EXHIBITION

EXHIBITION

EXHIBITION

The New Acquisitions 2007 exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Arts showcases new? choice artworks that have been acquired by the gallery in the past year. Located on Levels 1 and 2 of the museum? the exhibition features a large range of artworks by various artists and across several forms of media. These artworks reflect on the issues of identity on both a national and global scale. The New Acquisitions in Context exhibition initiated in 2005 and has continued as an annual exhibition? giving the visitors of the MCA an opportunity to experience the world of contemporary art as well an insight into the development of the museum's collection. This year's exhibition curator was Rachel Kent.

Artists- AUSTRALIAN ARTISTS Daniel Boyd? David Griggs and Ben Quilty? Louise Weaver? Todd McMillan Kate Murphy? David Noonan and Patricia Piccinini? Andrew McQualter? John Barbour? Rose Farrell and George Parkin? Fiona Lowry? Jess Macneil? Nell? and Lynn Roberts-Goodwin.

Number of works exhibited- 17 artworks

Artforms displayed- Painting and drawing? sculpture? photography? film and video Materials used- synthetic polymer paint? graphite? ink? acrylic and silk thread? cotton? cotton voile? canvas? acrylic paint? C-type photographs? oil paint? water colour? 16mm film? DVD? Super VHS? MDF? sequins? cork? pins? Super 8? lambs wool? high density foam? glass? glass animal taxidermy eyes? felt? nylon? cotton thread? Comme de garcons shirt panel? mirrored Perspex? plastic? lurex thread? Swarovski crystals? Japanese tree trunk hibachi (charcoal brazier) with fine patina? marine plywood and enamel paint.

Personal Responses and Researched Information

The New Acquisitions 2007 exhibition is an interesting and diverse showcase of artworks from contemporary artists. Each artwork brings an interesting element to the exhibition and the Senior Curator of the MCA? Rachel Kent? has displayed across 2 levels of the MCA in a fashion that both befits the requirements of the artists as well as enhancing the visual experience for museum visitors.

As you enter the exhibition? you find yourself directly facing John Barbour's colourful Inherent Vice on the wall next to the staircase leading up to the exhibition's second level. On the wall to your left? 5 large photographs by Lynn Roberts-Goodwin are displayed. These 5 C-type photographs are impressive through their size and clarity alone. They depict a member of Arabic royalty? standing isolated on the hot sand of the Arab desert. The artwork portrays the artist's own journey of discovery and she explores the world a world that is connected? but not familiar to her. She makes us aware of cultural diversity? and other cultures and customs- the man's looming presence almost demands our attention; the knowledge that he is royalty adds even more to the superior effect created by the elevated positioning of the photograph.

The artwork also presents a feeling of stillness in contrast to the brutal reality of its context; war? death and cultural discrimination. The three photographs of the birds further emphasize the ideas explored in this artwork- the falcon is given human qualities and the way the image has been cropped portrays a sense of capture and ...