Invitation

The Pro(d)a(u)ct of Love

by Utako Shindo

Arriving in Australia in 2002, Shindo's practice originally centred on drawing, a medium of considerable importance in traditional art practice but easily misconstrued and often diminutised if used outside its' historical context (eg. Andrew Bolte's 2004 attempt in the ' Hun' to attack Ben Morieson's ' Burnout' project).   From this she quickly developed a complex series of works that brought a contemporary and highly engaging 'edge' to the medium; underpinned by various levels of critique and interpretation, her works continued to expand in scale and meaning as she pushed the medium beyond its' traditional bounds and imbued them with elements that became increasingly personal, almost diaristic.  

More recently she began incorporating other media, including photography, sound and performance art (inspired after seeing a contemporary dance event and improvising a performative element into her work one day).   The performative aspect continued to gain in significance and gave rise to a series of works that explored the boundaries and distinctions between where drawing begins and performance ends, or vice versa.   This added a specific potency to her work, which continues to evolve through ongoing experimentation and refinement of personal, theoretical and conceptual themes.

This project emerged out of a period of reflection on her identity - as a contemporary Japanese woman, and artist, immediately implicating a fusion of East/West cultures and traditions - and feelings of displacement (living and studying in Australia).   What we witness is Shindo's investigation of the creative process using various states of love as the basis of her performance/installation: past (family, friends and old lovers), present (Australian friends, her interstate partner and now distant family) and future.   The result is at once simple and complex, incorporating elements of artistic practice (product/ion-consumption vs action); the site - ocular lab and suburban surrounds; daily life; the complexities of love in its various forms - from celebratory, obsessive, caring and respectful to mourning for those gone or far away - and what can be communicated through the use of sound, image, movement and gesture.   

Shindo's poetic, emotively-driven process takes us into the depths of human expression and existence.

© Kirsten Rann, May 2006

 

The Pro(d)a(u)ct of Love

The work will examine the condition of creative moment in which a production emerges out of love. I intend to convey its preciousness but fragility simultaneously. Ocular lab will be turned into the following three spaces: a bed and living room at the front, and a working room at the back. The external and internal environment of the venue, which is located in a housing area of suburb, Brunswick, adds the sense of both semi-private and semi-public sphere to the actual space. The gentle light coming through small windows also subtly brings a nostalgic nuance into it. Within these conditions, the artist will introduce the process of making artwork happen and reveal the intimate relationship between artist and artwork.

     Utako Shindo

     May 2006, Melbourne