高清福利片

We invited you to create an exhibition听in response to the University鈥檚听collections. What were you most听drawn to? Did anything surprise you?

SARAH: So many objects! It would听take me a lifetime to choose favourites.听I was delighted by the [coin, of Hisham ibn Abd al-Malik,听Umayyad Caliphate, AD 741鈥�742]. The听 by听the Yawuru, Karajarri, Bardi-Djawi and听Worrorra peoples [inscribed and filled听with ochre from the La Grange area,听Kimberley region, Western Australia听c.1930] are amazing. I鈥檇 never put two听and two together: the usage of shells听as currency (from the sea), and gold听as currency (from the earth) and how听distorted contemporary monetary听culture seems in relation.

I love the juxtaposition of old and听new objects and art. !听! The听 in Coastline. Ancient听Greek objects, which I鈥檝e never had any听attraction to previously, engendered a听fresh enthusiasm. Having visited Greece听in the past I鈥檇 felt that 鈥業鈥檇 seen one pot, I鈥檇听seen them all鈥�, however this has changed听through my studies at the Chau Chak听Wing Museum where I鈥檝e learnt to look听at the paintings and appreciate them听altogether differently.

Can you tell me about your exhibition听Sarah Goffman: Applied Arts?

S: My response to the collection is many听and varied. The term 鈥榓pplied arts鈥� means听arts that apply design and decoration听to everyday and essentially practical听objects, so I have taken this definition听literally in some instances. Taking artistic听license (the best license in the whole听world) I attempt to reproduce artefacts听using thrown away objects and single-use听plastics designated for recycling. Initially听I was attracted to works from the Silk听Road cartel but have found hundreds听of other pieces that pique my interest.听This exhibition catalogues some of these听responses, from the pieces I鈥檝e seen in听storage piled up, willy-nilly in their storage听bags or containers on standard shelves,听to the carefully curated and considered听magnificent displays on show.听

I鈥檝e stayed with my motive to make what听I鈥檓 attracted to, so basically the exhibition听features pieces (or copies of pieces) that听I wish I owned. There is a large variety听of works I鈥檝e made. Each visit has added听more enthusiasm for another category听and frankly it鈥檚 a bit overwhelming.

Can you talk a little about听your interest in the orientalist听objects of the Silk Road and your听interplay with plastic?

S: I鈥檝e long been a lover of Orientalism听and the journey of objects along the听Silk Road fascinates me. The sharing听of designs for commodities and its听significance is essentially aesthetic听for me. Our contemporary society鈥檚听situation of convenient plastics leading听to environmental disaster takes on a听whole new polemic. I try to use this听contemporary medium as it is so听abundant and dangerous. The ethics听of waste in relation to my work are听constantly being considered. A lot of听plastics are manufactured in China, and听the term 鈥榩lastic arts鈥� is used to describe听three-dimensional art so I thought it听would be humourous to name my work听after this, as it is made of plastic.

I recently saw the work Seamless听(1999/2018) by American artist Sarah听Sze who talks about 鈥渕arking time听though objects鈥� which resonated听with me when thinking about your听practice, would you agree?

S: Absolutely! Each piece exists as a听calendar. I may not recall anything听about 2005 except when I read the lines听on my CV. Art is a diary of my time on听earth. French curator and critic Nicholas听Bourriaud writes that 鈥淚 am supposed to听be what I read, what I listen to, what I look听at鈥�. It connects to French philosopher,听anthropologist and sociologist Bruno听Latour鈥檚 observation that 鈥淚 am听what I am attached to鈥�.

Can you talk about your process,听how you go about changing a听discarded utilitarian object? Is听there a moment for you when its听transcendence is complete?

S: Sometimes I begin with the object I听want to copy, then I have to find or make听the suitable form it can be transcribed听upon. But other times, I find the material听and it will designate its format. Finding听the right container or material is a large听part of the process and then cleaning听it and taking it back to its initial design听sometimes takes longer than the actual听decorative process! There鈥檚 a fantastic听moment when I鈥檓 in the studio where听a piece I鈥檓 working on suddenly takes听on the decorative elements and is听transformed. It鈥檚 quite magic actually, and听is often when colour has been applied.听Often it isn鈥檛 until I install the work within听vitrines that I can say it is 鈥榗omplete鈥�.

Can you talk about your previous听exhibitions where you have听incorporated museum collections?听What was the response?

S: In 2005, I made a version of the Art听Gallery of New South Wales鈥� Scholars听table. I was so in love with it; it was the听first time I made a direct and as accurate听as possible rendition of something I听adored. Except I鈥檇 heard that in the early听days of the gallery the roof leaked terribly听and the water would run down the walls,听so I got a fish tank and installed the works听in it, immersed in water. The works were听mainly plastics, so I was highlighting their听immiscibility in water.

In 2017 I made an exhibition, I am a听3-D Printer at Wollongong Art Gallery听responding to their Mann-Tatlow听(donated Asian art) collection, installed听in the showcases the 鈥榬eal鈥� works are听typically housed in. Taking the entire听space, I got to realise a large simulation听of what was traditionally exhibited there.听The response seemed good; I remember听someone telling me they鈥檇 been there听while a father showed his child, but didn鈥檛听understand that what they were seeing听were not the actual objects but copies of听them. This made me feel really good, not听that I鈥檇 tricked them, but my objects were听good enough to simulate the real!

听

Sarah Goffman: Applied Arts听is the second听project in the Penelope Gallery, the Chau Chak听Wing Museum鈥檚 dedicated contemporary art听project space. The exhibition will be on display when the Museum re-opens, after the Sydney lockdown.听

Katrina Liberiou is Assistant Curator, University听Art Collection, Chau Chak Wing Museum.

This article is a preview from our upcoming Issue 27 of听Muse Magazine.

Featured image (top of page):听Sarah Goffman, Perforated bottles A.D., 2021, PET, acrylic paint, LED lightbox.