GALLERY 1

Lesser Abstraction
Justin Balmain, ADS Donaldson, Daniel Hollier, David Serisier.
Curated by Daniel Hollier

Bringing together both emerging and established artists, Lesser Abstraction examines generational differences in Australian Abstract Painting. Sydney artists Justin Balmain, ADS Donaldson, Daniel Hollier and David Serisier shift the focus from colour in abstract painting to a broader investigation of abstraction as a contemporary practice. Curated by Daniel Hollier, Lesser Abstraction introduces a dialogue that engages traditions of abstract painting while offering perspectives of representation from a post-image age.

This project has been assisted by the Australian Government through the Australia Council for the Arts, its arts funding and advisory body.

Image: Josie Cavallaro, Texting Pigeons, Video Still, 2010


GALLERY 2

Texting Pigeons
Josie Cavallaro

Texting Pigeons observes how mobile technologies have become a conductor of human gesture, movement and communication. This work explores mobile technologies as a barometer of human-to-human proximity within public spaces. This is especially apparent whilst observing strangers share public transport where one can witness warm bodies that cluster together, whilst minds are occupied elsewhere.

Absurdest humour is employed as the entry point to this work. The dual images of a pigeon (in the form of a thumb puppet) and mobile phone are simultaneously activated by the human hand. The movement of these thumb puppets are orchestrated by the action of texting. Pigeons are ever-present in cities and in densely populated public spaces. In cities, pigeon habitats are often formed in pedestrian thoroughfares and within social spaces such as parks and shopping malls. Like the controlled movement of a hand-puppet, these urban habitats are the by-product of human actions within the built environment.

Texting pigeons is a new work developed for gallery 2 at MOP projects. In this space, an aviary is created to house multiple editions of video footage that capture pigeon thumb puppets texting messages or scrolling for information.

Josie Cavallaro's practise is informed by the built environment, technology and the social systems that manipulate human exchange. Speculative research based on direct observations between people, technology and environment; underscores the common-place references in her work. Cavallaro is a Sydney-based artist who has exhibited extensively in galleries, museums and alternative spaces.