Stuart’s new body of work explores the evolution of a primary product, grass [or the more technically correct term graminoid and it’s true grass family members; grains/cereals] to a perceived transitional end: the layered cake.
Transitions can also be read as a metaphor for the many extreme transitions found in contemporary life. Stuart gives the examples of track to freeway, hut to high-rise, sage to celebrity, real-time friendship to Face Book, or grass to layered cake.
In this exhibition Stuart again combines painting and sculpture to create a cohesive scenario for his prodigious imagination. Sections of layered cake, like rococo edifices, are adorned with a variety of skins, from painted patterns to metal cladding and spikes. They both attract and repel. Also featured are the factories that churn out these non-nutritional absurdities. As Stuart notes in his artist statement, we seem to have a “seemingly unquenchable need to manufacture and refine in a world already staggering under the volume of previously manufactured bounties… The cake, particularly the layered, flavoured, iced and sectioned cake is at the opposite end of the grass scale. Expertly developed, carefully prepared and constructed with considerable investment of human time and energy, layered cake has, at its best, a drastically short life expectancy.”
The layered cake is also noted for its metaphorical potency, its ties to celebratory events such as weddings, anniversaries and birthdays. The triumphant cake usually takes centre stage for a time and is captured in commemorative photographs for years to come. The discordant contrast of grubby nineteenth century factories spewing out festive cakes makes Stuart’s artworks quite memorable, and unique. Beautifully painted, or sculpted (and painted), Stuart draws us in to his fantasy worlds, and makes us question ours.
Stuart is also a well known, and loved, local visual arts lecturer, curator and writer. His contribution to the arts in Western Australia was formally acknowledged last year when Artsource presented him with the prestigious Life Time Achievement Award for Visual Arts. This is not to imply that Stuart is anywhere near the end of his artistic career, but he is definitely one of Perth’s most important senior artists. He was awarded a Creative Development Fellowship in 2005 by the Department of Culture and the Arts, and the number of group exhibitions he has been included in since 1976 is simply astounding! His solo exhibitions now number 18 and many important collections house his artworks, including the Art Gallery of WA, Sanyi Museum Taiwan ROC, Curtin University of Technology, University of WA, Murdoch University, Edith Cowan University, WA School of Art & Design, Alexander Library, City of Bunbury, Mundaring Shire, City of Wanneroo, City of Perth, Royal Perth Hospital, BankWest, Kerry Stokes Collection (Australian Capital Equity), L&L Horn Collection, Holmes a Court Collection, Bernadt Collection and many other private collections in Australia, Netherlands, Britain and USA.
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