A4 Art Australia 2016
at the Herring Island Gallery - 19, 20, 26 and 28 MARCH, and 2-3 APRIL
Review by Shelley Vincent
The huge size of the exhibition (489 works by 179 artists) is tricky to sum up in a few words. There are 2D and 3Dworks on display in a huge range of media, a variety of subject matter and a myriad of styles. The 2D works are framed uniformly in black so they shine like jewels on the walls. The 3D works repose on plinths – quietly meditating on their own or in pairs and groups, amicably chatting.
As CAS President Robert Lee writes in the exhibition catalogue:
“….. Artists in the show have been imaginative in the range of subjects they have chosen for their artwork; from real and abstracted landscapes and architecture, to figure studies and studies of the natural world; an array of animals, from chooks to owls, mythical creatures, maidens and monsters, and a host of other fantastic subjects!
“The range of media used is equally diverse, including acrylic, artline pen, banana fibre paper, bronze powder, canvas, ceramic, charcoal, collage, collograph, crayon, copper wire, desert soil, drypoint etching, digital print, enamel, epoxy resin, fabric, felted wool, gassenshi paper, gelatine print, giclee print, gold dust, glass, glazed porcelain, gouache, graphite, handmade paper, jarrah, lumocolor, recycled paper, ink, inkjet print, linocut, lithograph pencil, mixed media, mono print, muslin, oil pastel, pastel, pen, pencil, plastic, photography, photopolymer etching, rice paper, shellac, silver leaf, solar plate etching, stoneware clay, textile, wire, wood, woodcut, woodblock print and watercolours! …..”
There are so many interesting works that it feels unfair to single out any particular ones. Instead here are some comments from visitors to the exhibition:
“So many inspiring pieces.”
“ A really beautiful exhibition.”
“Straight away there's something interesting.”
“We'll come back again next year.”
“All the ones I like have already been sold.”
“A real pleasure to look at.”
“There's such a variety.”
“Thank you for that, good stuff.”
“Very interesting.”