The first thing you might note as you walk through this exhibition by Indian artist Ranjani Shettar is the importance of shadows. The walls and floors become a canvas while Shettar’s sculptures hang and cling to the walls and ceiling. Also notable is the hand crafted nature of these objects – their surfaces are shiny, textured, as well as creepily latexy. There are a range of materials and processes which have been used by the artist to capture aspects of the natural world, for example the effect of wind on leaves or the green belly of a firefly.
Artisans were employed by the artist for Touch Me Not (2006-07) which consists of what look like knitting needles inserted at varying lengths into the gallery wall, they are actually lacquered wooden balls on stainless steel. The varying angles and lengths of these rods when assembled en mass capture the movement of wind over a field of buds, or leaves. The wall plaque describes this neatly as ‘plant kinetics’. I admire the way repetition transforms something simple, identical and not at all ‘nature-like’ into an evocative windswept scene.
A neighbouring work, Fire in the Belly (2007), continues Shettar’s use of wood, this time specifically Acacia, lacquered in green. The wall informs me that these shapes reflect the bellies of fireflies which are in fact green. Each shape is differs slightly in their liquid-like exteriors. Though shiny and slick the wood is untreated underneath so will shrink and crack over time and the paint will peel, revealing the natural object underneath. It’s not clear how this process relates to the bulgy bellies of fireflies, but it may not relate. There may be two stories here, or more. The shadows from this artwork form interesting, overlapping shapes on the wall and floor, and though they are still there’s a sense of movement from their curves. The shadows in Shettar’s work add depth and expand the scale of each work to include the wall and floor space.
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As the Buckley & Nunn evening gown was in storage for many years before and after it was acquired by the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) it needed significant restoration. Mary-Anne Gooden, Textile Conservation Officer at Artlab Australia, outlined the process used by the restoration team at the NGV.The first step in the restoration process was to identify the materials used in the gown. This has a double purpose: firstly, to add to curatorial, production and dating information and secondly, to determine the appropriate course of treatment for the gown. Visual examination of the gown, and extensive condition reports followed. Mary-Anne Gooden used several different machines and techniques during this process, including photomicrography images of the fabric surfaces and cross sections. These machines help to identify how the fabrics were made. The bobbinet for example was machine made of a single layer with only one seam. The sequins were made from gelatine, which dates the garment between the 1890s and 1930s. In addition to gelatine the sequins also included foil, cellulose acetate, plasticisers and a layer of silver on the surface. This particular chemical makeup also explains why many gowns did not survive, and given the unpredictability of Melbourne weather it’s surprising this gown has survived at all. A single moist hand or humid day would dissolve the gelatine sequins instantly.
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Originally published this time last year, this post covers the conservation processes used for restoring the exsqusite Buckley & Nunn Ltd evening gown, which was in the National Gallery of Victoria’s Australian Made exhibition. This is a double post (part 2 tomorrow) which will be of interest to textile enthusiasts and anyone interested in Melbourne’s fashion history.
This edition of An Artwork A Week features my expanded notes from the lecture: Conserving Couture – Beneath the Seams of Edwardian Extravagance (November 2010). Below are images from the exhibition, courtesy of the National Gallery of Victoria, as well as images (previously unavailable) of the gown which formed the subject of the Conserving Couture lecture. It is not a stretch to suggest that this is one AMAZING example of textile extravagance.
The Buckley & Nunn gown from c.1907 is a detailed collection of textures and subtle colours. Composed of bodice and a two layered skirt it exemplifies the Belle Époque style (meaning simply ‘beautiful era’). Perhaps the first details to attract the viewer are the multitude of sequins on the skirt of the dress. Varying sizes and shades of maroon and bronze sequins form a pomegranate pattern around the bottom of the skirt, and the branches weave from the centre front to either side. Circular sequin sections then give way to smaller individual sequins which cover the entirety of the sheer skirt fabric, known as bobbinet or tulle. The hem has a gathering of rich brown silk georgette.
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The title for this post is written in good humour (more an opportunity to quote Eddie Izzard quoting Darth Vadar than anything else). Today I visited the National Gallery of Victoria and while taking notes on the first available chair I was stopped by a staff member. Pens and pencils, it became clear, are not allowed in some exhibitions. I put a way my pen and book and asked how else I might take my notes. With my smart phone was the suggestion (the staff member had not seen my phone so they must have assumed I had one). I intimated that this would not work, and they resumed their work and I resumed my exhibition viewing.
There are a number of reasons why I take my notes on paper in a book. One is that it’s very easy to refer to when I get home - just plonk it next to the screen and away I go. It doesn’t fade to black like a screen does to save power. Another reason is that I find it easy to add to - quickly. Little extra details to be slotted in when ever. My thought process is recorded in a form that runs well with my thoughts. I write big too.
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