Presented by Art Images Gallery
Reviewed 16 July 2015
Once again, Art Images Gallery provides a high quality of interestingly contrasting artwork, combined to create a harmoniously exciting exhibition.
Christina Cordero’s etchings of quirky symbols and delicate doodles are reminiscent of whimsical hieroglyphics unfolding folk stories from long ago. When observing the images and symbols individually they are underwhelmingly simple, but when brought together in close formation they present a detailed and exciting scene for the viewer. The backgrounds of earthy colours combined with subtle textures and fine line-work give the impression of historical maps and ancient parchments, compartmentalised into short scenes within a longer narrative. The bold black lines of the etchings leap off the subdued backgrounds, allowing these small artworks to have a surprisingly strong impression on the viewer.
Phillip Piperides classically depicts the female form within his elegant bronze sculptures. The figures range in poses from crouching to sitting, boldly standing or draped seductively over geometric plinths. The rounded, curvaceous figures are contrasted with strong, elongated limb lines. Interestingly some of his figures present the body within a movement, such as Sitting Nude, where the woman appears to have been captured whilst moving into a position, rather than fixed in a typical portrait pose. Piperides uses a number of different finishes ranging from rough and textured, to smooth and glossy, to accentuate the mood of his individual figures.
As you enter the room to the left, Jenny Riddle’s acrylic paintings appear like big windows opening out onto the green, rolling, countryside of the Mornington Peninsula. Her roughly layered multitude of different shades and colours give her paintings a life-like depth that draws the viewer into the landscapes. Riddle brilliantly captures the layered movement of grass and the transparent drapery of mist; however it is the trees that dominate the canvases with their monumental presence. She gives them power and individual character far beyond the approach of most landscape painters. Within her space the viewer can become lost in the landscape, immersed in her shifting viewpoints of this cool, darkly green Australian countryside.
In contrast to Riddle’s realism, Pete Groves treats his subjects of landscapes, people and animals with an almost child-like simplicity, filling his canvases with different shapes and bright colours that bounce off the walls of the gallery. His work ranges from colourful geometric landscapes to large mural-like images that seek to share meaningful moments in his life. Some of his paintings offer a contrasting take to Riddle’s rolling hills, with Grove’s landscapes presenting storybook versions of patchwork hills and houses in a palette of reds, greens and yellows. Although seemingly simple, his work is skilfully balanced between imagination and planning, creating a pleasing harmony amongst his geometric patterns and multitude of colours, which could have easily clashed and created unwanted tension.
Reviewed by Georgina Smerd
Twitter: @Georgie_xox
Venue: Art Images Gallery, 32 The Parade, Norwood
Season: 26 June – 26 July
Tickets: Free Entry
http://artimagesgallery.com.au/
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