LEYLA STEVENS, BRIDIE GILLMAN, ALFIRA O’SULLIVAN, KARTIKA SUHARTO-MARTIN, IDA LAWRENCE & MASHARA WACHJUDY
’WOVEN’
6 APRIL – 26 APRIL, 2017
Woven, 2017, Installation shot. Photography by Document Photography.
ID: In the center of the gallery space, sand that is shaped into a large circle has been placed on the floor. A woven basket and some leaves are placed inside the circle. The wall behind it has two framed photographs hanging below eye level. One image shows a wall with various images and paintings and a garland of Australian flags. On the corner wall at the back of the space, a photograph of a tree on a desolate beach hangs next to a painting covered in text. The painting sees a pair of crossed legs from above, with rays of yellow lines radiating out from the left knee.
ARTIST STATEMENT
Woven was an exhibition and performance event that tied together the practices of six female Australian artists who each have personal connections to Indonesia. These connections exist through the artists having an Indonesian parent, being immersed in the culture, living part of their childhood in the archipelago, and living there more recently. The artists’ works explored the complexities of history, identity, memory and cross-cultural understanding – on both personal and national levels – and span installation, performance, painting, collage, photography, video and sculpture.
Woven, 2017, Installation shot. Photography by Document Photography.
ID: On the floor of the gallery, there are two sculptures. They are made out of bamboo sticks which are attached to make frames upon which pieces of white fabric are draped across. Small objects made out of palm leaves and other materials are placed on the fabric. Similar objects are found on the wall behind the sculptural works, on small wooden shelves. Two framed photographs of jungle vegetation are placed on the walls of the gallery, one that leans against the wall low to the ground and one hanging on the back wall beside it. Another framed work hangs on the wall of the gallery. It shows a collage of a woman in a dress reclining on eucalyptus leaves, with a small chicken and a drink in a plastic bag with a straw coming out of it placed around her. The background image shows a lush field. On the wall behind it to the left, there are two more framed collages in a similar style next to a set of postcards that hang from the wall.
Woven, 2017, Installation shot. Photography by Document Photography.
ID: Hanging on the walls of the gallery are three works. On the right side of the image, there is a collage of a woman in a dress reclining on eucalyptus leaves, with a small chicken and a drink in a plastic bag with a straw coming out of it placed around her. The background image shows a lush field. On the wall behind it, there is a photograph of the tired facade of a building. On the building, the word "LIFEGUARD" is written in large red letters. Next to the photograph, four shelves with cards hang on the wall. The cards read text such as "Bloody hot Bloody hot!" and "Do you have any sweet chilli sauce?". All are in a handwritten font in a similar style.
Woven, 2017, Installation shot. Photography by Document Photography.
ID: On a corner of the wall hangs four works. The left hand side sees two framed photographs that hang below eye level. One of them shows a wall with various images and paintings and a garland of Australian flags. On the right wall, there is a painting in bright colours that form shapes on the canvas. The canvas is covered in text that reads horizontally and vertically. A photograph of a pink plastic chair buried halfway in sand hangs next to the painting. THe background of the photograph looks abandoned and unkept.
Woven, 2017, Installation shot. Photography by Document Photography.
ID: On the floor of the gallery, there is a sculpture made out of bamboo sticks which are attached to make frames upon which pieces of white tarpaulin fabric are hanging from. Small objects made out of palm leaves and other materials are placed on the fabric. Similar objects are found on the wall behind the sculptural work, on small wooden shelves. Two framed photographs of jungle vegetation are placed on the walls of the gallery, one that leans against the wall low to the ground and one hanging on the back wall beside it.