Burrel Parade by Luis Martinez. The artist, who is now my 'friend' on Fspazbook tells me he has moved to Melbourne. Damn that city. Too many people I might like to talk to move there, first it was the tidal pull east into the city and now that I am here everybody has gone south. I was never very good on my cardinal points.
I've just showed this painting to Robert and he says he doesn't get it, says it leaves him cold and this is making me think. This is a map of how I am beginning to think about this painting and Luis's other work - my manuscript, Jeffrey Smart, my manuscript, bare feet on hot concrete in the dying light, a syncopated echoing of sprinklers. Place and displacement, isolation and community. Western Fucking Sydney.
I'll be back once I've done some thinking but in the meantime what do you think?
I've just showed this painting to Robert and he says he doesn't get it, says it leaves him cold and this is making me think. This is a map of how I am beginning to think about this painting and Luis's other work - my manuscript, Jeffrey Smart, my manuscript, bare feet on hot concrete in the dying light, a syncopated echoing of sprinklers. Place and displacement, isolation and community. Western Fucking Sydney.
I'll be back once I've done some thinking but in the meantime what do you think?
Comments
How wonderful.
Is it the time of morning before the day has been spoiled by whipper snippers and self obsessesed, short tempered people or is it the evening in summer between getting home and the fights starting.
The subject matter interests me. It's any suburb. Any street. Nothing really note worthy about it except for how un-noteworthy it is. That and how perfectly it has been captured. This picture makes me want to take my dog out for a walk so it can shit on as many lawns as possible. This picture makes me want to steal cars. This picture needs to be invaded by a mob of bored teenagers sitting around a bonfire smoking bongs. I want to do doughnuts in a VN commodore all up and down the street before setting it alight in the driveway of number 17. Then I want to go door knocking, possibly as a scout asking if there are any jobs that need doing or maybe collecting for the Red Shield Appeal.
Great picture Dale. Thanks for bringing it to my attention.
I got afternoon sun rather than morning, definitely.
my second thought as i clicked through his pictures was, oh my god, i'm driving to work past some of these places everyday, and would not have considered them to be the focus of an artwork.
he places a focus on the everyday, its composition, the lines, geometry, shade and light that would normally be taken for granted.
i really like them.
More to Anon: I think the thing to remember is that artist's think. They don't make pretty pictures for decoration, if they do then they are not an artist. Is it Ian Burn I am thinking of?
Many years ago Jeffrey inspired me to realise that suburban man made landscapes and cityscapes could be beautiful. The study of form, light, shade and the emotions that arise when viewing is a brilliant thing - even in the midst of "Western Fucking Sydney" and all of the ugliness of what could happen in the next moment.
Nice find Dale.
p.s Anon I enjoyed reading your interpretation and imagery that arose for you - not necessarily negative - just an underlying expression of truth as is the painting itself in my opinion