Project Contemporary Artspace

In a world which is crumbling under economic pressures the questions of identity through material worth are being challenged by both Eastern and Western cultures. The ever present struggles of uniqueness and homogeneity are observed by a range of artists born in the Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Thailand, Southern Italy and Australia for the creation of the Camouflage Exhibition.

Painting, installation and digital media are used to explore the rich tapestry of response to life circumstance, in this exhibition, opening Friday, July 17th 2009, at Project Contemporary Art space Gallery in Wollongong, a centre dedicated to providing opportunities for emerging, innovative and experimental artists.

The concept of camouflage is the focus for this group of artists. Presenting their examinations of the structures, contradictions and complexities of cultural belonging.

Catherine Bailey uses painting, mixed media and clay sculpture to create a photographic installation which explores the multitude of ways camouflage enters our daily life. Created in Thailand, Hong Kong, Colo, Sydney and Paris the installation details, with the use of an artist book, a very personal camouflage journey.  Catherine has recently returned from a residency at The Storrier Onslow National Art School Paris Studio. Her most recent exhibition was a group show with Viruch Pikhuntod, at Sheffer Gallery, Redfern in November 2008.

Irina Bruckner‘s work is based on sketches, photographs and notes during her travel trough Europe in 2009. She investigates repetitiveness of symbols and visual systems through the human history, human urgency to conform and blend in with their surroundings by following natural requisites such as climate, landscape, moon/solar calendar. She questions artificial urgency to blend within created fashion, customs, regulations, laws etc. Irina is currently working on a project “Aquarelle and the Orchestra”, series of “documentation” sketches and water colours of workshops with Win Wollongong Symphony Orchestra.

Second generation Italian artist, Marianne Cara paints portraits in the landscape that delicately blend Calabrian village scenes with backyard Australiana. Marianne recently visited Italy where she painted the amazing mosaic landscapes of Umbria in Central Italy. In May 2009, she exhibited at St. Vincent’s Xavier Art space in Darlinghurst.

Russian-born Yana Myronenko spent her formative years immersed in Eastern Block culture, and constructivism is an important influence on her art practice. She is an artist who works intuitively with abstraction of landscapes. Yana recently was awarded The Councillor’s Commendation Prize at Randwick City Council Women’s Art Competition.

Thai artist Viruch Pikhuntod creates sculptures based on Thai animal masks. He chooses to use the image of an animal face to portray this human disguise. He chooses to use materials such as found paper and painted Thai fabric because these materials have their own quality. Viruch had a solo exhibition at Gallery 4A, Sydney in November 2008 and also recently exhibited at Sheffer Gallery, Redfern with fellow artist Catherine Bailey.

Anna Russell looks at camouflage as an act of adaption by each individual. Her work builds metaphors for the transactions around what’s shared and what differentiates individuals in a group. She is trying to express the individual stories that can take you in every direction, and also the story in the shifting patterns of the group in its environment. Anna will be exhibiting at The Sydney Children’s Hospital, Randwick in October 2009.