Curated by Rachel Kent, this was the third consecutive year the MCA presented an exhibition of new acquisitions, highlighting collecting as a core museum activity. Other artists included Daniel Boyd, David Griggs, Ben Quilty, Todd McMillan, Kate Murphy, David Noonan and Patricia Piccinini. Weaver uses sculpture to explore nature's way of working rather than its appearance: through re-growth, decay, metamorphosis and transformation. Crochet as a process was selected to convey this idea. While art has a long history of the blind human seer (eg Phineas in Jason and the Argonauts; Teiresias, the blind prophet of Thebes and the blind seer of Ambon), Weaver brings us an animal, the fox, symbolic of mischief, danger, cunning and intelligence as the sightless oracle or seer. She also explores the idea of revelation and blindness, iconically in the paintings The Conversion of Saint Paul (Caravaggio) and The Conversion of Saul (Michelangelo). The title of this work, inspired by the poetry of Unica Zurn in the book 'The House of Illnesses', draws attention to the fox's numerous eyes. The figure of the fox appears blind but his eyes are elsewhere on his person. The crystals introduce the idea of secondary sight as part of this 3 dimensional exploration of revelation and sight beyond the normal realms of perception. MCA Director Elizabeth Ann Macgregor says, 'We believe the artists showcased in this exhibition reflect the diversity and depth of Australian contemporary art practice.' (MCA News Release 26/04/07). Colour catalogue includes an essay by Macgregor. An interview on CD with Louise Weaver and an education program were also produced.
History
Subtype
- Original Visual Artwork
