Little shrike-thrush calling in the gully: in praise of shadows
9 September - 12 October 2020
Love(for)Art #02
curated by Amanda Love
LoveArt is pleased to present the second iteration of our nano project space, Love[for]Art, in-iso, with Sydney-based artist Clare Milledge's site specific work, Little shrike-thrush calling in the gully: in praise of shadows (2020), a pentaptych in the Byzantine hinterglasmalerei technique. Words gathered from following ecologists in the field and dating apps draw together environmental and anthropological observations to formulate a unique lexicon.
The work was developed partly through reflection on the influential 1933 text In Praise of Shadows by Jun'ichirō Tanizaki, who wrote of the beauty of the outdoor Japanese toilet, set in nature. Tanizaki praised the Japanese toilet as a place of repose to experience nature and applauded the virtues of natural textures and lighting while rejecting the Western modernist white toilet. Taking this into account, I undertook fieldwork with ecologists and bush regenerators as well as using other sources such as dating apps to gather text and material reflecting current environments. The resulting text paintings are designed to be read in the quiet of the toilet setting with the light of candles and/or natural light.
Interview with Amanda in the dunny:
Little shrike-thrush calling in the gully: in praise of shadows
2020
oil on toughened glass, lead, galvanised steel wire
47.5 x 46 cm five parts each
2020
oil on toughened glass, lead, galvanised steel wire
47.5 x 46 cm five parts each
photography Clare Milledge