With today’s drawings of the rooster and the dog I have finished round 1 of drawing the Ai Wei Wei zodiac heads in the Wei Wei / Warhol exhibition. The key learnings were to loosen up, apply the same fluid approach as used for the daily train drawings, and be flexible. I intend to redraw the snake and the rabbit next, to see if the recent approach results in a better drawing of each of these.
I have created two new digital collages from Chinese postcards and book covers (Pelican and Penguin). I wanted to retain the great colours of the books whilst showing iconic Chinese images.
I have a collection of old postcards purchased many years ago. By combining the text based backs and the photographic fronts I have created a new set of images.
I have just created the two images from a series of my own photos and old Chinese postcards from the New York Public Library. Interesting results, although perhaps too busy. That is the temptation of too many compelling source options.
The NGV commissioned an ethereal sculptural installation of a floating temple complex by the artist Takahiro Iwasaki, titled the Itsukushima Reflection Model. The model is based on the actual shrine, which is build on tidal flats so that the shrine is reflected in the water as the tide rises. This work was exhibited at the NGV in late 2014 through to April 2015. I have merged my photos from the exhibition with 1910 era postcard of a gateway to create a new digital collage.
I an now up to the 7th head of the Ai Wei Wei zodiac series – the snake, which happens to be my zodiac sign. This may explain the difficulty I had drawing it!
I have continued to draw the zodiac heads in the Ai Wei Wei/Any Warhol exhibition at NGV- two rather too human versions of the rabbit, and a quick sketch of the dragon. The results of the drawing/photo collage are also shown, with the humanoid features of the rabbit even more pronounced into a zombie like stare. Must try that one again!
The ‘Lost Creatures’ exhibition at the Queensland Museum includes the skull of a Marsupial Lion (who knew there was such a creature), which I drew. A photo/drawing collage is shown below.
The National Gallery of Australia has a surprising small collection of Asian artefacts on display (certainly compared to the National Gallery of Victoria or the Art Gallery of NSW). However those that are on display are exquisite. Here are some composite drawings/photo collages from a visit earlier this year.
