Saturday, January 30, 2016

Paste Modernism 4 @ aMBUSH Gallery & The Living Mall
Works on Paper

Marie-Therese Wisniowski


Preamble
For you convenience I have listed below posts on this blogspot that featured Museums and Galleries.
When Rainforests Ruled
Some Textiles@The Powerhouse Museum
Textile Museum in Tilburg (The Netherlands)
Eden Gardens
Maschen (Mesh) Museum@Tailfingen
Museum Lace Factory@Horst(The Netherlands)
Expressing Australia – Art in Parliament House
TextielLab & TextielMuseum – 2013
The Last Exhibition @ Galerie ’t Haentje te Paart
Paste Modernism 4 @ aMBUSH Gallery & The Living Mal
El Anatsui – Five Decades@Carriageworks
The Australian Museum of Clothing and Textiles
Louisiana Museum of Modern Art
Nordiska Museet (The Nordic Museum)
Tarndwarncoort (Tarndie)
Egyptian Museum Cairo - Part I
Egyptian Museum Cairo - Part II
Masterpieces of the Israel Museum

One of my passions is to create Post-Graffiti artwork on cloth as well as on prints on paper. A series of posts on this blog spot have addressed issues in Graffiti and Post Graffiti Art as well as presenting images of such art. I have listed links to some of these posts below for your enjoyment.
Time Dimension in Art
Unleashed: The Rise of Australian Street Art
Act of Engagement
New York Spray-Can Memorials
Another Brick
A Letter to a Friend
Cultural Graffiti
Beyond the Fear of Freedom
Oh, Oh Marilyn and Mona@Spoonflower
Neu Kunst: Mona & Marilyn


Introduction

Paste Modernism 4 – Exhibition@aMBUSH Gallery and The Living Mall (Sydney).

In the 1950s to the 1980s posters bridged the divide between fine-art traditions and modern political movements. Street poster boards and of course, any blank concrete space in the pathway of the public eye, were adorned with posters. Sooner than later, these boards had posters pasted on top of posters and so as the outer layer fragmented, the image of the inner layers of older posters would re-emerge, giving you a natural but weathered collage of issues and images juxtaposed on top of one another. Another form of street art had now emerged - albeit chaotically and without an intervening human hand!

“Collaged, layered, torn, worn Graffiti poster creating exciting compositions and juxtapositions of colors and fragments that have the power of carefully crafted collages”. David Robinson in, Soho Walls, Beyond Graffiti. Artist Unknown.

Unlike Street Art, which captured the imagination of mainly youthful and defiant artists, these naturally created collages became the inspiration for another stream of public artists who were responsible for the birth of wheat paste art. For example, some of Miso's wheat paste art is inspired by Russian Constructivism. Her pasted up drawings are very detailed and close to life size.

Miso - Liverpool St CBD (Melbourne) 2009 (detailed view).

The Street Art movement - like so many other movements in the past - quickly morphed into a myriad of different styles (e.g. Paste Modernism versus Russian Constructivism etc.), subject matter (e.g. spray can memorials versus Graffiti Art) and techniques (e.g. stencils versus paste-up). What is interesting is the way an art form matures, from its embryo beginnings into a level of artistic sophistry that was not initially fore-told nor foreseen, but rather meandered haphazardly through an artistic and learning process - the latter being verbally/existentially transmitted rather than being structurally taught and communicated.

I hope you enjoy glimpses of the exhibition - Paste Modernism 4 (curated by Ben Frost) - which was featured at the aMBUSH Gallery and The Living Mall (Sydney, Australia) from Friday the 27th November to the 24th of January 2016.


What is Paste-Up? (Definition by Ben Frost)
The ”Paste-Up” is an ever-expanding and innovative form of street art that involves an artist making their work onto varying sizes of paper and then applying it to walls and surfaces within their urban environment using wheat paste or wall paper glue. Whether as black and white multiple photocopies, colorful hand painted mural or thought provoking text pieces, the “Paste-Up” is an immediate and bold contemporary art-form.

