Awesome Rembrandt, master printmaker: Viewed 30 July 2023

Rijn, Rembrandt van. 1655. Christ presented to the people: oblong plate (5th and 7th state). Drypoint prints. National Gallery of Victoria, Australia.

Photograph by Elizabeth Cole of Rembrandt's 5th and 7th state prints of Christ presented to the people: oblong plate, 2023.

I was enthralled by the recent exhibition Rembrandt - True to Life at the National Gallery of Victoria, visited on 30 July 2023.

The dimly lit rooms, exquisite figurative and landscape prints and poignant figurative paintings unveiled themselves to careful observation. The inclusion of a cabinet of curiosity showing the types of objects in Rembrandt’s possession late in life is a reminder of this private form of collection, and its use as a source of imagery.

As a print maker, this specific work intrigued me, showing how Rembrandt reworked his plates between editions, as a form of recycling, and no doubt as a means to maximise commercial potential. This work reminds me of the endless possibilities of print making, and the possibilities of varying the output of a single plate. This is relevant as I extend my Studio 2 practice to encompass print making.

Elegantly enigmatic, Takahiro Iwasaki's Reflection Model (Itsukushima): Viewed 26 July 2023.

Iwasaki, Takahiro. 2014. Reflection Model (Itsukushima). Sculptural installation. National Gallery of Victoria, Australia.

Photograph by Elizabeth Cole of Takahiro Iwasaki's Reflection Model (Itsukushima), 2023.

Photograph by Elizabeth Cole of Takahiro Iwasaki's Reflection Model (Itsukushima), 2023.

To calm my mind after the excesses of the Pierre Bonnard exhibition (Bonnard Designed by India Mahdavi 2023), I took refuge in the atrium room holding the third and largest work from Takahiro Iwasaki's Reflection Model series.

I was fortunate enough to be the sole viewer of this work for most of my visit on 26 July 2023, enabling a contemplative engagement of the work. Suspended in time and space, the large scale sculpture has an ethereal presence, transcending its constructed nature and wooden components. Its solitary presence appears to fill the room, a perception aided by the lack of any other objects (chairs, benches for example). The scale is such that the viewer must walk around the sculpture to fully see it from all angles, hence engaging with the work as a type of immersive experience.

The work exemplifies the aesthetical philosophy of Susanne Langer (Chaplin-Dengerink 2019, 194) presenting as one integrated symbol of reflective stillness. I chose to view it from a distance to retain the mystique, rather than get up close to check out how it was made. The limited palette of pale wood set against the dark blue walls added to the serenity.

This minimalistic, sculptural installation exemplifies the expressive potential of scale and simplicity, and reminds me of the immersive potential of this type of presentation. Having already explored the dissonance of floor based installation work, a ceiling hang is a logical extension, as I contemplate alternatives to the traditional wall or plinth mounted approach.

Bibliography

• Chaplin-Dengerink, Adrienne. 2019. The philosophy of Susanne Langer : embodied meaning in logic, art and feeling. First edition. ed. London ;: Bloomsbury Academic.

Sugar hit Bonnard exhibition: Viewed 26 July 2023

Bonnard, Pierre. 1894. The White Cat (Le Chat blanc). Painting. National Gallery of Victoria, Australia.

I saw the Bonnard Designed by India Mahdavi exhibition on 26 July 2023. I found the florid wallpaper and plush furniture designed by India Mahdavi an unnecessary distraction from the figurative and still life works, already too brightly coloured for my liking. The exhibition seemed overly large, filling multiple galleries, or perhaps this was due to the unrelieved nature of the constantly bright array of colours.

While the white cat could be simply stretching its back, I chose to interpret its stance as defensive or nervy, as this resonates with my prickly response to the sensory overload. In this regard I am aware that I am projecting my meaning onto the cat’s posture as a form of symbolism (Adrienne Dengerink 2005, 9 ).

As well as providing a practical example of how I projected my feelings on an object (Adrienne Dengerink 2005, 9), this exhibition illustrated the affective power of colour, and my aesthetic preference for a more muted range.

Photograph by Elizabeth Cole of Pierre Bonnard's The White Cat (Le Chat Blanc), 2023.

Bibliography:

• Adrienne Dengerink, Chaplin. 2005. Art and Embodiment: Biological and Phenomenological Contributions to Understanding Beauty and the Aesthetic. Ann Arbor, MI: Michigan Publishing, University of Michigan Library.