been difficult to debrief. Now I need to wrap everything up - retrieve the work from the gallery, finish off the year. I am in a strange nothing sort of space, which, after 7 years of intense study and hard work, is inevitable. I like my down time - I am looking forward to having a break and going surfing a lot. I am also getting mixed up in some new projects for next year and interested in returning to a more public life after hiding out for such a long time. Everything is feeling rather strange. 

Last Sunday after the talk I took one last, long look at the exhibition and said out loud: 'I'll never top this'. I think the gallery director may have heard me.

People around me are asking: What's next? And I just give them a blank confused look. I have some ideas, but will need some space to let things settle.

To top it all off I still haven't heard from the examiners, so this 'success' could be an illusion.

I have to remind myself that the journey doesn't end here. It will be a little different but life goes on. I am in the business of evolving and I need to find my centre again. I will start feeling more like myself when I get back to my own art practice and further (private) study. And that is where I will start the climb up the next mountain.

image: Void, one of the works in the exhibition. Digital animation over photograph of The Gap at dusk.