Archive for the 'sculpture' Category

3D scanning in the 1930s

Published on March 6, 2013 by Debbie Rudder in Metal craft, Photography, sculpture and Technology. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , .
Powerhouse Museum collection, object 2004/68/1. Gift of Frederick Pollock, 2004.

Powerhouse Museum collection, object 2004/68/1. Gift of Frederick Pollock, 2004.

If you visit the Powerhouse Museum between 10 am and 1 pm on 9 March for our 25th birthday celebrations, you will be able to see the accurate detail captured in this bronze bust of Sydney pharmacist Ernest Pollock. Created by the process of Sculptography in Osaka in 1934, it demonstrates that 3D scanning is not a recent achievement. I will be one of several curators in the museum over the weekend, each with a group of objects to discuss with visitors. The theme of my selection is ‘making things’.

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Joyce Gittoes Ceramic Art

Published on August 31, 2011 by Anni Turnbull in ceramics, Design and Designers, Environment, George Gittoes and Puppets, Object of the week and sculpture. 6 Comments Tags: , , , , .

I recently had the privilege to undertake a 20 day internship at the Powerhouse Museum under the supervision of curator, Paul Donnelly. I was given the task of documenting an acquisition consisting of a series of ceramic pieces by Joyce Gittoes (b.1915). Researching the life of Joyce has been an immense honour as she has had an amazing journey, dedicating her life to her family and her art. The ceramic art by Joyce is unique, firstly in its dedication to the ceramic medium, and then in its focused subject matter. The evolution of her own artistic style is evident in the Museum’s collection which has work from her early career and her later works which are dedicated to the native fauna, the landscape and the cultural history of Australia. This recent acquisition complements the Museum’s earlier acquisition of Yellow House artworks.
Joyce studied ceramics during the Arts and Crafts movement in Australia in the 1950s under Mollie Douglas. All of Joyce’s work has been produced with great technique and skill. Her individual style is bold and expressive breaking away from the Japanese aesthetic style that was popular with her contemporaries. Joyce’s sculptures in the Museum’s collection from her early career were designed to be exhibited in the Yellow House. ‘Peg Leg Pete’ (1970-72) is a work that was inspired by the Surrealist artist Rene Magritte. The half-fish half-man sculpture was often placed in the fish pond at the Yellow House.

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Peg-Leg Pete, ceramic sculpture of a fish-man, stylised modelled earthenware, Joyce Gittoes, Bardwell Park, Sydney, NSW, 1970-72 Collection Powerhouse Museum

The Yellow House was an artist collective established in the early 1970s in Sydney. It was organised by artists Martin Sharp, Brett Whitely, Greg Waite and Joyce’s son, George Gittoes. This period of contemporary art during the early 1970s is heralded as the hippy era in Australia’s art scene. The Yellow House in Macleay St, Potts Point in Sydney, was named after Van Gough’s studio in the south of France which he used as an escape from the stress of life in Paris. Van Gough wrote in a letter to his brother that he wanted to one day turn the studio into an artist’s boarding house, with live performance ‘happenings’, exhibition space and installations. George Gittoes was the creator of the Yellow House Puppet theatre. A re-creation of this room with the original puppets along with selected ceramics by Joyce Gittoes was acquired by the Museum prior to the ceramic acquisition which I have been working on for my internship. This work is almost in direct contrast to her later work which took on an Australiana theme, focusing on native animals and the landscape. These animal sculptures were exhibited during the 1980s in galleries around NSW and the Northern Territory and were made through the love that Joyce had for the native animals and native culture of Australia. They are unique in the detail that Joyce gave each one.

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Owl, stylised modelled earthenware sculpture, Joyce Gittoes, Bardwell Park, Sydney, NSW, 1975-1990 Collecton: Powerhouse Museum

The owls, which are a personal favourite of many collectors, have individual characteristics; the barn owl, Boobook owls and the Barking owl have been made life-sized and with a great amount of detail given to the individual species. Joyce was often told by her patrons that, “each one (of her animals) appears to have a soul”. Quote, Joyce Gittoes, Artist Statement, 1986.
Post by Sarah Heenan, Curatorial intern with Dr Paul Donnelly, Curator, design & society.

Love Lace International Lace Award and Exhibition: creating the shadows

Published on August 12, 2011 by Anni Turnbull in Art, Fashion, Costume and Dress, Lace, Object of the week and sculpture. 4 Comments Tags: .
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Art and shadows from the Love Lace International Lace Award and Exhibition: Image: Powerhouse Museum

When you walk through the Love Lace exhibition its apparent how important lighting is to the successful display of these works. The Museum electrician Peter Hermon says

This was a unique exhibition to work on, we had more time to work on the lighting (and wiring) and the nature of the work was different, shadows were really important and the lighting needs more particular.