The medium explores not only aesthetic values, but is often politically and socially motivated – which allows for experimentation by both accomplished artists as well as people with little or no artistic training. With all other street art genres, a hierarchy is in place based usually on skill and years of training and practice of each artist (aerosol-can control/complexity of a stencil etc.) Most “Paste-Up” artists also have years of experience, creating intricate and well-planned artworks – however anybody right now, could find a photograph or jpeg that resonates with them, take it to a digital printer and with relatively little expense, print it out in wallpaper width sheets and put it up on the streets.


History of Paste Modernism by Ben Frost
The first Paste Modernism was in 2008 and was held in an abandoned 5-story stairwell of Hibernian House in Surrey Hills (Sydney). At the time we were noticing a lot of Paste Ups being put up around Sydney, and understood it to be a rising new genre of street art to revival stencils and murals. An open call was put out mostly by word of mouth amongst the Paste-Up community, to arrive at the stairwell on 30th August to adhere to the walls their paper creations in any way they liked. Around 25 artists participated in this “secret” exhibition and we gathered on the top floor of the stairwell that night to meet each other, discuss our artworks and celebrate the beginning of something new.

Paste Modernism 2 was held at the Lo-Fi project space above Kinsella’s on Taylor Square (Sydney) in 2010. Over 150 artists participated from around the world in a huge 800 square meter space. The panels were auctioned for charity and over (AUS)$8,000 was raised and donated to the Queensland (a State in Australia) flood victims. In this exhibition we realized that we could take digital submissions from artists overseas and print their work locally and paste them within the show – to make Paste Modernism a truly global participation.

Paste Modernism 3 was a part of the Outpost Project street art festival on Cockatoo Island (Sydney) in 2011. The event had submissions from over 360 Australian and international artists and was installed over a one week period. In this event we came to understand the genre of “Paste-Ups” and Paste Modernism was becoming an increasingly inclusive and “democratic” process – such that anyone could be involved – even people who weren’t visual artists. Not only could we take submissions from anywhere in the world (both digitally and physically) but people of any age group – including children. Outpost Project was presented by the Sydney Habour Federation Trust and aMBUSH Gallery.


Paste Modernism 4 (Curator Ben Frost)

Statement of Exhibition: Politically charged in its content, democratic in its process and universally divisive in its nature as an art form, the practice of paste-ups is given its due as an often overlooked but globally embraced means of expression by Australian exhibition series - Paste Modernism.

Curated by Ben Frost and presented in partnership with aMBUSH Gallery, Paste Modernism launches its fourth incarnation. The exhibition featured the wheat-pasted paper creations of over 500 artists from across the globe, plastered to every available inch of aMBUSH Gallery’s wall space in a multi-colored onslaught of digital reproductions, hand-painted posters and textual works that explore the social and political concerns of modernity.

The series’ monumental growth from humble beginnings mirrors the silent paste-up boom the world has experienced, and Paste Modernism 4 is a celebration of both. Artists of all ages, levels of experience, backgrounds and subject matter have been invited to submit their works and collaborate on the biggest collage in Paste Modernism’s history.

The exhibition also featured a hands-on event in which visitors to the exhibition could paste up illustrations or images on an evolving collage. All equipment (glue, brooms, buckets, scissors etc.) was on-site, and so visitors were asked to make or bring their paste-ups to the exhibition.

Collage 1 – a work in progress. Various paste-ups by visitors to the exhibition.

The workshop “tutor”(for want of a better descriptor) was Konsumterra (aka Chris Tamm). His pseudonym refers to the fear of not possessing enough commodities to preserve your social status and the consumption of the planet.

Three contributors to Collage 1 – a work in progress.

Konsumterra uses multiple styles and media, which usually included re-purposed and recycled found materials with hand-made wheat paste. He loves to encourage others to do the same. It was a pleasure to meet and talk to him.

