What does 'String Theory' mean?
This contemporary art exhibition brings together the collection of works from over thirty Aboriginal artists and groups using textile and craft-based practices within Australia. It suggests an involvement through the use of traditional textiles and craft-based practices, in which the curator Glenn Barkley composed his ideas upon.
This exhibition focuses on the expansion and connection across time and space, and embraces diverse approaches to fibre and craft- based disciplines The works on display use a range of 'string' such as hand made string produced from plant fibres, forming a base of connecting both the physical and conceptual means. As string binds things, this exhibition acts as a metaphor for the connection of people and ideas. It can be a range of concepts, simple, complex, strong, tidy etc. String theory looks at the transformation of media, considered not being discrete or fixed. For instance, a photo may be a basket. String theory looks at the real world, and its effects. This exhibition looks further beyond the piece at the exchange of knowledge, through social, familiarly and community structures. One is able to view a range of pieces from a diverse range of Aboriginal artists, focusing artwork on the concept of textile and craft-based practices. Within such an exhibition of artworks, the audience is able to appreciate the work of over thirty artists, ranging from string work to photography, painting and film in which artists have included their personal history and culture. Along with this, members of the public have the opportunity whilst at the exhibition to purchase works and memorable items from the string art shop located on level three within the exhibition area. |
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Curatorial Perspective
Who was the curator?String Theory was curated by The Museum of Contemporary Art's senior Curator, Glenn Barkley. He has been a curator at the MCA since 2008 and prior to this, at the University of Wollongong Art Collection (1996-2007).
He has lead a large number of major curatorial projects, including: - The gift of Ann Lewis (2009-10) -Making it New: Focus on Contemporary Australian Art (2009) - Avoiding myth and message: Australian artists and the literary world (2009) Along with being a curator, Barkley was also a co-director in a not-for-profit gallery space in Wollongong, and directed the Ergas Collection based in Canberra and Sydney. Glenn was the curator for a major exchange exhibition between the MCA and National Museum of Contemporary Art, Seoul, Korea, named "Tell me, Tell me: Australian and Korean Contemporary Art, 1976-2011 |
Why was this exhibition assembled?The particular exhibition of 'String Theory' was assembled in correlation with the scientific framework, focusing on the concept of expansion and connection through time and space. This is proven through the range of artworks on view at the exhibition, with the underlying meaning of connection throughout. The exhibition embraces a range of diversities and cultural practices, through an open-ended approach with the idea of 'fibre' or craft-based disciplines.
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