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'Garden Party' at the entrance to LoveLace, Image :P owerhouse Museum

“In lighting Garden Party, the artwork at the entrance I stared working on the lighting idea based on a photo and planned to light the work from behind with a complicated rig I had built. That became obsolete when the object turned up. I put the lighting in from above after talking to the artist.”

Peter felt a great responsibility to get the lighting right, as he says:

When its somebody’s art the responsibility is higher, its double sided you have an obligation to show their work in all its beauty, but also you affect the way people view it. That doesn’t sit so easily, I’m changing the way people see their art.”

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Another World Wide Web (2011) Image: Powerhouse Museum

In lighting the work Another World Wide Web (2011), Peter says ” I like that the lights are brighter in some places, so it changes the yellow, in some places the colour is much more intense.”
Peter has found it hard to say which of the artworks he likes the most, some provided real challenges to light like Jenny Pollacks work A Brief History of Time. Peter explains:
“Her work was created to be viewed from both sides. Our exhibition space didn’t allow that. The artist ideally wanted the work lit from behind, which would then fade out and also create a silhouette. Seeing the work was about a garden and there are small trees on top of the paper I have created the effect of the sun, rising and setting. One light creates a dull wash over the work and then three lights progressively get further away like the angle of the sun.”

When asked about nominating a favorite work Peter said he found that difficult, but did like the ones with defined shadows because that gave him more to work with.

“One I liked in particular is located in an alcove, its a lace face, with a serious shadow behind it.” Peter created a unique way to light this work Marraine’s Memory an artwork about memory loss in the aged.
“I had to design a way to coordinate the light and a mirror. By just pointing the light down, you couldn’t get a good enough angle. Now the lighting goes into a mirror and the light on the object comes from the reflection.”

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Love Lace Exhibition Image: Powerhouse Museum

As Peter says “the best part of working on any exhibition is the collaboration”.*
*From an interview with Peter Hermon 9th August 2011

Love Lace International Lace Award and exhibition: behind the scenes

Published on July 20, 2011 by Kate Chidlow in Art, Fashion, Costume and Dress, Jewellery, Lace, Object of the week and sculpture. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , .
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'Cermony' by Noelle Hamlyn, Gowns (6) and bonnets (6): cotton and silk embroidery and smocking on Japanese gampi tissue, 700 x 570 mm (largest). Image Powerhouse Museum

Much work has been going on in the Conservation department in preparation for the upcoming Love Lace International Lace Award and exhibition. There are some wonderful pieces in the exhibition and the variety of materials is amazing. Each object requires its own special display support. Rebecca Ellis has been making supports for some very delicate paper christening gowns and bonnets that will be suspended off the display wall. The artist, Noelle Hamlyn, has created the gowns out of Japanese gampi tissue and decorated them with cotton and silk embroidery.

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Conservator Rebecca Ellis filing the stainless steel support rods

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The support rods with their padding, ready for hanging.

Ian Scott-Stevenson has made small, stainless steel hangers that will protrude from the display wall. Rebecca has covered the shoulder section of the hanger with dacron padding, covered in silk. This will protect the garment and give it extra support whilst it is on display. The bonnets will be displayed on moulded acrylic attached to a stainless steel rod.

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A close-up of a very fragile sleeve of one of the christening gowns.

Gosia Dudek and Nadia McDougall have been working on another artwork called ‘One Echidna’ by Christine McMillan. The quills, which came from a road kill incident, have been made into a beautiful piece of art. Ian cut a piece of acrylic slightly smaller that the outside edge of the object. Gosia then hand drilled 60 sets of holes into the acrylic.

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Conservator, Gosia Dudek attaching the echidna quill object to it's acrylic backing.

Gosia and Nadia secured the object to the acrylic by tying very fine nylon threads over the thicker echidna quills and through the drilled holes. Each thread was knotted four times and in case one stitch came loose, another thread was also used in the same set of holes. The process has ensured that the weight is distributed throughout the object, which allows it to be displayed upright.

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Sculpture 'One Echidna' by Christine McMillan. echidna spines, linen thread and glue and an animation which records the image made by light passing through the work. 700 mm (diam), 3.05 min (duration) Image Powerhouse Museum

Hair in Museums

Published on April 28, 2011 by Anni Turnbull in ceramics, Fashion, Costume and Dress, Jewellery, Lace, Object of the week and sculpture. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , .
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85/649 Shirt, man's, cotton / human hair, Cameroon, between about 1900 and 1925 Collection: Powerhouse Museum

Why does hair appear in the most unlikely places?
Like this man’s shirt from the Cameroons.

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Detail 85/649 Collection: Powerhouse Museum

Or worked into this unique needle lace panel from the 1600s.

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A5335 Lace panel, "Judith and Holofernes", needle lace, linen / silk / human hair, maker unknown, England, mid 1600s Collection: Powerhouse Museum

That hair has been readily available as a material is one answer.
Hair has also been an indicator of social status and religious function, a symbol of age and authority, a statement of style and an object of beauty and adornment.

