Sandra Selig and Vernon Ah Kee at Milani Gallery

Words: Saskia Edwards 

Photos: Jonathan Rae
Sculpture/Collage: Sandra Selig

Paintings: Vernon Ah Kee

Sandra Selig’s works look like interstellar origami - where planets, nature and fractals envelope each other.

The images are from outdated science textbooks. They have the quality of images in old atlases. Their treatment captures the 20th century. I mean the aesthetic has the colours and character of film photography particular to the 20th century.

“[I] find a lot of the images very moving,” says Sandra.

“I like that the text does not reflect that, so it leaves room for me to re-interpret.

“With the folded works, I like the unexpected pairings of images when you fold over a page that has an image on both sides.

“It has multi-dimensional play.”

The works seem like they’re still evolving. While delicately and purposefully arranged, they appear to be in a state of growth. I suppose much like the nature of the universe or our environment.

“I think it's interesting if the work doesn't completely know itself but is partially in a state of trying to do so. It's a puzzling soul, more like a garden.

“Changing in time, reaching for the sun, but also staying in the earth it was planted in.”

The NSW-born artist completed a Masters in Visual Arts at QUT in 1999. Sandra has exhibited internationally, notably in Britain and Japan. Her interests also extend to music as an active member of the underground Brisbane music landscape. Previously Sandra played in The Deadnotes and now she’s half of the lo-fi electronic band Primitive Motion. She’s combined the two mediums.

Sandra partnered with her bandmate Leighton Craig “on Visual Art/music hybrid projects”.

In March the duo will release their second LP to which the artwork will be integral and complementary. In the same month Sandra will exhibit two major installations - one at Sydney’s MCA and the other at the NGV in Melbourne.

Until then, take a look at Sandra’s latest works. They’re kind of calming, natural and nostalgic. 

Also at Milani Gallery but with a very different quality - Vernon Ah Kee’s paintings.

Above: Sculpture/Collage works by Sandra Selig

Above: Paintings by Vernon Ah Kee

Natalya Hughes at Milani Gallery: Warping the Woodblock

 
Words: Saskia Edwards
Images: Jonathan Rae
Original Artwork: Natalya Hughes

Yoshitoshi was the last great master of the Japanese woodblock print. He gave the ancient form its final resplendent moment. His life spanned the old feudal Japan to the modern Japanese era.

The style of Yoshitoshi’s work was in flux throughout his life. His prints are often mystical, delicate and enchanting. But equally so, they can be disturbing, macabre and violent. Many of Yoshitoshi’s early works were vivid with sprays of blood in extreme scenes of sword fighting, beheading and cannibalism.

Tumultuous finances, a waning demand for prints and a series of mental breakdowns led Yoshitoshi’s life to an isolated and dishonoured end. When he died in 1892, the traditional Japanese woodblock essentially died alongside him.

While Yoshitoshi’s legacy often may remember his violent subject matter, Sydney-based artist Natalya Hughes took inspiration from Yoshitoshi’s other great muse: women.

“So the original portraits have some of the key indicators of his work, which are quite intense patterning and fairly intense colouring as well,” Natalya says.

“But they’re a series of portraits that I then abstracted in kind of pushed a little bit further.”

Yoshitoshi’s women are often draped in sumptuous kimonos, rich in intricate designs.

Natalya’s paintings and sculpture take on these patterns in warped and symmetrical forms.

“I am interested with the way people engage with things that might otherwise be overlooked, like decoration.

‘To say something is ‘merely decorative’ is usually a disdainful comment and to rethink what that is and why it’s usually pitched in negative terms and to use it to speak of things it’s not usually associated with.”

The pieces Natalya is currently exhibiting at the Milani Gallery are also permeated with feminist themes. The works serve to breakdown the negative connotations towards women as decoration in Yoshitoshi’s woodblocks.

“The names of the portraits in his series are things like, ‘looking shy’, ‘looking cute’, ‘look as if she wants to change’.

“And I read them as fairly prescriptive of women’s behaviour.

“I was thinking about their particular representation of the feminine.

“And then I’m always interested in the way the decorative is associated with the feminine and so is excess. So I suppose it’s about a revaluation of those terms and a revaluation of that association.”

After four shows in a month, Natalya is digesting her latest opuses. For now, you can see the exhibition Looking Thrice at Milani Gallery until the 14^th of June.

holding back the night

with increasing brilliance

the summer moon

- Yoshitoshi’s death poem

Ross Manning’s Perpetual Motion Exhibition at the Milani Gallery

Words: Saskia Edwards

Images and Video: Jonathan Rae 

Descartes noted that when a stick is placed in water it appears to be bent.  But this is just an optical illusion. It’s purely a manipulation and shows the misleading nature of our senses.

Brisbane-born artist Ross Manning’s work reminded me of this idea. His works exploit the elements, which change objects from their basic base form.

Friday marked the launch of Ross’ works at Woolloongabba’s Milani Gallery.

The series is titled ‘Perpetual Motion’ and it’s somewhat about humankind’s perception of existence.

“It’s just kind of mapping out the natural world we live in and what it is to be a human and use our senses to kind of navigate through planet earth,” Ross says.

“I guess it comes back to very loosely, what it is to be human and the basis of our reality.”

Josh Milani of Milani Gallery says Ross has developed an interest in the effects of light and wind.

“His work has evolved and kind of engaged more and more with perhaps the legacy of minimalist sculpture.

“In particular, using light the work always seems to touch on phenomenology.

“So the way we think and see and the way light operates, using elements like light and wind.”

Since the inception of his artistic career Ross has exhibited at the likes of the MCA, GOMA and the Sydney Bienniale.

Josh says Ross’ reputation is gaining momentum.

“His work’s been collected by MONA down in Tasmania and various other museums – the museum of contemporary art down in Sydney.

“There’s a consensus forming around his work that he’s doing something quite interesting and new.”

Ross’ art practice has certainly developed. He used to focus on avant-garde sound art, which included his personally made instruments that were often automated.

“That then grew into a more sculptural form and the first couple of shows I had were sound sculptures,” he says.

Obviously, Ross is now focused on sculptural forms incorporating light and movement. ‘Perpetual Motion’ seems to reinforce this idea of growth. As Ross says: “It’s the idea that everything’s constantly changing and moving and constantly in flux moving from one thing to another.”

 

 (Pictured: The projection installation at the gallery)

 (Pictured: Sculpture pieces by Ross Manning)