SHALINI GANENDRA FINE ART presents Brian Robinson Zenadh Kes: Art is Life June 26 October 15, 2014 Supported by:
Zenadh Kes: Art Is Life Brian Robinson has literally carved a distinctive presence within the remarkably talented generation of Indigenous Australian artists who have come to the fore in recent years. His graphic prints and contemporary sculptures read as episodes in an intriguing narrative, revealing the strong tradition of storytelling within his community of Zenadh Kes and his connection to the contemporary world. Robinson s experience in the art world extends well beyond his practice as an artist, having worked in a curatorial role spanning fifteen years at Cairns Regional Gallery as well as residing on numerous local, state and national visual arts boards. A prolific artist whose work includes the planar surface and three-dimensional forms, is finely honed by curatorial experience and works to extend the paradigm of contemporary Torres Strait Islander art to embrace artistic classicism from numerous points. Robinson s sculptural practice stems from the discipline of constructivism, a style of sculpture that emerged based on carefully structured modules which allow for intricate and, in some cases, infinite patterns of repetition, and at other times employed to make more multidimensional structures. These designs have been woven into architectural walls and screens often featuring complex patterns of undulating, tissue-like webbing, with apertures, which transmit and filter light while generating delicate patterned shadows. He is widely known and respected for his public sculptures in which he uses a variety of techniques to produce bold, innovative and distinctive works. These include his monumental and iconic stainless steel Woven Fish on the Cairns Esplanade, interactive play sculptures Spinning Tops, currently under commission for the Pilbara town of Wickham in WA, and his highly innovative cast concrete ground plane work Warual for the Lady Cilento Children s Hospital in Brisbane. His approach to an extensive printmaking practice is linear and often playful. These prints illustrate Robinson s depth of connection to heritage paired with his aesthetic and intellectual exploration of Western iconography. References that spring from the artist s childhood fascination with the artistic appurtenances of Catholic Mass and Hero worship, whether it is of biblical, Greek or Torres Strait Islander derivation, are repeated themes and these grand narratives are peppered with more prosaic symbolism and stylistic influences such as comic book characters, everyday objects and graffiti art. Art influences and informs every aspect of Robinson s life and his approach to artistic creation is a celebration of curiosity, discipline and development. Art is Life. Datin. Shalini Ganendra We thank for support: the Australian High Commission, Malaysia, the Queensland Government and KickArts. (Support by the Queensland Government is through Arts Queensland, part of the Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts.) i
Brian Robinson b. 1973 Cairns, Australia COLLECTIONS [selected] National Gallery of Australia, Canberra ACT Gold Coast City Art Gallery, Brisbane QLD Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane QLD Jean-Marie Tjibaou Cultural Centre, Noumea - New Caledonia National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne VIC OTC Collection, Australia Australian National Maritime Museum, Sydney NSW The Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection, Virginia Environmental Protection Agency, Cairns Office KickArts Contemporary Arts, Cairns; including numerous private collections APPOINTMENTS [selected] 1999 - Board of Trustees of the Queensland Art Gallery [3 terms until 2008] 2000 - Promoting the Value of the Arts [Steering Committee], Australia Council 2000 - National ATSI Visual Arts and Crafts Conference [Steering Committee], ATSIC 2001 - TPAC panel member [chair], TAFE Queensland 2002 - Indigenous Export Project Team, QLD Government, Brisbane [panel member] 2003 - KickArts Board of Directors, Cairns [2 terms until 2007] 2004 - Siganto [Public Art] Assessment Panel, Artworkers Alliance, Brisbane 2004 - UMI Arts Board of Directors, Cairns [1 term until 2007] GRANTS AND AWARDS [selected] 1998 - New Work Grant, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Arts Board Australia Council 1999 - Ten Queensland, Young Achiever of the Year for Regional Queensland 2000, Townsville 1999 - Golden Circle Arts Finalist, Young Australian of the Year 2000, Brisbane 2001 - Arts and Culture Recognition Award, Cairns Corroboree, Cairns 2003 - Skills and Arts Development Grant, Australia Council for the Arts ii
