Events
An Evening and Dinner with Richard Morecroft at Cafe Wood Works
A Point of View - an address by Stan d’Argeavel at the opening of Richard Morecroft’s 2010 photographic exhibition at the Shoalhaven Regional Arts Gallery.
Richard has been dealing with points of view for many years in the ABC for most of his working life but they have mostly been the points of view of politicians, journalists, spin doctors, police, self interest groups and so on.
Now he deals with his own point of view – through his continued media work and through his television documentaries and most importantly as we see here today through his unique representation of the equally unique Australian Landscape through his still photography and now through sculpture as well.
What Richard has done is turn the notion of landscape on its head – not really though its only 90 degrees away to be able to present portraits of that landscape. The two terms are iconic terms for not only two of the major genres of photography but also for the shape of a painting or photograph.
Landscape deals with the near to the far, but it’s been predominantly the wide approach that is taken by artists. Richard has chosen to extrapolate that view in two ways, firstly by presenting a narrow ultra portrait shaped view and secondly by extending the reach of the near and far from the extreme close-up of the foreground details and elements to the far background detail, leading towards, or even up to, and beyond the horizon.
The images present an almost stratigraphical view of a vertical slice of the landscape, something akin to the fault lines to be seen on geological maps. Again it’s in opposition to the more common view of geological formations that most of us recognise as layered sediments. For me, its no coincidence that you might find a similar effect if you were to place a glass slide in a microscope normally horizontally, then turning the slide around to look at it vertically.
Richard depicts his element assemblages or progressions using 100% nature to portray the sequences you see here. He espouses a fascination by the processes that produce structures and patterns in geological and biological environments and all their details and repeated motifs, such as erosion, sedimentation, fractal patterns in vegetation and the crystalline formations of minerals.
Now he’s looking at a wider view of that horizontal world with the new assemblages based on evolution, both convergent and divergent, either converging from a fractured foreground to a perfect horizon or diverging from a coherent foreground to a discontinuity or distance. But these are not symmetrical slices joined to make a conveniently viewable whole, something you could expect to achieve in a single image.
And he is providing a metaphor for the amazing process of evolution in our natural world, with the many small changes made continuously over an almost incomprehensible timeframe. Richard believes these sequences are akin to the way we actually look at the world, in separate viewings or looks. Our eyes have a very wide angle view of around 160 degrees, not unlike a wide angle lens on the camera, but usually we can only look at one view at a time and shift our eyeball to see the full range in sections. That is separate looks.
But I find the really interesting area in our sight is the peripheral vision we all have. It reminds me of the Hitchhikers guide to the Galaxy, where the spaceship was so black and sleek , you could only see it when you are not looking directly at it.” I would like to attempt to exploit that phenomenon photographically one day.
I find it a bit a bit uncanny that Richard and I share many things, like a love of the landscape, and nature and surfing in one form or another, an appreciation for the geology that makes up our world, photography as our most preferred way of seeing and presenting our views of the world, and, after receiving some notes from Richard on the work for this exhibition, even the way we both know and view that world, in his words ”as just a lot of random atoms buzzing through our universe.” I have recently given up on the notion of a world in harmony, and am now looking for some kind of explanation in the mathematics of Quantum Theory.
And you may think that there is no link in all of this. Well you would be wrong. I just want to look briefly at a bit of history here, and in doing so will come why it is that Richard and other photographers are able to present their work today.
William Herschel was the man who put the Universe in plain view. With his ever increasingly sized telescopes and his handmade mirrors, lens elements and various coatings, he was able to look to the stars, and speculate on space, year by year in the age of romanticism. His work is incorporated in the photographic lenses of today and his most enduring and important discovery in his time was the discovery of the unfortunately named planet, Uranus. What Herschel applied to his work was an incredible level of disciplined observance, and building on that level of observation over a long period of time.
And these are two of the three basic things that Richard possesses, and as a photographer, needs, to succeed. A love and respect for technological development, particularly of all things optical, and an observing mind’s eye, applied to seek out and capture the visual scenario before him, be it landscape, in the street, in the studio or wherever one chooses to operate. The other basic thing of course is that other wonderful stuff that emanates from our best known bunch of random atoms, light and other sub atomic particles from the sun and the other stars and galaxies - the essence of not only photography, but of life as well.
All of this conspires to allow Richard to develop his images, pardon the pun, through the use of extreme depth of field, recording sharply and accurately in focus, the smallest detail in the element of the landscape nearest to him, the blade of grass, the grain of sand, to the rock or tree, to the mound or hill or rock-shelf, to the hill, or ocean, the horizon, the non ethereal sky and even further into outer space.
Richard’s almost unique visions of nature provide a fascinating insight into the depth of nature and show us graphically how our sense of sight works for us to be able to see our world.
