Reviews on Inside Out Upside Down Gallery Site
Dobell Drawing Prize 2009
This years Dobell provides us with good, not so good and some questionable hangings. With such a variety of styles and subject matter entered to select such a representative collection is indead difficult. The works do not show a consistant standard of drafting but the refinement in each work makes them worthing of a hanging, no matter what my opininion of the power of a number of the works ight be.
In the first section we are treated to david Fairburn's work on paper, its dark tonal values, with strong line work in several colours evoking a melancholy feeling without decending to sadness. Yvonne east's work is confined to a charcoal drawing that has strong lyrical composition. The work itself is strong but the frame detracts from the presence of the drawing. Dagmar Cyrilla provides a work that relies on colour to deliver a sense of drama. The strong verticality of the work could probably stand on its own without the colour. The line and colour together present a striking image that I could probably gladly look at for some hours.
Rod Holway contributes a drawing titled Morning Traffic Enmore Rd. Projecting a sense of the morning after, combined with tension and confusion. Despite that description the work is quite beautiful.
Suzanne Archer presents the most engaging and interesting image of the exhibition. In ink, charcoal and pastel the work manages to be very engaging despite the use of a significant amount of heavy black vertical line.
Robyn Mayo's work in fine line drawing with minor elements of subtle colour is a work that draws you into detailed observation.
The Dobell again justifies it's existance and contributes to a growing interest in drawing in Australia.
author: Neil Miley