poppy

Returning again.

Figuring Landscapes, at ArtSway

It was on for five days. The weekend trains were severely disrupted. No matter how awe inspiring the work is, if you can't see it, it means shit. I watched an hour and a half of it. Three things have stuck with me.

Eugenia Lim-Young American, 2005, 4 min, Australia
One of the first I saw, also one of the the ones that stuck with me. Typically Asian girl, inserting blue contacts and wearing a platinum white wig. Playing guitar in the woods/important landmarks. Very powerful music. Playing an electric guitar that isn't plugged in, so isn't actually making any noise, but strumming with a toy koala, symbolism is playing a huge part, but I only saw it as a girl doing what she wanted. The Aussie aspect puts a different spin on things. To be honest, I'm not a massive fan of Australia. I saw this as quite a powerful piece, but I don't see it as being an Australian piece.

Bronwyn Platten, Meeting Nude Woman Walking on Balls (after Hans Baldung Grien, 1514), 2006, 4 min extract, Australia.
I did not like this, nor did I draw inspiration from this. I got nothing from this other than...being uncomfortable at looking at the female form. It was tedious and boring. If it was trying to make the point that women are easily manipulated and abused in the Aus, um, well, it proved its point. It is very uncomfortable to watch, that's not just because of the stress and pain the (Nude Woman) must be feeling. If you're watching, male or female, you can see and feel the effort.

Vernon Ah Kee, Cant Chant (Wegrewhere), 2007, 4:20 min, Australia
Apart from the surfboard covered in barbed wire, this could be a surf video. I looked into this guys work, he sees himself as an Aborigine, not an Australian, not a Westerner, no. He is definitely something from the past. Because of his grandfather. Yes.

posted by poppy @ 1:22 am