I’ve been creating paint-on-paper work for Sydney Contemporary Art Fair. I’m exhibiting there with fellow artist Bronwyn Berman. Sydney Contemporary is Australia’s premier art fair and so we have both been keen to exhibit there.
Look for Bronwyn Berman and Gary Christian in BOOTH B21. The exhibition runs from 11-14 September at Carriageworks, 245 Wilson Street, Eveleigh, Sydney, 2015.
For Sydney Contemporary, the paintings continue on with the journey-of-life theme that has preoccupied me of late. These new works are delicate. I’ve been painting on washi paper, which I then glue onto canvas. Other works are on paper, with washi paper and collage on top. Some of these works I have placed into Perspex boxes as the material is so delicate. I scribble on the works as well. There is a lot of play involved with art and in practice I am often working towards creating an image that captures a fleeting moment in time.
Art always speaks to those parts of our life that we find difficult to articulate. We humans turn to art so we can think about the world in a different way. The poem The Birds Have Vanished by Li Po (701-762) reflects some of the meaning I have been attempting to capture. Every time I read the words of Li Po’s poem, or hear them spoken, it makes me want to weep.
THE BIRDS HAVE VANISHED
The birds have vanished into the sky
and now the last cloud drains away.
We sit together, the mountain and me,
until only the mountain remains.
Translated from the Chinese by Sam Hamill.
I found this poem in A Book of Luminous Things, where the poems were selected and edited by the poet Czeslaw Milosz.
I hope you’ll join myself and Bronwyn at BOOTH B21 at Sydney Contemporary!
Bronwyn’s work can be found here
Sydney Contemporary Art Fair
BOOTH B21
Bronwyn Berman and Gary Christian
Exhibition runs from 11-14 September
Carriageworks, 245 Wilson Street, Eveleigh, Sydney, 2015

Sailing Home – Big wave 70 x 70 cm framed paint pencil and pastel on paper stretched on canvas AU$2,900 Enquiry

Sailing Home – on the high sea 70 x 70 cm paint pencil and pastel on paper stretched on canvas AU$2,600 Enquiry

Sailing Home – into the storm 70 x 70 cm paint pencil and pastel on paper stretched on canvas AU$2,900 Enquiry

Echo at the edge II 70 x 70 cm paint pencil and pastel on paper stretched on canvas AU$2,600 Enquiry

Echo at the edge III 70 x 70 cm paint pencil and pastel on paper stretched on canvas AU$2,600 Enquiry

Echo at the edge IV 70 x 70 cm paint pencil and pastel on paper stretched on canvas AU$2,600 Enquiry

And the Sirens sing I 70 x 70 cm paint pencil and pastel on paper stretched on canvas AU$2900 Enquiry

And the Sirens sing II 70 x 70 cm paint pencil and pastel on paper stretched on canvas AU$2900 Enquiry

And the Sirens sing III 70 x 70 cm paint pencil and pastel on paper stretched on canvas AU$2,600 Enquiry

And the Sirens singIV 70 x 70 cm paint pencil and pastel on paper stretched on canvas AU$2,600 Enquiry

The distant call of the Sirens I 70 x 70 cm paint pencil and pastel on paper stretched on canvas AU$3,200 Enquiry

The distant call of the Sirens II 70 x 70 cm paint pencil and pastel on paper stretched on canvas AU$3,200 Enquiry

The distant call of the Sirens III 70 x 70 cm paint pencil and pastel on paper stretched on canvas AU$3,200 Enquiry

Into the fog II 60 x 60 cm framed in perspex box paint pencil and pastel on washi paper framed AU$2,800 Enquiry

Into the Blue III 70 x 70 cm framed in perspex box paint pencil and pastel on washi paper framed AU$3,200 Enquiry

Into the Blue IV 70 x 70 cm framed in perspex box paint pencil and pastel on washi paper framed AU$3,200 Enquiry

Into the Blue IV 70 x 70 cm framed in perspex box paint pencil and pastel on washi paper framed AU$3,200 Enquiry

Deep into the Blue III 70x 70 cm framed in perspex box paint pencil and pastel on washi paper framed AU$3,200 Enquiry

Deep into the Blue III 70x 70 cm framed in perspex box paint pencil and pastel on washi paper framed AU$3,200 Enquiry

Here comes the rain 40×40 cm paint pencil and pastel on torn paper stretched on canvas AU$1,400 Enquiry

and here we stand under La Nina’s Big Sky I 110 x 140 cm framed paint pencil and pastel on torn paper stretched on canvas AU$6,000 Enquiry

and here we stand under La Nina’s Big Sky II 110 x 140 cm framed paint pencil and pastel on torn paper stretched on canvas AU$4,000 Enquiry

and here we stand under La Nina’s Big Sky III 110 x 140 cm framed paint pencil and pastel on torn paper stretched on canvas AU$4,000 Enquiry

and the tide is high 120 x 150 cm framed paint pencil and pastel on torn paper stretched on canvas AU$6,000 Enquiry

and we are here? 45 x 53 cm paint pencil and pastel on washi paper stretched on canvas AU$1,800 Enquiry

and now we are here? 45 x 53 cm paint pencil and pastel on washi paper stretched on canvas AU$1,800 Enquiry