Posts Tagged ‘Victoria Cooper’
20 October – The end of the Roid Exhibition Opening
Type 59 transfer: Tracey+Shanea by Wayne Radford
Photo: Ian Poole. Wayne Radford being photographed by Doug Spowart
Type 59 transfer: Wayne Radford by Doug Spowart
Photo: Ian Poole. Doug uses white wine as the transfer fluid!
Ian Poole photographed by Wayne Radford 10x8 Type 809 Polaroid
Vicky and Doug: Portrait by Wayne Radford
.
Wayne Radford’s last portrait was of Victoria and myself. The Type 59 Polaroid sheet film had sat in the bottom of the box for over 5 years beyond the expiry date and the mark of time left as a humidity smear of magenta in a reduced D-max. It’s a great image — and a fitting end to the ‘Roid’.
.
Bye Bye POLAROID …
1 October: Picking up some thesis help
At a break during thesis reworking – bringing it up to the penultimate draft we went down to Diggers Beach. The challenge of philosophy is to contemplate the inconceivable: find clarity in the profoundly obscure.
I was faced by the ultimate in natural phenomena – a shadow. My recent readings of Deleuze, Derrida and Bachelard gave me an understanding to perceive and confront the impossible – – – – –
This one's for Bachelard
This one's for Deleuze
This one's for Derrida
Pictures by Victoria Cooper under direction.
23 Sept Yuraygir National Park Flowers
I was there
Wrong time of day
But . . .
Here are some
Along the road
I quickly captured
Bright light
On a warm spring day
.
posted by Victoria Cooper
September 15, 2011 Visit to Sandy Barrie – Ipswich flood update
Sandy Barrie and a lost treasure
Today we dropped in to see Sandy and to deliver some furniture items that may be useful to him. It has been 9 months since the devastating floods that drowned Sandy’s collection. He is still awaiting the completion of the restoration of his house – the insurance company finally paid up and he did receive funds from the Premiers Flood Relief program to help. The problem is getting tradesmen as they are highly sought after fixing other flooded properties.
Despite loosing nearly everything including his extensive photographica collection, computers, printers, workshop equipment and car he is forging ahead with regaining a scaled back collection of photo items that interest and excite him. He talks enthusiastically about new eBay discoveries and the massive additions he has made to his research on early photographers both here in Australia and the United Kingdom.
He has the mementos of the past still around him as seen in the photo where he holds a decaying 1890s photo reference book, but somehow his vision is to the future. His observant eye is as sharp as ever enabling him to make connections between photographic stuff that others want to get rid of via eBay, auction and car boot sale, and the provenance that makes these things valuable objects of the past.
Our best wishes go to Sandy …
https://wotwedid.wordpress.com/2011/04/08/flood-image-salvage-sandy-barrie-collection/
August 14: QLD COLLEGE of ART – OPEN DAY – Gold Coast
On Sunday we visited the Griffith University’ Open Day at the Gold Coast Campus. Both Vicky and I are QCA Alumni – I go back to 1972 when it was simply the ‘College of Art’ and a sessional teacher from 1977 to 1993. Vicky from 1992 as a student of the Associate Diploma of Photography program. We’ve never visited the Gold Coast campus – it’s a remarkably fresh looking place in a natural bushland environment. Students manned the info tents and displays alongside lecturers and their presentation packages represented quality outcomes for their graduating students. They offer interesting and contemporary programs in photography, ephotojournalism, fine art and commercial photography.
Vicky@QCA Open Day - Gold Coast
While in the studio we met up with photo lecturer Jack Picone. A fellow PhD candidate – exchanged some interesting ideas about the challenges of professional practice, teaching and keeping up with the demands of higher ed academic study. Jack has worked around the world as a photojournalist – he showed us a book of his amazing work.
Visit Jack Picone’s website – http://www.jackpiconeportfolio.com
We also caught up with long term QCA identity Earle Bridger who up until last week was deputy director of the QCA Gold Coast campus. Earle has transferred back to the South Brisbane campus.
