Archive for August 17, 2010
RAW: SALA – X-HIBIT By Simon Klobas – Gallery on Waymouth
Aug 17th
Simon Klobas is the force behind this initiative to have some of Adelaide’s young and upcoming artists exhibit before their peers in a relaxed club atmosphere – to enjoy art in an opening night spirit but without the art nobs. His first night certainly suggested the idea has legs.
Five artists were featured and for mine Ashleigh Abbott’s crisp, clean geometrically shaped bird series was the stand out. A coming together of Gould and Mondrian, her birds were often presented in mirror images with titles such as ‘love is two minds without a single thought’ that gave them a romance and familiarity that was most endearing.
Gretl Watson-Blazewicz presented three large oils, painted with a palette knife to give them a rough but energising texture, of the San Diego coastline, Venice Beach, Ca and a street scene in Vietnam. Their perspectives were very much of the postcard type view and but the works oozed a life beyond your standard post card image.
Lili Dare’s drawings included two set at specific moments of time, those instances where emotions or events gets indelibly marked in memory. The girl with the bare shoulder in 3.47pm was her highlight. Along a similar line were Seb Paynter’s images, taking old scratchy or hazy photographs and working them up into a unique picture. Seemingly a little clichéd at first, over time they came to enchant and draw curiosity.
As mentioned, this X-Hibit exhibition was on for just one night and that is the sad part giving prospective buyers no time to consider the works, especially in the full light of day. Hopefully next time Simon will be granted a longer leash by the Gallery on Waymouth proprietors.