bLOGOS/HA HA: Today another exhibition that opened last night, then back to the bush.

David Jones, artist and poet (1895-1974) begins his PREFACE TO THE ANATHEMATA :

'I have made a heap of all that I could find.' (1) So wrote Nennius, or whoever composed the introductory matter to Historia Brittonum. He speaks of an 'inward wound' which was caused by the fear that certain things dear to him 'should be like smoke dissipated'. Further, he says, 'not trusting my own learning, which is none at all, but partly from writings and monuments of the ancient inhabitants of Britain, partly from the annals of the Romans and the chronicles of the sacred fathers, Isidore, Hieronymous, Prosper, Eusebius and from the histories of the Scots and Saxons although our enemies . . . I have lispingly put together this . . . about past transactions, that [this material] might not be trodden under foot'. (2)

(1) The actual words are coacervavi omne quod inveni, and occur in Prologue 2 to the Historia.
(2) Quoted from the translation of Prologue 1. See The Works of Gildas and Nennius, J.A.Giles, London 1841.

13 May 2013

Today another exhibition that opened last night, then back to the bush.

As part of her residency at Gertrude Contemporary, Ash Kilmartin has been inviting others to also make an exhibition in STUDIO 6.

This time it's David Homewood. He, in turn, has organised (his term) a "Group Exhibition" of a further 50 invitees. One of these, Charles Green, includes via a 1969 artist book a further group of earlier artists, including Ian Burn - significantly linked here to his Xerox Piece - Mel Ramsden, Roger Cutforth...

40. Charles Green: with apologies to Art Press, July 1969 (1969), artist book / laminate table / natural and fluorescent, 10:45am, 8 May 2013, Parkville

The title and description of this exhibition is :

Group Exhibition: Artwork Documentation

The gallery-sheet catalog is of interest to this attendee for what it includes and for what it does not. We blogged recently about the oddness of museoLOGOS/HA HA orthodoxy regarding Medium description. In that regard, this list refreshes. Especially so for the inclusion of a new sub-category : light source description at the time and place (both also given) that each photograph was made (or rather, when the camera was clicked). For instance :

8. Simon Zoric: postcard / bubblewrap / Planet lamp, 11:50am, 3 May 2013, East Melbourne

28. Luke Sands: stick / ground / natural, 10:25am, 7 May 2013, Kensington

46. Nick Selenitsch: circle / desk / fluorescent, 5:35pm, 8 May 2013, Northcote

The catalog does not provide information about the author(s) of these same size, same surface photographs. Nor does it offer an origin story for this organisation of figure-on-field documentations. No problem, why should it?

Lots of knowing complexity and simplicity
hereabouts, methinks