Mary Place Gallery, Paddington

In October 2011, artist James Whitington had to draw on his improvisational skills after arriving at Redgate Studios near the village of Feijiacun on the outskirts of Beijing as Artist in Residence.

 

“I was immediately inspired by a lotus pond near the Residency, the Autumn lotus, green and brown, dropping seeds into the pond,” explained Whitington.

 

"I expected to have access to a printmaking studio with a printing press, but discovered there was none available, so instead I began to adapt the residency home/studio to make graphics.”

 

Whitington found a table with a glass top, a cupping glass and a plastic cylindrical vase, to use for rolling the ink into the paper. He bought mdf boards from the village delivered by pushbike to use as wood blocks.

 

After several less than satisfying attempts at making the ink transfer to the paper, Whitington realized the inked boards were going to look better than the paper prints taken from them. He completed eight ink images on mdf board entitled “Lotus Dreaming” and exhibited them at the local NOVA Gallery.

 

Once back home Whitington returned to his printing press, creating large scroll-like Sugar Lift Aquatint Etchings inspired by the bark patterns on silver birch trees in Beijing.

 

In an exhibition entitled HUMAN: NATURE Whitington will show these works at a Rocks Pop-Up initiative in the old Gucci store at Shop 2.05 140 George Street, along with other etchings, paintings, monotypes and sculpture.

 

The show historicises and contextualises the artist as a biomorphic artist, working in several mediums, identifying with the Confucius concept of “Ren Tian” which translates as belonging to nature. Whitington says “I also identify with the American abstract expressionist painter Lee Krasner who when asked where her art came from said: “I am nature”.

 

The titles of Whitington’s artworks reflect this “Matrix”, "Forest Apple" and “Lotus Dreaming” reveal his attachment to the world of nature. 

 

Opening:  Exhibition opens first day of Spring Tuesday 23rd September, 6-10pm

Dates: September 23rd to October 14th, 2014. 

Gallery hours: Tuesday to Sunday 10.30am to 6.30pm.

Address: Shop 2.05, 140 George St, The Rocks

 

For further information regarding this exhibition and photographs contact Alison Jose on 0414 289 778 or alison@brightlife.me

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