Unrepresented - a curated exhibition of fiercely independent artists

fortyfivedownstairs presents Unrepresented, an exhibition of five outstanding independent visual artists including emerging artists Ted McKinlay, Chloe Vallance, Nicholas Jones & Ben V Walsh alongside established independent artist Christopher Koller August 3-14th.  In addition, a forum titled The Artists Survival Kit will be held on the 14th of August comprising an afternoon of relevant and pragmatic discussion about the contemporary arts scene, artists’ survival and expectations.

 Coinciding deliberately with the Melbourne Art Fair, which is an exhibition of leading contemporary art chosen and presented by over 80 national and international galleries, Unrepresented responds to the vagaries and minefields of the art world that contemporary artists encounter. While most artists see representation by a gallery as the best possible situation, others deliberately remain outside the accepted system.

 Unrepresented is curated by Walk to Art director Bernadette Alibrando, who has delved beneath the surface of Melbourne’s commercial gallery scene, and has selected five diverse artists who are excellent at their craft, have refined concepts, conceptual and emotional content in their work, underlying drive and have chosen to remain independent.

 “Being represented and going it alone both have positives and negatives. I have enjoyed the freedom to exhibit more frequently and in artist- run spaces for smaller bodies of work and for group shows, and have been able to deal directly with people who collect my work” - Christopher Koller

 Christopher Koller has travelled the world for the past 13 years with a $7.00 plastic toy (Diana) camera and will present a series of large photographs of Portuguese gardens which have a hazy, dreamlike quality to them, with shapes rendered indistinct, organic and inviting to the imagination.

 Ben Walsh's presented series of artworks are digital prints of rendered models using techniques that reference the computer gaming world and are an exploration of nature’s intrusion into the human sense of order.

Chloe Valance's series of colour pencil drawings on plywood tiled “All roads lead to where we stand” were developed in response to the experience of travel in relation to the nature of being; the work considers the nature of the individual in society.

 Nicholas Jones presents a selection of altered books which have been folded, cut, torn and sewn into unique sculptural pieces, drawing inspiration from mid 20th century design.

 Ted McKinlay presents a series of drawings utilising the inspiration of found media and personal circumstance.

 Running an arts practice is time consuming, and the art world can be very difficult to navigate.  In conjunction with Unrepresented, fortyfivedownstairs will present a forum “The Artists’ Survival Kit” focusing on the absolute necessity for artists to be businesslike as well as creative.

 There will be words of wit and wisdom from Marcus Westbury, (writer, broadcaster, and festival director), Tom Lowenstein, Australia’s leading arts accountant, Christopher Koller, photographic artist and former academic and Bernadette Alibrando. The forum will be adjudicated by fortyfivedownstairs Artistic Director Mary Lou Jelbart and is presented with support from the Portland House Foundation.

 Since 2002 fortyfivedownstairs has offered an evocative urban space and a friendly, hands-on, personalised service to an eclectic mix of artists for theatre, visual arts, forum, music and dance events. Described by The Age as “a cultural powerhouse”, this not-for-profit organisation prides itself on showcasing the emerging, the independent, the experimental and the thought-provoking and Unrepresented is no exception.

 Unrepresented

3 -14 August, 2010

Fortyfivedownstairs, 45 Flinders Lane, Melbourne, 3000

Exhibition opening 5-7pm Tuesday 3 August

Opening Hours 11-5 Tuesday-Friday, 10-4 Saturday

Forum:

The Artists’ Survival Kit

Saturday 14 August at 2pm-4pm

Entry: $10 Full, $5 Concession. Entry includes a glass of wine after the forum.

Zadia Lenders (03) 9773 9476   or 0448 337 857

EMAIL: zadia@go2girl.com.au

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