Beached in Bungendore
Sunday 19th February
A day on the beach in the unlikely setting of Bungendore Village with historic and modern surfboard displays, timber surfboards (of course!), music to stomp and twist by (free lessons provided), best Hawaiian Shirt Competition, hot dogs in the sand and on the grass.
The perfect summer day...
Australian Guitar Duo
Recognised as one of the most dynamic and exciting guitar ensembles, the Australian Guitar Duo has performed throughout the world, including appearances at the New York Guitar Duo Festival in New York City, Project Canción Española in Spain, Festival de Musique Classique in France, and the Mid-America Guitar Ensemble Festival in Illinois, in addition to numerous cities throughout Australia.
Performing a mixture of contemporary Australian compositions and standard works from the guitar duo repertoire, the Australian Guitar Duo consists of respected soloists Rupert Boyd and Jacob Cordover. They met and formed a duo in the year 2000 while studying under renowned Australian guitarist Timothy Kain at the Australian National University School of Music.
The Australian Guitar Duo has been broadcast on radio stations throughout Australia and the United States, and was a prizewinner of the chamber music division of the Australian Guitar Competition.
Saturday 17th March 8pm
Octagon ArtSpace Bungendore Wood Works Gallery
Tickets $30. Call 6238 1682 to purchase tickets. Reserved seating will be assigned at the time of booking.
Café Wood Works will be open from 6pm prior to the concert serving dinner. Bookings are essential on 6238 1688.
Listen to tracks and learn more about the Australian Guitar Duo at australianguitarduo.com
BOOK NOW for the 2012 David Pereira Concert Series
Pre ticket reservations are available now for the David Pereira 2012 series. You can pre-book your tickets and specific seats for the 2012 series by calling us on 6238 1682 or email on gallery@bwoodworks.com.au.
The 2012 Series Performers and Dates will be listed on the site when arranged in early February 2012. Reserved seat holders wi;ll receive details by newsletter and in the mail
David Pereira's 2011 Cello-focused Duo Chamber Concerts
David Pereira is one of Australia's most accomplished cellists. Widely experienced, he continues to evolve as a player, teacher and composer. His playing aims for perfect listening and emotional responsiveness, uncompromised by thought or technical limitation.
Bungendore Wood Works Gallery is proud to be host for the David Pereira 2011 Cello-focused Duo Chamber Concerts featuring David Pereira on Cello with three featured accompanists Alice Giles on Harp, Adrian Walter on Classical Guitar and Geoffrey Lancaster on Fortepiano.
The concerts in March, July and November build on the success of the initial solo cello concert by David Pereira in the Gallery’s Octagon ArtSpace in late 2010 before a sold-out audience. The concert series offers friendliness and intimacy in an acoustically perfect venue, presenting music of a rigorous high quality aimed especially at passionate and dedicated listeners.
Bookings are on a reserved seating basis and strictly limited to 80. Tickets are $44 for each concert or $120 for the three concerts if booking for the full series at the Gallery or on 6238 1682
Café Woodworks will be open from 6pm prior to each concert. Bookings are essential on 6238 1688
Geoffrey LancasterCONCERT THREE
Thursday November 3 at 8pm.
David Pereira on cello will be joined by Geoffrey Lancaster on fortepiano in a performance of the Beethoven Cello Sonata Cycle.
Associate Professor Dr Geoffrey Lancaster AM, Bachelor of Arts (Music) (ANU); Master of Music (University of Tasmania); Doctor of Philosophy (Sydney University); Postgraduate Fortepiano Specialist Study (Royal Conservatory, The Hague)
For the past 30 years, Geoffrey Lancaster has been at the forefront of the historically-informed performance practice movement.
Geoffrey Lancaster is Chief Conductor and Artistic Director of La Cetra Barockorchester Basel. He has appeared as conductor or soloist with all of the Symphony Australia orchestras and the Australian Chamber Orchestra. Geoffrey has been frequent guest Director with the Tasmanian Symphony Chamber Players since 1987. He is also Artistic Director and fortepianist with Ensemble of the Classic Era.
The most distinguished Australian pianist of his generation, Lancaster’s recent international engagements include appearances as soloist with the Gürzenich Orchestra Köln, the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, the Düsseldorfer Symphoniker, the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, Ensemble 415 of Geneva, Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra of Toronto, the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra. This season he has already performed to critical acclaim as soloist at the Alte Oper Frankfurt; the Auditorio y Centro de Congresos Victor Villegas in Murcia, Spain; Hatchlands Park in Surrey; De Doelen in Rotterdam, the Music Centre Vredenberg in Utrecht, and the Kölner Philharmonie.
As a recording artist, Geoffrey’s 30 CDs have won many awards including a Gramophone award for Best Recording, the ARIA Best Classical Recording, and Soundscapes Editor’s Choice. Geoffrey is currently recording the complete keyboard sonatas of Joseph Haydn for the Melba label. He has also recorded for ABC Classics, ABC Classics ‘Antipodes’, Tall Poppies, Sony Classical, and Supraphon.
