Utopia can be defined as “an imaginary place or state in which everything is perfect”. Australia is considered to be the lucky country with reference to its natural resources, climate, history and other types of prosperity. Danie Mellor and Cia Guo – Qiang are two artists who explore the perfect transformation of a country by offering symbolic traditions of landscape and culture in their works. Through the use of utopia as a central theme, Danie Mellor's "Paradise Generations" and Cia Guo – Qiang's "Heritage 2013" and "Head On 2006" communicate a similar message about Australia's identity to present the idea of perfect harmony within its natural landscape2. The purpose of this letter is to recommend the above listed works by Danie Mellor and Cia Guo – Qiang for the upcoming exhibition “Utopian Australia – the Lucky Country?” as they similarly represent the nature of Australia's developing utopian identity through the aspect of visual language in culture2. Cia Guo – Qiang's exhibition "Falling Back to Earth" presents an impossible sense of the world's perfect harmony in its natural landscape and cultural values2. This is particularly suggested through Cia's artwork "Heritage 2013" with the media in the work consisting of leather, polystyrene, gauze and resin to sculpt exactly 99 life-sized animal replicas which are situated around an artificial watering hole installed containing a drip mechanism surrounded by sand2. 'Heritage 2013' can be seen as 'the last paradise' with the connection of 99 animals collected from different places in the world drinking from the last waterhole that has not yet been affected by human and natural events2. Another artwork by Cia, 'Head On 2006', which is also part of his exhibition 'Falling Back to Earth' explores...... middle of paper...... Danie's pieces Mellor's 'Paradise Generations' and 'Still the Water Runs Deep' sends a message addressing the possibilities of utopia in Australia. Each artwork is expected to be included in the upcoming exhibition “Utopian Australia – the Lucky Country?” as they convey different messages on the central theme of utopia based on their cultural background and experiences. In “Heritage 2013” Cia focuses on the impact of humanity ending the possibility of harmonious perfection as seen from the “last paradise.” While in 'Head On 2006', the artist expresses a message about the universal human tragedy of rushing towards our goals of uncompromising utopia. Mellor, on the other hand, uses his cultural experiences to comment on the acceptance of Indigenous people and the challenges that early settlers faced in gaining an identity in Australia. Kind regards, Andrew John Pengelly.
tags