Saturday, August 4, 2012

Word Of Mouth: Encounters with Abstract Art.

Ruth Waller Op Phase (Visitation).

Wednesday's studio class was an absolute treat. A trip to CMAG (Canberra Museum and Gallery) to take in some abstract art - the engagingly curated exhibition Word Of Mouth: Encounters With Abstract Art  showing the works of Nineteen emerging and established artists, working in a variety of mediums, and who are all connected in some way to Canberra through the Australian National University's School of Art - either through teaching or studying. I have always been fascinated with abstract art, in the way I have been with classical music - that is to say felt that there was a whole secret world out there I was unable to access, able to enjoy only for an initial asthetic appeal, and therefore missing something special. The beauty of this exhibition however is an accessibility, something it's curator Mark Bayly had intentioned with the curation, looking to appeal to a broad audience. We were lucky enough in fact to have Mark as a personal tour guide and in the half hour he guided us through the exhibition I felt the mysteries of abstract art both fall away and deepen - a door open into this exciting world of communicating with abstracted form (a particular work by Christopher Carmody, referencing faded book covers, was unexpectedly moving) leaving me not only eager to seek out more abstract work in the future but maybe even try some myself. Though I can only speak for myself I'm pretty sure the whole class left the exhibition feeling inspired.

Greg Hodge (detail from Magazine Mystics). 

Julie Brook (I Can Connect Nothing With Nothing).

CMAG Curator, and our personal tour guide, Mark Bayly, with works by Marie Hagerty. (Photo Source)

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