Opening on Friday 23rd July 1999, Silicon Pulp's fifth exhibition entitledRelics from Rustic Animations showcases the work of two of Australia's mostoriginal and innovative animation artists, Bruce Currie and John Wilkinson.
Both express the macabre in a humorous manner, juxtaposing everyday characterswith weird and wonderful surrounds, or placing bizarre figures into familiarterritories and contexts. As an indication of their 'relic' status, bothwere represented in the 1988 Bicentennial Touring Exhibition.
Bruce Currie is an enigmatic entertainer - an actor, writer, director,producer, illustrator and animator. The folkloric nature of his storiesand characters belies the polish and technical intricacy that Currie demandsof his enterprises. The realism and accessibility of his characters givehis work such depth and pathos that he must be considered one of our finestanimators. As hip modernist illustrator and master of the hand-painted cel,he has now become a wizard of 3D computer technology, winning this year'scoveted Dendy short film award for his latest animation Love Song.
Currie's design and illustration work has graced the pages of RollingStone magazine, and best-selling books by Wendy Harmer and Red Symons. Hisvignettes were broadcast on SBS before and between Eat Carpet films, withlong-time collaborator Paul Livingston (aka Flacco) providing a live-actionfoil to Currie's animated forays.
John Wilkinson exemplifies the professional 'ratbag' art vandal, maraudingthrough space and time, mutilating the works of masters such as Manet andre-animating in the cut and paste style of mentor Terry Gilliam. He createshumorous monsters and nightmare images, influences including HieronymusBosch, Max Ernst and The Temptation of St Anthony - a bit like Dali pumpedup on steroids. Pilfered cut-outs, collage figures and backdrops, mixedmedia dioramas and stop-motion animation all become dangerous tools as hepositions us in front of a peephole into the apocalypse.
Wilkinson's animations have been used for documentaries and TV commercials,although he is probably best known for his music videos for bands such asKarma County, Mental As Anything and The Cruel Sea, and most recently hisSouth Park-style opener for the '99 41st Logie Awards for Channel 9.
Relics from Rustic Animations 23rd July - 4thSeptember 1999 Gallery Hours 11am - 6pm Wed - Sat SILICON PULP ANIMATION GALLERY 176 Parramatta Road, Stanmore NSW 2048 Australia Tel / Fax 61 2 9560 9176 |
July/Aug - Relics from Rustic Animations
Opening Friday 23rd July - John Wilkinson's relics from Axolotl, theMentals & the `99 Logies, plus rustic animations, Eat Carpet, and arandy rat from Dendy award winner Love Song by animator/illustrator BruceCurrie
Sep/Oct - Freerange Animation - Home on the Range
Falling Cats, puppets and lots more from masterforce combo Andrew Horneand Deborah Szapiro, featuring Dendy animation award winner Darwin's EvolutionaryStakes
Halloween Special - Wild Spooky Things from Paul Treffrey's Creatures'N FX Workshop
November - Swimming Outside The Flags (proposed)
Group show of animation artists featured in the SBS series of short films- exhibition coincides with TV airing & AFI week
December - Franz Kantor, Sarah King & Paul S Power
Fudge Hair, 3D Moonheads & Hollywood Storyboards
NB When The Smit Hits The Fans - Robbert Smit retrospective, postponedtill 2000 due to Robbert's Magic Pudding work
Gallery Hours 11am - 6pm Wed - Sat SILICON PULP ANIMATION GALLERY 176 Parramatta Road, Stanmore NSW 2048 Australia Tel / Fax 61 2 9560 9176 |