"Vineyards: Gregory Alexander, Nicola Moss, Marc Rambeau, Lucy Webster, Annee Kelly, Ross Wilsmore"
2004-07-22 until 2004-08-02
Without Pier Gallery
Melbourne, , AU Australia

The Without Pier Gallery, Melbourne, Australia presents group exhibition "Vineyards" by local artists: Gregory Alexander, Nicola Moss, Marc Rambeau, Lucy Webster, Annee Kelly, Ross Wilsmore. From 22 July until 2 August . The participating artists are represented by the gallery and hold regularly their solo shows there. This time they took an opportunity to have a group show centred around all popular theme of "Vineyards". Media used varies: oils, pastels or watercolours on canvas, paper or board, but all works are of traditional 2 dimensional rectangular shape, that can be hanged neatly on the walls of wine tasting room/cellar or the private loungeroom of a wine and food aficionado.

Artwork represents style that could be referred to as modern realism with a touch of quiet self-reflection and romantic view of the subject matter. There are landscapes, still life and figurative compositions at the show. Colour pallets, no doubt, are borrowed from typical Australian landscapes of wine growing regions: Barossa Valley, Avoca, Yarra Glen and numerous others. (Few artists could not resist to exhibit spectacular views of French wine growing areas. Not forgetting that one of the participating artists - Marc Rambeau actually was born and educated in France). Nicola Moss in her fragmented still life chose minimalist, highly effective combination of starched white table cloth and claret/garnet reds of wine filled glasses with myriads of reflections and obvious sense of enjoyable time.

Paintings are done with great skill. There is confident line, academically correct perspective and impressive colour rendering. Experience and confident mastery of painting tools allows the artists to create that valuable sense of effortless lightness and fluidity in their work. The theme of the show chosen by the curator requires chamber style as well as size approach, respect for tradition and a certain dose of old fashioned enjoyment of things earthy and Epicurean. Interestingly, at the moment there exists a wide, constantly growing tradition of Australian wine culture in the country. Winery here is not only a place to make, taste and sell wine. It is a place of massive weekend congregation, of ceremonial wine tasting, fine dinning or lunching, accompanied by sophisticated music sounds and winds of newest art and life style trends. In general it is a place to be seen and enjoy yourself, appreciate all things pleasurable by being culturally and spiritually enriched. This exhibition joins in the hundreds years old tradition of human artistic thought of contemplating little but constant things in life and paying homage to the fruits of our collective search for nourishment, security and sense of plentytude.

- Ausra Larbey, Melbourne

Related Links:

Indepth Arts Resources for Australia

Other Important Exhibitions in Australia