Next: Christian Hall and Emerging Contemporaries: Jessica Ashcroft, Andres Caycedo, Wayne Creaser, Lara Forsdick, Zoe Grigoris, Thomas Hume, Walter Jugadai Tjungurrayi, Mona Lewis, Catherine Newton, Nicole Rupert, Kate Small, Megan Stewart, Marissa Thompson, Tomas Tjilya, Jo Victoria, Caroline Walker-Grime, Georgina Whigham. Craft ACT, Craft & Design Centre. Until July 15.
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Christian Hall has been the creative director of the jewellery and metal studio Jam Factory in Adelaide since 2009. His professionalism shows in this carefully conceived exhibition that encompasses both jewellery, sculpture and furniture.
This may sound like an over ambitious project for such a small gallery space. It is however a tightly conceived and very clever concept that utilises a basic geometric shape - the square - as a form of building block to create a larger network of units rather like Lego. The square made from black powered steel is twisted so that the points join up to make a variety of geometric configurations. Hall using this technique is able to make complex patterned linear wall sculpture, sets of attractive wall shelving, and in miniature form, swinging earrings. Beautifully balanced mobiles with their nod to nature in the form of a basic leaf shaped motif attached to their central axis are also participants in Hall's showcase of sleek contemporary design.
The Emerging Contemporaries exhibition showcases 17 artists from the ACT and interstate. The works include furniture, ceramics, textiles, jewellery, spectacles and very beautiful accessories for a bike.
Jo Victoria, a local ceramicist, has in the past made small works from porcelain inspired by seaside rock pools. In this series of porcelain bowls and sculpture, the hardness of the porcelain seems visually transformed into nests of soft, tactile and malleable paper. The two suspended sculptures made from what appears to be threaded torn paper (but in fact it is porcelain) are particularly successful and provide a visual focus for the entire exhibition.
Lara Forsdick's three legged Australian Scribble Gum Table is a very clever design as it can be folded for carrying. It is also noteworthy for its calligraphic scribble motif referring not only to the mark itself but to the iconic gumtree of the same name. Thomas Hume has also designed, in a manner of speaking, portable storage units for bikes. These are very skilfully made boxes of honey coloured New Guinea rosewood panels with leather straps that fasten to your bike complete with coffee cup holder. Only to be used when you can keep an eagle eye on these covetable items.
Local artist Megan Stewart's spectacles (smectacles nos.30-33) in titanium can be custom made which gives real meaning to the phrase wearable art. The same could be said of Zoe Grigoris who has created patterned silk scarves with delicate motifs as well as a series of unusual, intricate and skilfully made silver jewellery. Grigoris who is a tenant of Jam Factory Adelaide is a young jeweller to watch. Other attractive jewellery with indigenous motifs have been made by artists from Ernabella Arts in South Australia. These are artists associated with the indigenous art project initiated by Emily McCulloch Childs that enables indigenous artists to learn the technical skills of jewellery making.
My only quibble is that more information on these emerging artists whose work is of such a very high standard would have been helpful to exhibition visitors. Nevertheless the exhibition is a rewarding one to explore.
