It’s been all systems go in the BRAG studio lately with two airbrushing workshops with South West artist Noel Barnes! With only one beginners lesson and one extension lesson, the participants made speedy progress under Noel’s guidance. Check out what they made!
Noel Barne’s airbrushing class at the Galleries went down a treat! The first class filled up with in days of it being announced and so a second class was opened up to take the overflow of participants who wanted to take part. Here are just a few photos of the workshop so you can see what they got up to.
Check out these amazing creations by our young artists from the Painted Feet holiday workshop for teens! In only two sessions these talented teenagers transformed their mundane white canvas shoes into one of a kind fashion statements. Keep an eye out for them in streets of Bunbury and congratulate them on their work.
Have you ever found your self gazing upon a scene, when suddenly you are struck by the distinct and uncanny feeling that you have experienced it before?
Thomas Hoareau’s exhibition “A Case of Déjà vu” at the Bunbury Regional Art Galleries, plays with this sensation by reconstructing iconic scenes from Western art history and re-contextualising them in contemporary Perth. “The girl at the counter of leabridge newsagent” leans forward with her hands on the desk in a pose reminiscent of Manet’s “A Bar at the Folies-Bergere”, a pair of Goths stand side by side in Northbridge mimicking Grant Wood’s “American Gothic” and a group of fellow artists, family members and friends fall about on a raft set in a Midland laundromat, reconstructing Gericault’s “The Raft of the Medusa”.
In his public floor talk on Sunday, Thomas Hoareau described these scenes as “Dr Who moments”; moments when past and present collide and create new meaning.
Many of the artworks that Hoareau has chosen to pay homage to in his paintings provide a social commentary. Manet, for instance, was criticised during his life for suggesting highly risqué contemporary narratives in his works, and Gericault’s “Raft of the Medusa” contained anti-royalist sentiments. Horeau’s work also provides a social commentary, however he specifies that he’s work differs in that it does not aim provide critique in order to instigate change. Instead, his paintings document the stories of our times including urbanisation, suburban development and the constantly changing face of the city of Perth.
Hoareau’s “Viveash on the Verge of Suburban Development”, a reworking of Delecroix’s “Greece on the Ruins of Missolonghi”, demonstrates another recurring focus in his work; that of artifice and performance in painting. During the public floor talk, Hoareau provided an insight in to the complex character constructions and performances that piece together to form the foundation of his painting practice. Each of the characters in his paintings, already steeped in symbolism from their original artworks, become layered with hoareau’s own iconography, playing with our ideas of true history and story telling.
The Bunbury Regional Art Galleries would like to thank Thomas Hoareau for taking the time to come down to Bunbury to deliver both a public floor talk and a series of talks for local schools. We would also like to acknowledge Art on the Move who is touring this exhibition.
“A Case of Déjà vu” by Thomas Hoareau will be on display at the Galleries until 30 June.
Come to the Galleries for a FREE artist floor talk!
Sunday 19 May
2 pm – 3 pm
Meet Western Australian artist Thomas Hoareau for a floor talk about his exhibition “A Case of Déjà vu: Seven Paintings and a Suitcase” at the Bunbury Regional Art Galleries.
A Case of Déjà Vu: Seven Paintings and a Suitcase that Relive Art History in the Everyday is a selection of works by Western Australian artist Thomas Hoareau that span three decades.
The artworks in this exhibition explore the concept of homage. Through a process of performance, photography and painting, Hoareau recreates iconic works from Western Art history to articulate contemporary issues with specific reference to Western Australia.
RSVP: Claire Pendrigh cpendrigh@brag.org.au (08) 9721 6390
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