Jack Picone, Earle Bridger & Doug
July 24 Allan Bruce Floor Talk
Allan Bruce talks about his exhibition Panoramic Drawings at Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery
Invitation: Panoramic Drawings
Allan Bruce floor talk in the exhibition space
Walking into Gallery 1 at the Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery, one expects to see large wall works to fill this large space – Allan Bruce’s impressive black and white occidental inspired works are no exception.
In the exhibition, Panoramic Drawings, Bruce presents urban and natural landscapes and room interiors as seamlessly blended composite images where each work: “while recognizable, tends to be an evocation rather than an absolutely literal statement of place”[1]. As with oriental scrolls these works allow the viewer a multi-perspective journey through the spaces that have captured Bruce’s attention and inspiration.
Bruce utilizes ‘in situ’ documentation (photos, video and sketches) and memory to reconfigure the essentials of being in each place. The viewer of this work maybe drawn to the detail and textures of the subject captured within the brushwork of the shadows but the absence of detail in the highlights energizes the work and provides a space for the imagination.
1. From the room sheet for the exhibition
Words: Victoria Cooper
Panoramic Drawings is on at Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery from June 30 to August 7.
Portrait of Allan Bruce with work by Victoria Cooper
For more info on Allan Bruce see:
July 1 – Diggers Rest for Lunch
Doing lots of thesis writing right now – can’t you see?
Vicky - looking for a suitable reference
A working lunch under the pandanus
Other research work were Doug almost looses it: See the YouTube video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qo1IiDDVcoc
ODE TO A PENULTIMATE DRAFT
I MUST GET BACK TO MY WRITING AGAIN
. . . but it’s a beautiful day at the beach!
I MUST GET BACK TO MY WRITING AGAIN
. . . but the washing machine needs fixing!
I MUST GET BACK TO MY WRITING AGAIN
. . . but I have a review to write!
I MUST GET BACK TO MY WRITING AGAIN
. . . but I think I need a little midday nap!
I MUST GET BACK TO MY WRITING AGAIN
. . . but’s lunch time!
I MUST GET BACK TO MY WRITING AGAIN
. . . but I should check if the shop has fresh oysters!
I MUST GET BACK TO MY WRITING AGAIN
. . . but the waves are telling me – – – – something!
I MUST GET BACK TO MY WRITING AGAIN
. . . but I still need to read last weekends newspapers!
I MUST GET BACK TO MY WRITING AGAIN
. . . again writing my to back get must I
I MUST GET BACK TO MY WRITING
. . . writing my to back get must I
I MUST GET BACK TO MY WRITING
. . . my to back get must I
I MUST GET BACK TO MY
. . . to back get must I
I MUST GET BACK TO
. . . back get must I
I MUST GET BACK
. . . get must I
I MUST GET
. . . must I
I MUST . . . I
June 24 – Visiting the 2011 OLIVE COTTON
Tamara Dean's First Prize Image "Damien Skipper"
The Tweed River Art Gallery @ Murwillumbah is once again hosting the Olive Cotton Award for Photographic Portraiture – The exhibition will be on show until July 31, 2011.
This year the Judge was Naomi Cass from CCP in Melbourne and as usual the selected works present a comprehensive review of contemporary Australian photo portraiture from the best photographers in the country as well as the latest crop of emerging image-makers. The portrait remains one of the most fascinating genres of photography – there is something about the face that connects with the viewer.
Some observations
In this year’s Olive Cotton Award for Photographic Portraiture there was something for everyone. This exhibition always provides a broad overview of contemporary photographic practice as 2D wall presented images.
The process and media by which the works were made were described by didactic panels placed around the gallery —everything from cyanotypes to gliclee printing and from Type C to inkjet. Those looking for historical processes found large format (whole plate?) ambrotypes paying tribute to the soft romantic feel of 19th century photography. Sizes of the works ranged from the larger than life images of the famous and infamous to the small personal and the everyday through which we can all find some empathy and connection.