Geoffrey Lancaster was the first Australian to win a major international keyboard competition, receiving First Prize in the 23rd Festival van Vlaanderen International Mozart Fortepiano Competition, Brugge.
An inspiring teacher and public intellectual, Lancaster undertakes regular residencies at significant European conservatoria including: the Royal Conservatorium, the Hague; the Sweelinck Conservatorium, Amsterdam; Manchester’s Royal Northern College of Music; the Hochschule für Musik, Freiburg; and the Basel Musik Akademie. He also facilitates, conducts and teaches on a regular basis for the Australian National Academy of Music.
In 1996, Geoffrey Lancaster was Associate Professor at the Royal College of Music, London. Since 2002 he has been at the Australian National University where he is Professor, and since 1999 has been visiting Professor of fortepiano at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis, Switzerland.
Lancaster received the Australian Artists Creative Fellowship from the Commonwealth of Australia for his outstanding artistic contribution to the nation. He was subsequently awarded the HC Coombs Creative Fellowship by the Australian National University. In 2006 Geoffrey Lancaster was named Australian of the Year for the Australian Capital Territory, and was awarded the Order of Australia for service to music and music education. In 2007, Geoffrey was appointed Honorary Professor of the University of Tasmania, and was elected a Fellow of the Australian College of Educators.
He has been an ANU School of Music faculty member since 2002.
Burning of the Totems - Fireside Festival 2010
Now in its 6th year, the Fireside Festival is well on its way to becoming one of Canberra’s most popular winter events. The month-long festival, will be held in August and hosted by members of The Poacher’s Way consortium across a diverse range of lifestyle, food and tourism venues. The Fireside Festival is a Canberra and Region Poacher’s Trail initiative. Bungendore Wood Work’s contribution to the Festival was a “Burning of the Totems” in front of the Gallery on Saturday, August 6.
Seventy people, mostly from Canberra, as well as locals out for a walk, and passing travellers, stopped to cluster around the totems. Marshmallows were toasted over an open fire and all watched in awe at the spectacular effect as the chainsaw carved totems were burnt using a large gas torch.
CarvingThe sculptured totems were created by artist Matthew Harding and Wood Works Artistic Director, David Mac Laren. The day had began much earlier with a handful of talented woodworkers gathering at David Mac Laren’s property to create and carve a series of totems in Cyprus pine that had been rescued from St Mary’s Church in Bungendore.
The burning of the sculptures resulted in a beautiful charred finish highlighting shape and texture. The sculptures are currently on display outside Bungendore Wood Works Gallery.
was born in Sydney in 1964 and initially trained in carpentry and joinery. He went on to study art at Hamilton TAFE and later at the ANU School of the Art, Canberra, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Visual Arts (Honours) in 1995. In 1998 he was awarded a Churchill Fellowship to study figurative sculpture in Western Europe and more recently was a recipient of a prestigious 2003 ACT Creative Arts Fellowship 
Test Firing
Over the past two decades Harding has been selected for numerous prestigious awards exhibitions, including the Helen Lempriere National Sculpture Award in 2003, the 2003 National Sculpture Prize at the National Gallery of Australia, Chicago's 2002 Sculptural Objects and Functional Art exhibit, Sculpture by the Sea in 2002 and 1999, Surface and Form - Craft West Perth in 2002, and the Inami International Wood Sculpture Symposium, Japan in 1999. He has held three solo exhibitions, most recently Concentric, a collection of recent furniture pieces, at Craft ACT Gallery in 2001.
He won the Outsite site-specific sculpture symposium prize at Alice Springs in 2001 and the National Carving Competition in 1999. Harding has undertaken many commissions, including major public art projects in the ACT, Sydney, Newcastle areas and in China.
Lighting UpHarding's commitment to the development of Australia's design identity has seen him lecture in design at the Canberra School of Art and speak at international design forums including last year's Designing Futures Conference in Perth. In June 2003 he visited the Australian School of Fine Furniture in Launceston to run a project with current students before heading to Perth to undertake a residency with Craft West. Matthew is now based in Melbourne.
He brings a unique sculptural vision to his work as a designer. As well as creating visually challenging and radically functional pieces of furniture, Harding maintains a full-time practice as a professional sculptor, regularly undertaking large-scale civic art projects. His work is characterised by a deep appreciation of form, structure and function, shaped by a background encompassing the visual arts, design and construction industries. He is accomplished in working with a broad range of materials including wood, stone, steel and bronze. Harding has evolved a lateral and inter-disciplinary approach to design. His functional art pieces are characterised by imaginative structural solutions, a geometric articulation of form and an ability to push the bounds of accepted possibilities.
"My design aesthetic has its foundations in my father's passion for boat construction and design. He describes a good hull line as 'poetry in motion'. Other strong aesthetic influences stem from natural geometries and my attempts to explore connections between the macro and micro worlds around us.”
Burning Detail
On Display
Burnt Detail