EXHIBITIONS [solo] 2000 - Malu Girel,Cairns Regional Gallery, Cairns 2003 - Oceanic Navigator, Cairns Regional Gallery, Cairns 2006 - Habitis Habitat, KickArts Contemporary Arts, Cairns 2007 - Brian Robinson, MacDonnells Law, Cairns 2008 - Northern Mythology: The Art of Brian Robinson, Banggu Minjaany Gallery, Cairns 2009 - The Shape of Things, KickArts Contemporary Arts, Cairns [in development] EXHIBITIONS [selected group] 2004 - Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award Celebrating 20 Years [National tour until 2005] 2004 - Out of Country, QIAMEA, Washington DC, Virginia 2006 - Habitus Habitat, KickArts Contemporary Arts, Cairns 2006 - Gatherings ll, Gab Tutui Cultural Centre, Thursday Island 2007 - Maritime Stories, TANKS Art Centre, Cairns 2007 - Far North Queensland Printmakers, Baboa Gallery, Brisbane 2007 - Ailan Currents: Contemporary printmaking from the Torres Strait, KickArts Contemporary Arts, Cairns 2008 - On the Edge, Tanks Arts Centre, Cairns [in development]. EDUCATION AND QUALIFICATIONS 1994 - Associate Diploma of Visual Arts [ATSI], TNQ Institute of TAFE, Cairns 1994 - Survival Skills for Visual Artists Certificate, TNQ Institute of TAFE, Cairns 1995 - Advanced Certificate in Visual Arts [ATSI], TNQ Institute of TAFE, Cairns 1997 - Internship Trainee Curator, Arts Administration/Technician, Cairns Regional Gallery 1999 - Exhibitions Officer/Technician, Cairns Regional Gallery 2001 - Curator, Cairns Regional Gallery 2004 - Internship, National Museum of Australia, Gab Titui Cultural Centre, Thursday Island, National Gallery of Australia 2006 - Exhibitions Manager/Deputy Director, Cairns Regional Gallery iii
COMMISSIONS [selected] 2002 - Spinning top Cairns City Council, Shield Street Upgrade, Cairns 2002 - Taba Naba Norem ll Sculptured artwork, Art Coordinates, Perth 2003 - Bronze plaques Cairns City Council, Cairns Esplanade Project [8] plaques, Cairns 2003 - Woven fish Cairns City Council, Cairns Esplanade Project [5] stainless steel fish sculptures with fountain, Cairns 2004 - Waterfall sculptures [5] stingray forms with waterfall component and lighting, Residential Complex, Cairns 2006 - Great Walks: Art and Environment Public Art Project, EPA/PowerLink, Cairns including numerous private commissions PUBLICATIONS [selected] Moorditj - Australian Indigenous Cultural Expressions CD Rom Integrated, A Queensland Art Workers Alliance publication Contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art, TNQ TAFE publication Art AsiaPacific magazine [Issue 28], exhibition article Oxford Companion to Aboriginal Art and Culture, Oxford publication Gatherings l, and ll publications Indigenous Law Bulletin Art and Life in Melanesia, Cambridge Scholars Publishing [publication] QIAMEA Promotional CD [in development] Arts Queensland journal PAPERS/LECTURES [selected] 2000 - Contemporary Torres Strait Art [essay] Oxford Companion to Aboriginal Art and Culture, Oxford Press and Centre for Cross-Cultural Research [ANU] 2001 - Motif Etching: The History of Ilan printmaking [essay] Island in the Sun exhibition catalogue, NGA 2001 - Torres Strait Printmaking [paper] 4th Australian Print Symposium, Canberra 2001 - Ilan Pasin in Review [essay] Pacific Arts Journal, University of Hawaii 2002 - Taking up the Curatorial Challenge [paper] Tasmanian Talkabout Forum, Launceston 2003 - Banggu Minjaany: 20 Years of Contemporary Indigenous Visual Art [essay] exhibition catalogue 2006 - Unreal Shields [introduction] exhibition Catalogue 2007 - Ailan Currents: Contemporary printmaking from the Torres Strait [essay] exhibition catalogue iv
He ascended from heaven with a plank of text, 2012 Linocut, 1200 x 395 mm, Ed. of 30 7
Sa mina las kaikai, 2011 Linocut, 350 x 1100 mm, Ed. of 30 13
Handline Ngurupai wharf, 2010 Linocut, 520 x 380 mm, Ed. of 40 6
Woven ware-boi, 2010 Etching, 495 x 990 mm, Ed of 30 10
Woven ware-balboi, 2010 Etching, 495 x 990 mm, Ed of 30 9
And on the 6th day he created man, 2010 Linocut, 595 x 980 mm, Ed. of 40 3
Message in a bottle, 2012 Linocut, 445 x 1200 mm, Ed. of 30 5
Midas Touch II, 2007 Linocut, 350 x 1100 mm, Ed. of 30 1
Navigating Narrative, 2012 Linocut, 560 x 1090 mm, Ed. of 10 4
3 Fishermen and a Lamborghini, 2012 Linocut, 400 x 855 mm, Ed. of 30 8
Kuiku-Garka, 2012 Linocut, 250 x 995 mm, Ed. of 30 2
August 23 1898, 2012 Etching, 495 x 980 mm, Ed. of 10 12
They spread their wings and began to soar, 2010 Etching, 495 x 985 mm, Ed. of 30 14
SHALINI GANENDRA FINE ART @ Gallery Residence Tues to Sat 11am 7pm No.8 Lorong 16/7B, 46350 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia +603 7932 4740 +6012 393 6669 sgfa88@gmail.com www.shaliniganendra.com fb SGFA