In this mix there seemed to be a trend towards the selection of the reinvented holiday or family album snapshot—mostly in black and white. Some of these images showed the poser/s as acting out or ‘hamming up’ personal moments which when placed on the gallery walls transformed these images into arcane representations of everyday life. Others, whether staged or seen images, were illustrations of current political and cultural issues reframed by utilizing the informality and familiarity of the snap shot and then presented as austere gallery-crafted images for the consideration of thoughtful viewers.
For me, the most successful portraits are the ones that draw upon a deep understanding of photographic quality (tone, colour, detail, time etc.) and aesthetics. Alongside this there needs to be a flexible and experimental approach to style embedded in the psyche of the photographer that is combined with an empathy and curiosity for the subject. For me the portrait is developed through time spent by the photographer in collaboration with the subject and created in a moment of synergy and intensity that distils the portrait concept. The strength, depth and intensity of this collaboration, if handled skilfully, can visually transfer an afterimage onto the viewer’s imagination and memory that transcends the gallery experience. For me all of these decisive factors came together in not only the winning image of Tamara Dean, Damien Skipper, but they were also very strong in Russell Shakespeare’s, Michael Zavros and Samantha Everton’s, Illusion.
.
Victoria Cooper 25 June 2011
.
TO ACCESS a list of the finalists and the winners visit:
http://www.tweed.nsw.gov.au/ArtGallery/ArtGalleryOliveCotton2011Exhibition.aspx
DOWNLOAD a copy of the catalogue for the 2011 Award here
June 24 – Visit to Barratt Galleries, Alstonville
On the way south through northern New South Wales we called in on Julie Barratt at Barrett Galleries @ Altsonville. Julie’s current show is by photographer Mike Greenslade and is called Beneath the Surface.
SEE: http://www.barrattgalleries.com.au
Julie spoke of the challenges of operating a regional gallery and her current honours studies at Southern Cross University. She excitedly told us about the Hankie Project being shown in a Melbourne Gallery soon. The Hankie project incorporated handkerchiefs from over one hundred artists that commented on the loss of a loved one – their response as artists was represented on a handkerchief.
SEE: http://objectsofthedead.blogspot.com/2010/06/media-release-from-opening-at-barratt.html
We photographed Julie in the gallery in a moment of exhilaration – A flying Julie!!
Julie Barratt flying
WORLD PINHOLE DAY: April 24, 2011
‘Round the [w]hole world today pinholers were out having fun – Making their images for the 2011 WPD.
We have just purchased an OLYMPUS EPL1 a Micro Four Thirds digital camera. It features interchangeable lenses, 12 megapixel capture and HD Video – It’s not the latest and greatest but it is very reasonably priced @ around $450 at JB-HiFi or Harvey Norman.
What is exciting is we drilled out the body cover – put about a 10mm hole in the middle and stuck an old home-made pinhole into it and made pictures. In ‘LiveView’ mode you can even see what you are shooting and, better still, we are shooting pinhole movies!!! In fact out 2011 WPD offering will feature a ‘stilled’ image (SEE Below) with a link to a YouTube video.
Still from the Pinhole Movie: "Being There . . ."
HERE IS THE LINK http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yk4vnbzTqOU
Vist the WPD Site for other contributors: http://www.pinholeday.org/gallery/2011/
Our WPD images:
2011 http://www.pinholeday.org/gallery/2011/index.php?id=924
2010 http://www.pinholeday.org/gallery/2010/index.php?id=2464&Country=Australia&searchStr=spowart
2006 http://www.pinholeday.org/gallery/2006/index.php?id=1636&Country=Australia&searchStr=cooper
2004 Vicky http://www.pinholeday.org/gallery/2004/index.php?id=1553&Country=Australia&searchStr=cooper
2004 Doug http://www.pinholeday.org/gallery/2004/index.php?id=1552&Country=Australia&searchStr=spowart
2003 http://www.pinholeday.org/gallery/2003/index.php?id=615&Country=Australia&searchStr=spowart
2002 http://www.pinholeday.org/gallery/2002/index.php?id=826&Country=Australia&searchStr=spowart
wotwedid 
