Your Crazy

Anthony Lister

Mark Bradford's Things Fall Apart, 2010

Adam Cullen

Trouble in Paradise Das Platform review

"Beethoven tells you what it's like to be Beethoven and Mozart tells you what it's like

to be human. Bach tells you what it's like to be the universe." ? Douglas Adams

Douglas Adams is indirectly pointing out two things about perspective. Firstly, the

range of perspectives is gigantic, from the visceral to the celestial. Secondly, each

one has its own gorgeous value. Seems platitudinous, but to see an enormous

number of perspectives in one room makes it very involving. "Trouble in Paradise" is

the largest exhibition put on at the artist-run space Paradise Hills to date. It is vast

by design, and carefully curated. Each piece has been selected for the relationship

that it shares with music, and the exhibition as a whole is a thorough exploration of

musical experience.

Curator Dean Thompson elaborates: "This particular exhibition focuses on rock

music and the underground music scene in Melbourne and Australia. Melbourne,

with its many hidden laneways and thriving pub culture, has a rich history in

sprouting the careers of some of the many international sensations that have come

out of this country."

The space is disorienting at first: as with many ambitious group shows there is a

little confusion as to where you should start. Once you sink your teeth in, it feels like

a party full of friends you haven't met yet. The variety of mediums emphasises the

differences between the ideas of each work. There are photographs of classic rock

?n' roll figures for the fans, painted records for those focused on the personal

experience, intricate wood carvings for the technically minded and paintings that hit

the same spot as the best songs themselves.

Musician and woodblock artist Alex Gillies has taken the body of a Fender

Telecaster, carved a beautifully balanced and marvellously flamboyant Day of the

Dead theme in relief, and then used the guitar as a woodblock to create its mirror

image (a print entitled

Giant Sounds). Displayed in tandem, the guitar and print has

all of the technical expertise and exquisite results of a great, sweaty live show.
A wall of painted records and covers by Giles Ryder and Jeremy Kibel is a flashback to the intimacy and importance of discovering music that moves you through a tangible physical object. Blocking the round shape of the record in comfortable colours onto the front of the album sleeve is also an act of projection, plastering their personality on to the records, a beautiful invitation to everyone who puts and sees themselves in the music they love.

Two painters at the exhibition come closest to transferring the direct impact of the

music by which they were inspired. John Aslanidis takes the form of the sound wave

for his series

Sonic Network, and echoes it in colours to jar and addict. The effect is
synaesthetic, with the conflicting colours fighting one another in as tense a harmony
as possible until the painting seems to hum. Natalie Mather paints a grand and finessed orchestral score being pushed through a window. The blasting colours and uncomfortable angles of split quick machine gleam keeps the eyes moving, giving a sense of the ground shuddering beneath you as everything shatters. There are melodies punching through the discord, resolving like a car coming over a steep hill.

The full list of contributing artists includes Archibald Prize-nominee E.L.K and

photographer Søren Solkær Starbird of Denmark.

"Trouble in Paradise" 6 ? 28th July

Wednesday to Friday 3-7pm, Saturday 12-6pm

Paradise Hills, 1-9 Doonside St, Richmond VIC 3121
http://www.dasplatforms.com/

Trouble in Paradise, Paradise Hills, July 6

 A great review from everguide.com.au Trouble in Paradise opened at Paradise Hills on Friday night and is the largest exhibition the space has had to date. Featuring: Jon Campbell, Giles Ryder And Jeremy Kibel, Ken Taylor, John Aslanidis, Soren Solkaer, Starbird (Denmark), E.L.K., Justin Lee Williams, Fabrizio Biviano, Zoy Xoy, Alex Gillies, Ben Millar, Natalie Mather, Krishnamurti Suparka, Vanessa Lee and Andy Riley

The show reflects on how many artists draw their inspiration from music and are often informed by it or influence it in some way. This particular exhibition focuses on rock music and the underground music scene in Melbourne and Australia. Headlining the opening was Melbourne band Echo Drama.
more photos by Bianca Fioritti at  http://everguide.com.au/arts-and-culture/exhibitions/gallery/trouble-in-paradise-paradise-hills-july-6.aspx

Dave Muller

TROUBLE IN PARADISE!!!

Preview to Trouble in Paradise - Paradise Hills Winter Masterpieces

Fun Factory

Opening Friday July 6 will be the largest exhibition in the Paradsie Hills calendar this year entitled Trouble in Paradise.

Featuring:

...
JON CAMPBELL
GILES RYDER and JEREMY KIBEL
KEN TAYLOR
JOHN ASLANIDIS
SOREN SOLKAER STARBIRD (Denmark)
E.L.K.
JUSTIN LEE WILLIAMS
FABRIZIO BIVIANO
ZOY XOY
ALEX GILLIES
BEN MILLAR
NATALIE MATHER
KRISHNAMURTI SUPARKA
VANESSA LEE
ANDY RILEY

The show reflects on how many artists draw their inspiration from music and are often informed by it or influence it in some way. This particular exhibition focuses on rock music and the underground music scene in Melbourne and Australia. Melbourne, with it’s many hidden laneways and thriving pub culture, has a rich history in sprouting the careers of some of the many international sensations that have come out of this country. Venues like the Cherry Bar in ACDC Lane and The Espy in St.Kilda are a mecca for the rock enthusiast to see some of the new talents in rock and roll performers. And this tradition continues today and can be seen in the public eye through the many bill posters for rock and music gigs lining the streets of the inner city.

Curated by Dean Thompson and Michael Staniak, Trouble in Paradise features sixteen carefully selected artists that work with music as a subject, or are associated with it in someway in their lives. For Paradise Hills the show has a place close to the heart of the gallery, as for over a year now the gallery has been featuring many emerging and cult bands at the numerous opening celebrations. It is a forum for music and visual art to combine at it’s elemental level. In keeping with the tradition of the gallery’s curated shows, the exhibition will highlight a mix of well established artists supporting the talents of some young or emerging up-and-comers in visual arts in Australia. The exhibition will also have a guest artist from Denmark, lending an international eye to this very Australian oriented showcase.

Headlining this show is Melbourne band THIS WEATHER. These guys rocked our last show and will be joined by a couple more surprised bands yet to be announced. We will keep you posted in the coming days. Bands start around 7, so don't miss it!

See you her on the 6th!
 

Artist Statement:

 I use low culture images like tattoos as a backdrop for a more abstract form of storytelling. Images from garage band cultures, relics and landscapes, both well-known and extremely ambiguous create the patterns within my work. These arrangements highlight shape and composition rather than historical accuracy, solidifying their participation in a completely unique myth.

Mighty Melbourne

Ricky Swallow
One Nation Underground Watercolor on Paper, 2007
28 x 35 cm each

Yoshitomo Nara

WES LANG http://weslang.blogspot.com/