Obama, 2009, papercut, 30 x 42cm



An exhibition of old and new work at the Poimena Gallery, Launceston, opening Friday 13 February at 5.30pm until 6 March, 2009. I will be the artist in residence at the Poimena Visual Arts Centre until Friday 20th February.

Here are some pics of the work made during the residency:


Cocksure, Bum and Comprimised, 2009, spray enamel on plywood, each panel 120 x 90cm


Comprimised (Peter Garrett), 2009, spray enamel on plywood, 120 x 90cm

Over the peak summer period in Hobart, there is a festival that happens on the waterfront called "The Taste of Tasmania" (or just 'The Taste'). The festival is a showcase for Tasmanian producers, restaurants, entertainers etc. which attracts (apparently) around 30,000 visitors per day. INFLIGHT ARI and 6a ARI had the fortune of orchestrating a 7 day mini-contemporary arts festival in two shipping containers in the middle of the Taste festival.

And so it was that I managed to exhibit "Tasmania: Explore the Possibilities" at "The Taste of Tasmania". Ah, sweet Irony. Several hundred locals and tourists 'enjoyed' the display.

I am in Alice Springs with the crew from INFLIGHT ARI (Hobart) making work for an exhibition at Watch This Space ARI. The exhibition is called 'Unsustainable Weight of Place', opening at 6pm on Friday 14th November and on till early December.

There is a feature article on my work by Michael Denholm in Art Monthly Australia, November 2008, #215. pp 36-39.

You can view the article here: Art Monthly Australia November 2008: Jamin

I feel very honoured to have been selected for an upcoming exhibition at the Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA) in Queensland, Contemporary Australia: Optimism

From the QAG website:

"‘Contemporary Australia: Optimism’ is the first in a major new national triennial series of thematic contemporary Australian art exhibitions.

Encompassing many facets of contemporary Australian visual art and culture, the exhibition includes painting, sculpture, drawing, photography, installation, video and video installation, cinema, animation, performance, music, literature and comedy.

The exhibition presents work by more than 60 emerging, mid-career, and senior Indigenous and non-Indigenous contemporary artists from every state and territory, including Lisa Adams (QLD), Vernon Ah Kee (QLD), Tom Alberts (VIC), Tony Albert (QLD), Del Kathryn Barton (NSW), Chris Bennie (QLD), Daniel Boyd (NSW), Matthew Bradley (SA), Stephen Bush (VIC), Sean Cordeiro & Claire Healy (NSW/Berlin), Aleks Danko (VIC), Christian de Vietri (WA/New York), Rolf de Heer (SA), Gabrielle de Vietri (VIC), James Dodd (SA), Emily Floyd (VIC), Juan Ford (VIC), Julie Fragar (QLD), Dale Frank (NSW), Mirdidingkingathi Juwarnda Sally Gabori (QLD), Mark Galea (VIC), Tarryn Gill and Pilar Mata Dupont (WA), Kristin Headlam (VIC), Petrina Hicks (NSW), Timothy Horn, (VIC/New Mexico), Jamin (TAS), Natasha Johns-Messenger (VIC/New York), Christine Dew, Dave Jones & Students of Macleay Island State School, (QLD & VIC), Kayili Artists (Nola Campbell, Pulpurru Davies, Mary Gibson, Jackie Kurltjunyintja Giles, Ngipi Ward) (WA), Clara Law (VIC), Sam Leach (VIC), Michael Leunig (VIC), m3architecture (QLD), Robert MacPherson (QLD), Michael McWilliams (TAS), Tim Maguire (NSW/London), Thomas Meadowcroft (QLD/Berlin), Tom Moore (SA), Arlo Mountford (VIC), Kate Murphy (NSW), Jan Nelson (VIC), George Nona (QLD), Raquel Ormella (ACT), Robert Owen (VIC), Debra Phillips (NSW), Patricia Piccinini (VIC), Anna Platten (SA), Scott Redford (QLD), Victoria Reichelt (QLD), Tony Schwensen (NSW/Boston), Ritchey Sealy (NSW), Ivan Sen (NSW), Gemma Smith (QLD), Darren Sylvester (VIC), Regan Tamanui (VIC), Kathy Temin (VIC), Arlene TextaQueen (VIC), Jane Turner (VIC), Nawarupu Wunungmurra (NT), Michael Zavros (QLD).

A number of artists will produce interactive art works for the Children’s Art Centre and the weekly Friday night Up Late program will present leading Australian musicians, performers and comedians from 2 January 2009.

‘Contemporary Australia: Optimism’ celebrates the ways contemporary artists envision the world, exploring it with hope, energy, passion, playfulness and, above all, with the commitment to questioning and invention that comes out of the artist’s studio.

Publication

The exhibition catalogue will be available from the Gallery Store and online."

Thanks to everyone that came along to my opening - it was a great show of support and I feel humbled.











Photos © Craig Opie, 2008. Cheers Craig, you're a legend.

INERTIA / FORCE / CHANGE / INERTIA

New Paintings by Jamin

CRITERION Gallery - Hobart

Opening 7 August, 5.30pm

See images and text here

Tasmanian Premier Paul Lennon has resigned today... sparking the need for another 'eulogy' to follow on from the one I offered for John Howard a few months ago. This time, I am suggesting one of the following paintings for Lennon's official Parliamentary Portrait:


The State vs the State, Jamin, 2008, spray enamel on mdf, 240 x 360cm


My Work Here Is Done... appropriated from a Liberal Party Billboard in 2006...


The suggestions were well received by the opposition parties... - complete with a quote by Lennon where he says "Tasmania: a state of conspiracy perhaps (laugh) or perhaps we could even have Tasmania: the mates rates place. I like this one though, I like this one, Tasmania: no hiding here.", again from 2006. Excellent foresight and honesty from Lennon here. (ref)


Then there is this painting, which comes complete with 12 other portraits of prominent Tasmanian's from the series "Tasmania: Explore the Possibilities". This would be a particularly good choice if the parliament wishes to remember Lennon in context.


Always Look on the Bright Side of Life is another good choice contextually, featuring Lennon, John Gay, Malcolm Turnbull, Peter Garrett and, of course, Paris Hilton.


Smells Like Gay Lennon provides for a more limited, yet more intimate, context - the marriage of the facades of Lennon and Gay.


Personally, I find this painting of Lennon to be adequate on may cognitive levels... most notably the many 'makeovers' Lennon spent public money on during his tenure. It's called Don't cha (wish your girlfriend was hot like me)

I am eagerly awaiting the call from the Parliamentary exhibitions officer...