In this lace panel it is used to add an element of realism to the figures.
The panel depicts the slaughter of Holofernes by Judith. Judith is the central figure as befits her heroic status. She is brandishing a sword in her right hand and holds Holofernes head by the hair in her left hand. Her maid holds a bag ready to receive the head. Behind Judith’s sword there appears to be a serpent. To her right Holofernes lies with silk ‘blood’ (once probably red, now pink) pouring from his severed neck. The hair on all their heads, and in Holofernes’ beard, is stitched with strands of human hair, a very rare occurence in lace making.

Growing it or depleting it, what we do with our hair has been a part of human grooming in many cultures and an important focus in rituals like weddings and funerals since ancient times.

Mourning or memorial jewellery has been worn since the middle ages and became popular in the 15th and 16th century in England. Until the 18th century it generally consisted of gold and black enamel with early examples in black and white often in the form of a skull.

During and after the Regency period 1795-1830 in England, chains ,rings, pendants and brooches were made from finely plaited hair from the head.

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2004/141/1 Mourning locket, gold / hairwork / seed pearls, made by John Wilkinson Jeweller & Silversmith, Leeds, England, 1826 Collection: Powerhouse Museum

Another gem in our collection that refers to hair is this piece by Alan Peascod. We can all identify with a bad hair day as presented by Alan Peascod (1943-2007), an Australian ceramicist usually known for his Islamic inspired creations. This porcelain piece is inspired by his childhood memories reflecting a day where nothing will go right.

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97/282/1 'Bad hair day', porcelain, Alan Peascod, Bulli, NSW, 1997 Collection: Powerhouse Museum

Some have taken an interest with hair to the edge of obsession, or perhaps have teetered over the edge. Make up your own mind. There are two Museums I have seen dedicated to hair, one in America and one in Turkey. I have to admit I find both slightly unsettling.

Matcham Skipper (1921-2011)

Published on March 24, 2011 by Eva Czernis-Ryl in Jewellery, Object of the week and sculpture. 6 Comments Tags: , , .
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2005/258/1-2 Pendant, on chain, silver, designed and made by Matcham Skipper, Montsalvat, Victoria, Australia, 1960-1969 Collection: Powerhouse Museum

A legend of Melbourne’s bohemian world of the post war decades, Matcham Skipper was a sculptor and jeweller with passion for both the art of metal and unconventional lifestyle. As a jeweller, Skipper was mostly self-taught, drawn to experimenting with silver and gold ‘because of their sensual, ductile qualities’. Most of his jewellery was made using the lost wax casting technique. Inspired by European myths and legends and the work of the French sculptor Auguste Rodin, he developed his unique style in the Montsalvat artist colony at Eltham where he had his studio-dwelling complete with a foundry for casting bronzes.

Skipper’s heavy silver necklaces, bracelets and rings, which often featured embracing figures of lovers and could be set with semi-precious stones, were first shown at Brummel Gallery in South Yarra in 1958. But his ‘one-of-the-kind pieces which it takes a personality to wear’ were already in demand in the early 1950s and even exported to America – a visiting American jewellery agent commented that they were ‘unexcelled in the States’. Four decades later, when Skipper was presented with an Emeritus Award from the Australia Council for his lifelong contributions to the visual arts and craft, his old friend, the well-known broadcaster Phillip Adams, noted that:

‘…. in life, in art, in gold, in stone, he was and remains remarkable….as long as I remember, a Skipper ring has been de rigueur for those living within the gravitational pull of Montsalvat…’.

And yes, this of course included Adams.
By the early 1960s, Skipper with his irrepressible personality and, as one journalist put it, rip-roaring sense of humour, was so much part of the local scene that his possible departure for Italy prompted an article in the Women’s Weekly predicting that

‘If he really has gone, the residents of Eltham, Vic., will find life perceptively flatter. They will have to be consoled with the legends that cling to him like burrs’.

I recommend that you read this marvellous account in full, for a taste of Skipper’s contemporary bohemian image and aura.
Skipper was eventually to decline his Italian scholarship to accept the prestigious commission for six immense wrought-iron screens for Canberra University.

He had just completed bas-relief Stations of the Cross in bronze for the church of St Mary Immaculate in Ivanhoe. Many more commissions for sculpture and jewellery were to come Skipper’s way in the succeeding decades, his final creation being the bronze statue ‘Young Man Awakening’ for Eltham Cemetery. He died on 24 February, one of Australia’s most distinctive, creative and fondly-remembered artists of his generation. For Matcham Skippers’ obituary and photo see Craft Unbound .
The Powerhouse has several examples of his jewellery in its collection like this 1960s silver necklace.

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87/684 Necklace, oxidised silver, Matcham Skipper, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 1966-1968 Collection: Powerhouse Museum