A NETS Victoria and BLINDSIDE touring exhibition curated by Claire Anna Watson
Synthetica is not for the fainthearted—the artists have been selected for their visually charged and hypnotic imagery. Expect an experience that smacks of the strange with pulsing machines and courageous forms brimming with life and wonder.
Nothing is too outrageous: from helium balloons to plasticine painting through to artificial plants and sensor-based technology, Synthetica will both shock and delight. The artists explore humorous, performative and theatrical devices to interrogate the interplay between nature / culture, and humankind / machine. In dramatic and oftentimes-absurdist explorations, the artists reveal how a synthetic reality is closer than it seems.
This exhibition also celebrates the pivotal role of artist-led communities in the understanding and enrichment of contemporary visual culture. For over a decade BLINDSIDE has been supporting contemporary artists to take risks and push their practice into new territories. Synthetica showcases a selection of highlights from BLINDSIDE’s program. During its regional tour Synthetica is supported by a local exhibition series—Here in the Undergrowth—a showcase of new work by a local regional artist.
Learning Guides
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Alice Wormald Reeds Japan 2013
Oil on linen, 85 x 85 cm
Image courtesy of the artist and Daine Singer, Melbourne -
Boe-lin Bastian Jellies. Coupling Series 2010
HD Video (still), 4.13 minutes
Image courtesy of the artist -
Simon Finn Synthetic Surge 2012
Charcoal on paper, 85 x 150 cm
Image courtesy of the artist and Fehily Contemporary, Melbourne -
Paul Yore Ideological Landscape 2012
Plasticine on wood, 117 x 142 cm
Image courtesy of the artist and Neon Parc, Melbourne -
Kristin McIver Thought Piece (What’s Going On) 2013
Neon, steel, concrete, motion sensors, vinyl, neurons, electrical impulses
Image courtesy of the artist and James Makin Gallery, Melbourne and Liverpool Street Gallery, Sydney -
Bonnie Lane Make Believe 2012
Single channel HD video, 1 hour 5 minutes
Image courtesy of the artist and Anna Pappas Gallery, Melbourne -
Kate Shaw La-la Land 2013
Acrylic and resin on board, 30 x 70cm
Image courtesy of the artist and Fehily Contemporary, Melbourne -
Claire Marston, 'Neon 80s font', cement, spray paint, at Gippsland Art Gallery 2015
Local Gippsland artist Claire Marston presented an artwork as part of the 'Here in the Undergrowth' series, a satellite project to 'Synthetica'. Image courtesy of Gippsland Art Gallery.
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Synthetica public program at Wangaratta Art Gallery 2015
Curator Claire Anna Watson speaks about the 'Synthetica' exhibition.
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Synthetica public program at Wangaratta Art Gallery 2015
In conversation with curator Claire Anna Watson and artist Simon Finn.
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Synthetica public program at Wangaratta Art Gallery 2015
In conversation with curator Claire Anna Watson and artist Simon Finn.
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Matthew Harris installation at Wangaratta Art Gallery 2015
Artist Matthew Harris presented artworks as part of the 'Here in the Undergrowth' series, a satellite project to 'Synthetica'.
