It’s obvious that the Central Queensland region has a lot of artistic talent. The Bayton Award at the Rockhampton Art Gallery, now in its second year, is quickly becoming a real showcase event. It’s almost like the Grand Final for local artists.
Usually, the Bayton Award is a biennial event. In 2012, it was coupled in its off-year with the Gold Award as a way of introducing both events to the public. Repeating an event like this has its pros and its cons. Although the momentum and success of last year’s exhibition has spurred on so many entries, quite a few are very, very similar to those seen 12 months ago. I’m not saying they’re not high quality artworks and that they’re not worth looking at, it’s just that artists aren’t necessarily that fast at evolving and developing vastly different styles and concepts within their own practice. For me, the once off, one year gap hasn’t given quite enough breathing space since the last time it was run.
Having said that, it’s an exhibition that really is worth seeing. We can possibly tell that the selection panel for the show has had the same concerns as I’ve just mentioned, mainly because of the influx of photographic work that’s been included, which is quite different from last year. This makes me really happy, not because I’m a photography nut (actually, photography generally leaves me feeling a bit cold and wanting...), but because it’s an artform which doesn’t always get the attention and honour that painting does. The photos which made the cut are all really interesting. Moody landscapes, abstract-looking macro shots, and even a flatbed scan of a face. It’s quite an interesting array of styles to break up the dominance of painting.
Usually, the Bayton Award is a biennial event. In 2012, it was coupled in its off-year with the Gold Award as a way of introducing both events to the public. Repeating an event like this has its pros and its cons. Although the momentum and success of last year’s exhibition has spurred on so many entries, quite a few are very, very similar to those seen 12 months ago. I’m not saying they’re not high quality artworks and that they’re not worth looking at, it’s just that artists aren’t necessarily that fast at evolving and developing vastly different styles and concepts within their own practice. For me, the once off, one year gap hasn’t given quite enough breathing space since the last time it was run.
Having said that, it’s an exhibition that really is worth seeing. We can possibly tell that the selection panel for the show has had the same concerns as I’ve just mentioned, mainly because of the influx of photographic work that’s been included, which is quite different from last year. This makes me really happy, not because I’m a photography nut (actually, photography generally leaves me feeling a bit cold and wanting...), but because it’s an artform which doesn’t always get the attention and honour that painting does. The photos which made the cut are all really interesting. Moody landscapes, abstract-looking macro shots, and even a flatbed scan of a face. It’s quite an interesting array of styles to break up the dominance of painting.
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| Ponies, Cars and Push up Bras Felicia Lloyd 2013 |
Felicia Lloyd’s Ponies, Cars and Push up bras (2013) is probably the most refreshing photographic work in the exhibition. A weird mix of photography and readymade stickers, that seems that it’s at the same time reminiscent of good times as a preteen girly girl, and cruelly sarcastic about the manufactured nature of growing up in the post-1980s. I like it.
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| Monkey Business Kobie Swart 2013 |
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| Royal family Sandy McLean 2013 |
But let’s face it, I’m a tragic for (good) painting, and I found it in the 2013 Bayton Award. There’s a few pieces I thought were standout. I quite liked Royal family (2013) by Sandy McLean, mainly because it features something not seen in many other works in the show: people. This is quite different from figures, the random, nameless human form; the three women featured in this painting are real folks. It’s not a photorealist, technical masterpiece, and it doesn’t need to be either. It’s all tinted an ‘outback’ red, overlaid with vague explanatory text. It’s a memory of people long gone. Royal family was painted with heart, and perfectly captured the feeling of those flashing fragments of fading memories of people and times you can’t get back.
The artwork which won this year’s prize is a cracker too. Monkey business (2013) by Kobie Swart is a colourful, somewhat surreal triptych. It’s a whimsical, detailed image that draws your attention with its fine crafting and illustrative style. Swart’s painting is fun to look at. I think that sometimes we, as viewers of art, tend to over analyse things a bit too much. There’s nothing wrong with liking an artwork because it’s pretty, or interesting, or as in this case fun. I’m sure there’s a whole lot of symbolism and meaning going on in here with the hidden monkeys and luna tea parties, but that’s not really my concern with this one.
The artwork which won this year’s prize is a cracker too. Monkey business (2013) by Kobie Swart is a colourful, somewhat surreal triptych. It’s a whimsical, detailed image that draws your attention with its fine crafting and illustrative style. Swart’s painting is fun to look at. I think that sometimes we, as viewers of art, tend to over analyse things a bit too much. There’s nothing wrong with liking an artwork because it’s pretty, or interesting, or as in this case fun. I’m sure there’s a whole lot of symbolism and meaning going on in here with the hidden monkeys and luna tea parties, but that’s not really my concern with this one.
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| Australian magpie attack Stephen Homewood 2013 |
If I was the judge of this year’s Bayton Award, I’d be putting the blue ribbon (or orange rectangle as the case may be) on Australian magpie attack (2013) by Stephen Homewood. No doubt. It’s equal parts Adam Cullen and Jean-Michel Basquiat. If you don’t know who those two guys are, it doesn’t even matter. This painting is alive with colour and movement. It’s packed with images and words and cryptic symbols, yet it’s not over-crowded or cramped. Homewood has made this fresh, layered, street art inspired style look effortless with excellent colour choices, medium control, and obvious design sensibilities. The idea of this painting being a woeful tale of being mowed down by a vicious bird is really only half of the story. It’s a window into the artist’s mind. Full of symbols and references to unknown information, none of the marks on the canvas seem unintentional, leading me to the conclusion that it’s a tale only the artist can completely unravel. I kinda like the idea of having a beautiful map of someone’s thoughts, but not knowing what it points to or even what language it’s in. I’d be quite happy to find out this painting makes it into the Rockhampton Art Gallery collection.
The 2013 Bayton Award is well worth a look. Considering my previous thoughts on the length of hiatus between exhibitions, and the standard of this year’s entries, 2015 should be phenomenal. But in the meantime, make sure you see the best and brightest of our region’s artistic talent.
The 2013 Bayton Award is well worth a look. Considering my previous thoughts on the length of hiatus between exhibitions, and the standard of this year’s entries, 2015 should be phenomenal. But in the meantime, make sure you see the best and brightest of our region’s artistic talent.
The Bayton Award is on exhibition at the Rockhampton Art Gallery 8 June - 7 July, 2013
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