The Story of a Tree

A few years ago I did a drawing of a Moreton Bay Fig in Vulture Street, West End. 

          The Fig - pen and ink on paper

This drawing was the inspiration for an abstract painting called Bark.

Bark I - oil on canvas 

You can imagine my disappointment and sense of loss when a year ago the tree had been hacked to a quarter of its size. Only the trunk remained - so very sad. 

Then last week I was in the neighbourhood once more. This time the tree was different. It was now a sculpture. The outer layers of bark had been used to encase a stainless steel structure. 

Fig Tree Sculpture - Vulture Street West End

So someone else felt the same as I did about this tree. They cared enough to transform the mutilated trunk into something beautiful.

Whoever you are - thank you. 

Asia Pacific Triennial - Take 2

At the weekend I joined a friend for a second visit to QuaGoma  to see APT8 again. As it was also her repeat visit, she was able to ensure that I didn't miss any of her favourites.

These are some of the photographs I took during our visit. Where possible I have listed the artist and title of the works – others will require another visit to check on the details. 

The figurative sculptures by Francis Upritchard - the lighting here was wonderful. 

Detail - Action Francis Upritchard

Uuriintuya Dagvasambuu / Path to wealth 2013 / Synthetic polymer paint on canvas

Another Realm by Min Thein Sung 

These giant horses are made from linen and hang from the ceiling like puppets. The surrounding walls are papered with comic book pages. Now I do like people but I was lucky enough to get a few photos with no people near the horses. They are really huge and dwarfed any children standing nearby.

Detail - Hit Man Gurung

The exhibit by Hit Man Gurung documents the migration of young Nepalese men to work in foreign countries. He often wears his yellow hard hat as seen in the detail. The monochromatic face with only colour in the eyes created a compelling image. 

When subject is taken out of context or when its context is altered, the subject takes on a completely new personality. So too with the galleries housing the permanent Australian Collection. 

A totally different environment has been created in the three Australian Collection Galleries. Brook Andrews’ trademark chevron markings have been applied to the original wall colours. These reference the chevron pattern that Wiradjuri people paint on their skin, or carve into trees.The red/black in the first gallery is very dramatic. I loved the portrait in the excessively ornate frame against the graphic lines of the chevrons. The juxtaposition of the different narratives - colonial, traditional and representational against the abstract, graphic (and also traditional indigenous) markings made one view the works in a new way.