My five minute flower contribution to Collage 1 – a work in progress.

Visitors were also asked to join the PASTE MODERNISM Facebook page for any updates about the installation - see https://www.facebook.com/groups/pastemodernism - or they could email Ben at - info@pastemodernism.com.


Participating Artists/Groups
Felipe Pantone, Ben Eine, Pure Evil, Anthony Lister, Buff Monster, Reka, Copyright, Gemma Compton, Bigfoot, Greg Mike, Taylor White, Twoone, Nosego, Ha-Ha, My Dog Sighs, Jeremyville, Smc3, Bridge Stehli, Remi Rough, Makatron, Skull Cap, Cezar Brandao, George Rose, Sam Octigan, Neko, Dev, Unwell Bunny, Sean Morris, Skount, Carl Morgan, Mue Bon, Beastman, Numskull, Chris Cunningham, Thomas Brothers, Kentaro Yoshida, Bafcat, Carley Cornellison, Alex Lehours, Jeroen Huijbregts, William Nghiem, Rj, Pike, Apeseven, Heesco, Drew Funk, Skulk, Bei Badgirl, Phoenix, The Black Math, M-Lon, Grizzle, Tenderloin Television, Shiroi Usagi, Rebecca Murphy, Fezwitch, Eamon Donnelly, Uno, Jumbo, Zap, Mandy Salter, Fena Cartes, Gimiks Born, Benjamin Reeve, Edgarr, Pipsqueak Was Here, Melissa Grisancich, Krispe, Bunkwaa, Jeremy Austin, Mike Chavez, Fuzeillear, Denial, Mini Graff, Lady Millard, Galo, Skel, Dave Faint, Yolkk, Chow Monstro, Pigeon Boy, Camo, Murrz, Karen Farmer, 1337, Astro, Olive 47, Mats?!, Adrian Doyle, Aaron Craig, Ben Frost, Mad One, The Cloud Artist, Creon, Michael Cain, Nixi Killick, Toggles, D.R.A, Nico Nicosen, Redneck, M-Lon, Sam Silverstone, Konsumeterra, Simon Lovelace, Sebastien Fougere, Jodee Knowles, Lusid Art, Tom Dub, Mr. French, Damian Lewis, Ham, Sprinkles, Hermes Berrio, Jorge Catoni, Danielle Catte, Alias, Love Ariel, Zeke's Lunchbox, Rel 'Terhor' Pham, Ayash Laras, Marly, Shane O'Driscoll, Tom Lukacs, Thomas C Chung, Brent Zittel, Rise Ape, Matthew Blanch, Sean Breasley, Jiggy Jiggster, Kubi Vasak, Alvaro Tapia Hidalgo, Teens On Acid, Mathieu Codel Delcroix, Stephen Gregory, Ryan Ady Putra, Sharks Patrol These Waters, Goya Torres, Graham Wilson, Saffaa, 1dirlust, Dion Parker, Guesswho, Gnomes, Barek, Cen, Quirky Bones, Tim Andrew, Ms Browns Lounge, Maria Yanovsky, Awol Monk, Adrian Teem Repeti, Paul Carruthers, Ladyj Adams, Anthony Jigalin, Mod Cardenas, Joel Lambeth, Baby Guerilla, J. Bourbon, Asia, Mike Francis, Glenn Smith, Gina Monaco, Neil Edwards, Ian Henna, Shu/Monstery And Me, Vars One, Felix, Dboe, Rujunko Pugh, Trait, Taxi66, Mr Manok, Houl, John Doe, Butcha, Cohen Gum, Jrb, Sancho, Lisa Pham, The Havoc Plan, Buttons, Mike Watt, Mini, Drg, Bec Todd, Sloe Motion, Johann Busen, Sandra Veljanovski, Rob Collinet, The Infamous Dogfight, Black Cat, Elle Santarelli, Gabriel Mello, 23rd Key, Monica Renaud, Bk Dieci, Noiq, Naomi Chilcott, Nina Bric, Matthew Hurley, Benjamin Coombs, Vort, Conor Crawford, Steve Wilson, Mr Draws, Luke Haggart, Ted Tuesday, Alice Lazarus, Bareface, Carrie Toumsook, Gabriel Rojashruska, Reda El Mraki, Miguel Nightmares, Luv(Sic), Daniel Muscat, Cote Escriva, Eli Flanagan, Dyusuv, Jeremy Thompson, Satria Utama, Psyco, Paper Yacht Club, Blo, Blah Paradise, Hules, Crisis, Alex Latham, Styna, Jeffrey Hamilton, Erin Smith, Burg Art, Ashley New, Masonrie, Seff Mudge, Viola Nazario, Bad Data, Never A Sir, Lyndsey Murray, Alisha Hinds, Pauline Welsh, Matthew Bourne, Tim Fry, Ought, Von Bearsinger, Dame Dismember, Rawz86, Buni, Calm, Nick Hinder, Y_T, Lachlan Knight Phillips, Princess Margaret Rose, Pieces Of Mayhem, Ox King, Caitlin Doyle, Teboni Carlisle, Cara Diffey, Nikolaus Dolman, Vink, Felicity Wrangles, Ben Nicholls, Connor Crawford, Ian Andrew, Just Edit, James Stuckey, Point108, Pierrot Sant'ana, Grace Garcia, Kreweduzoo, Irmano, Ricky Kuruppu, Lard Art, Johnny Draco, Crummy Gummy, Nikolaus Dolman, Hvy Blk, Aimee Young, Carmen Doecke, Nicanor Aquino, Joe Flores, Kurt Eidsvig, Matt Dowman, Machine Gun Dev, Scruffy Unicorn, Super8, Zropro, Paul Rogers, Brandon Hall, Seth Tarrant, Jenna Yona Bloom, Simanion, Nicholas John, Serf, Campbell La Pun, Sofia Fitzpatrick, Launa Winship, Luisa Cester, Liam Snootle, Guzziboy, Kolt75, Kirsty Kat, Albert Avila Comacho, Najzil Layin, Nico, Astral Twins, Bernstah, Felix Gerber, Steen, Pheelix, Axolotl, 2171, Christina Di Bona, Zennie McLoughlin. 085c3n3, Mie Nakazawa, Crow Jane, Violet Arthi, Jensen, Yasmin Breeze, Clout, Ben Rider.

