Exhibition: 26 August - 5 September 2010

Once upon a time the extraordinary polymath and talented artist Leonardo da Vinci – a true ‘Renaissance man’ – was fascinated by the possibilities of human flight and spent many an hour researching, drawing and experimenting with ways to make it happen.

Hundreds of years later, with the notion of flight taken for granted by many in today’s world, and using various means – from aeroplane, helicopter, micro-light, glider and hang-glider to sky-diving and the more recent form of base-jumping in wingsuits – the three artists in this exhibition were, in a strangely synchronous way, and before any discussions of a having a group exhibition, each producing works derived from their own interests, concerns and/or interpretations regarding the same topic.

Though they found themselves sharing certain ideas about flight – such as metamorphosis, travel, adventure, freedom, the simultaneous experience of isolation and connectedness – as themes they are somewhat subdued in the works and in the exhibition as a whole. The highlight of the exhibition is, rather, the contrast in their individual responses to the notion of flight and the ideas each of them explore in their works, which differ quite substantially. This is not only reflected in the wide range of mediums they deploy but in their processes of production – from small scale, poetic and almost intimate works on paper to large, direct and sometimes daunting sculptures. Overall it makes for an interestingly diverse exhibition that presents a rich variety of perspectives of or relating to flight…

From the ground looking up, some of Watt’s hybrid photo-paintings depict ethereal birds flying elegantly across the vast, open and occasionally dramatic skies of Footscray or the quietude of a house sitting in the street in the half-light of dusk which is only experienced at certain times of the year.

From the sky looking down, Flitcroft’s works - made by binding and wrapping 3D-forms in Japanese hand-made paper that fit inside a frame like a delicate, poetic jigsaw puzzle - refer to the patterns of the acres of farm-land she sees when flying overhead in her micro-light near Bendigo.

And Van Hulsen’s sculptural forms and photo-collages present flight as an exploration of a variety of complex concepts as ‘forms that fly’ - for example, his camouflage insect-aeroplanes explore the idea that the transportation of some bacteria and viruses across the planet can be more deadly than a WWII bomb.

Not only is the widely interpreted notion of ‘flight’ a richly interesting topic to think about today, but the works, the ideas being explored, and those they elicit, will surely form the basis of some very interesting discussion.

Michelle Lee creates work with concepts that resemble her own intuitions towards the subjects in her life. Her images are considerably feminine, where female protagonists act as primarily manifestations of the self.

Frustrations, conformity, eccentricity, dreams and ideals are concepts Michelle often turns to in the creation of her allegorical narratives. She expresses that emotions and thoughts are fundamental to everyday life, where at times they are all consuming and temporarily blind the conscious state of mind. Like reading a diary out loud, her work imbues the sense of both vulnerability and pride.

Michelle keeps every aspect of her subjects in a highly controlled environment. She rarely works with wide angle lenses, as the designer in her finds it difficult to deal with distortion. She shies away from ambient light, preferring the effect of the flash. In addition to light, Michelle controls her characters in their environment, often building her own sets or miniature dollhouse rooms.

Michelle was born in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where she completed a diploma in Multimedia Design. She began work as an Interactive Designer, which led her to become a producer in a commercial photography studio. In this role she stumbled across her own passion for photography and experimented with an old light box as her main source of light. She then traveled to Melbourne to complete a BA in Photography at RMIT. Her interests lay in portraiture, fine art and fashion photography. Upon graduation in 2009, she was awarded the Kallman Feital’s High Achievement in a Professional Sphere award for outstanding work.

Xue Mo

EXHIBITION: 31ST AUGUST TO 18TH SEPTEMBER 2010

“SERENE and deliberate, the sitters in the portraits of Xue Mo have monumental presence, which is also strange and unnerving. The works are technically brilliant and imitate the Renaissance portrait, with mysterious desert landscapes echoing the ambiguities of the smile.” (Robert Nelson, “The Age”, 18 November 2009).

Dear Readers,

I want to share with you a venture I am undertaking with my daughter Relmi (photographer and graphic designer), who is 21 years of age.

We are putting together the “First Annual Brain Art Exhibition & Unconference” at Global Gallery in Paddington march 2011. There will be a Brain Art Competition for 15 - 19 and 20 - 30 year olds. Take a look at the website and see what you think.

http://www.aboutmybrain.com/whats-on/brain-art-exhibition

I am currently searching for more ways to connect with lots of people who want to get involved in a project like this so feel free to let people have the link.

Regards Silvia

‘The Tribe’ will be holding regular competitions to encourage talented individuals to generate new ideas, concepts and artistic projects. The first competition launching on the 22^nd September 2010 will be a worldwide design competition. This will be a fantastic opportunity for designers, artists and creatives of all types to submit their ideas for; the first prize is an amazing £10,000!

We also have a website and facebook page if you’d like to check them out.

http://www.thetrib-e.com/home/

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/The-Trib-e/112221348828582?ref=ts

Many Thanks,

Lucy