Bunkershed

Peter Hewitt, Damian Bancks, Marc Wheatley, Julie Donnelly, Katrina O'Brien

15 - 26 September 2010

Opening Fri 17 Sep, 630pm

To be opened by Louise Brand, Curator Wollongong City Gallery.
Performance 'The Dancers' by Marc Wheatley.

The genesis of BunkerShed Studios was in early 2007 when Damian Bancks, Marc Wheatley and Stephen Grabner got together and started a group studio in the old Gipps St Markets at North Wollongong.

Not long after, Damian realised he needed to upscale his work. He moved up the road to what is now BunkerShed. This new space was in fact 2 large spaces separated by a courtyard. One a large 'bunker' style basement and the other a large freestanding 'shed'. Damian moved into the Shed and not long after, Marc and Stephen set up in the Bunker. Damian then asked Peter James Hewitt to come and join his space. After a solo exhibition in 2008 at Project Contemporary Artspace in Wollongong, Damian downscaled. Halving his workspace he asked Julie Donnelly to join him. Later that year after an exhibition with Jasmin Carter, Stephen vacated his space and Katrina O'Brien, having recently exhibited with Julie, moved into the Bunker.

Over the past few years, most of the artists have exhibited with each other at some time. Some have studied together, and some have served on the management committee of Project Contemporary Artspace.

At BunkerShed, things are never static. In 2009 when Marc travelled to India, Virginia Settre happily stepped into the space while he was away. Given the history of connections between the artists, a BunkerShed group show naturally evolved. This publication documents this gathering.

As a group, BunkerShed acknowledge the land in which our studio sits, the traditional lands of the Wadi Wadi people. We respect their cultural and heritage beliefs, and that their spiritual relationship with the country is still as important to the living Wadi Wadi people today.

(Click images of work to enlarge).

Damian Banks


In this new body of work, I've moved from landscape-referenced abstraction to the use of Tibetan text. It was the lyrical movement of the text, its ability to dance on the page, that enticed me.

Initially I started looking for a way to create my own lost ancient alphabet. I soon realised this concept required too much thought. My visual language requires immediacy and feeling. This led me to the idea of working with a meditative mantra. I had worn one around my neck for some years. Repeatedly writing the mantra I saw the text dancing in the realm of abstraction.

My large scale, abstract ink drawings, full of texture and history, were somewhat reminiscent of the printmaking process. So I decided to make Printmaking my main medium for this work. I found the timeless quality of prints suited the ancient texts.

I'm currently focused exclusively on my chosen mantra, the Tibetan Buddhist Prayer of Compassion OM MANI PADME HUM. I've appropriated the styling from the pendant around my neck, the text reading from top to bottom. The prayer is used as a meditative mantra, repeated over and over again. The mantra is so imbedded in the Tibetan culture, it is said that any child who can say the word "mother" can also recite the mantra Om Mani Padme Hum.

w: www.damianbancks.com
e:
m: 0413 897 434

Julie Donnelly

In recent years my interest has shifted to assemblages that have translated into abstract work in plastic, timber and found objects. Using this method I have created tension between contrasts of rugged surface and delicate colours. I have found this achieves a strong visual and emotional impact.

My work in this show is based on my thoughts and feelings about the raw materials I am using.

From a seed a tree grew tall and strong. Then it was cut down as it reached its prime.

A new beginning - a house, shelter, a home.
Again change came - destruction, demolition, and salvage.
Now reborn for all to see; aged paint flaking, scars of life - cuts, nail holes.
From its aged stated, grace and beauty emerge.

e:
m: (02) 4226 9566

Peter James Hewitt

The images are a visual language, depicting a journey of an autonomous Aboriginal male. They identify as being A&TSI, currently question 4&5 on many forms you may have filled out. The work is empowered by our peoples past and present culture, but have little true connections to family lineage, traditions and language.

The work in the past has reaped of a fragmented indiginality. It sought what an urban Aboriginal artist was. Individualism and a personal journey were studied. Recently the works mark-making has been influenced by contemporary Indigenous issues, whilst incorporating post modern conventions to narrate stories of the autonomous Aboriginal person. Through this show, it edges to a clearer vision of what is. It realises its story is just as important as others. It fits somewhere in between being indigenous, koori, white aboriginal, black fella and the exotic savage.

For this show, it has sought a loose label for itself: Contemporary Koori Abstract Expression Mixed Media Manipulations.

My people come from Jerrinja, from the Yuin Nation of the south coast of NSW.

w: www.pjhewitt.com
e:
m: 0408 362 913

Katrina O'Brien

Working mostly on paper, my works are primarily text based. Writing, for me, is an increasing obsession: the text in the work is never an afterthought to decorate the work.

I am greatly inspired by the stories I see and hear around me. These stories aren't just limited to books: they may be stories played out by natures, memories, interactions between people on a train, a secret whispered between friends, a cloud shifting aimlessly across the sky, thoughts of distant worlds, and feelings and experiences in my own life. My works are as layered with meaning and personal experience as they are with text.

A lot of my recent works have been created from a story I wrote titled The Red Sun. They story reflects how I see the world and, as a result, this story always creeps into my art work. I am greatly intrigued by things that are unseen, and things which possess both a quality of strength and fragility.

In my works, a boat may be found floating through a sea of text, in a place taken from a memory or a dream. Sometimes images and words will form into landscapes: you could find yourself walking on solid ground and the next step be falling endlessly through a cloud of words.

e:
m: 0430 580 510

Marc Wheatley

My current work stems from two recent trips to India. Whilst there, I collected bits and pieces of nature. Fallen leaves, flowers, branches, seed pods, anything that inspired me, particularly the unusual and the unfamiliar. I took these bits and pieces to my Indian home, created a menagerie of sorts. Some bits directly influenced the artwork, other pieces never left the menagerie.

The colours of India I also collected. I loved the magenta and violet satchels used by Twinings to house their Darjeeling tea bags. These traditional sari colours I later saw as costumes in a classical dance performance.

Bits and pieces of culture crept into the work. Little things, mysterious things. A sage ceremoniously dressed in garlands for his birthday. In a forest temple I became fascinated by a cobra drawn in chalk on a door. A door I never saw open. On another tiny cupboard door there were carvings of what looked like a ram's head and a little flower or wheel. Behind this door Temple Woman kept all the objects of everyday ritual, oil, wicks, incense, matches. I would sit in the temple with her as she made garlands for the goddesses.

Her dedication to the ritualistic practise was so joyful. Time seemed to stand still, to vanish. Everything seemed timeless. When I met Temple Woman again on my second trip to India it was as if I'd never left.

e:
m: 0438 524 908