Some Images of the Exhibition
As none of the exhibition collages contain information about who were the contributing artists or groups, we shall just present each exhibition collage and show a few detailed images of each collage without attribution. In doing so, we hope to inspire some of you to join and participate in this street art movement.

Collage 2.

Collage 2 (a detail view).

Collage 2 (a detail view).

Collage 3 (overall view).

Collage 3 (a detail view).

Collage 4 (overall view).

Collage 4 (a detail view).

Collage 5 (overall view).

Collage 5 (a detail view).

Collage 6 (overall view).

Collage 6 (a detail view).

Collage 7 (overall view).

Collage 7 (a detail view).

Collage 8 (overall view).

Collage 8 (a detail view).

Collage 9 (overall view).

Collage 9 (a detail view).

Collage 10 (overall view).

Collage 10 (a detail view).

Collage 10 (overall view).

Collage 11 (overall view).

Collage 11 (a detail view).

Collage 12 (overall view).

Collage 12 (a detail view).

Collage 13 (overall view).

Collage 13 (a detail view).

Collage 14 (overall view).

Collage 14 (a detail view).

2 comments:

Flora Fascinata said...

You just amaze me Marie-Therese, I really like this research, too! A lot of boys in high schools are drawn to street-art and this compilation is brilliant. This would really engage young people. Thank you, once again.

Art Quill Studio said...

Thanks for your kind comments Flora ! I hope that the students have been inspired to follow their artistic passions !