The Narrows gallery in Melbourne hosts a wide range of work from local, national and international artists/designers.
The Narrows: Interview with Warren Taylor
Dec 12, ’08
3:16 PM
The gallery space. Designed by Craig Chatman architects.
View Gallery | Visit Website | Print & File [Members] | Return to DG magazine 131
Caroline McCurdy
The Narrows gallery in Melbourne hosts a wide range of work from local, national and international artists/designers. The curator of the diverse art space, Warren Taylor speaks about the most important aspects of running a gallery.
What was your idea behind starting The Narrows?
To incorporate a diverse range of projects into an exhibition program and to learn how to build walls.
Was there a particular concept you wished to represent?
There wasn’t a clear agenda at the start but I developed a focus on instigating collaborations between artists and designers and establishing a sound platform for a rich cross-fertilisation of disciplines.
I understand you are also a member on the council for AGDA, what other work are you currently involved in?
Far too many projects!
I really like how the gallery has an emphasis on representing art and design together. What influences your choices of the kinds of work that the gallery will exhibit?
Thankyou. Projects that instigate points of reference and departures between art and design practices interest me most. I stumbled across an exhibition at The New Museum in New York City in 2003. It was on Afro funk musician Fela Anikulapo Kuti. The exhibition wasn’t particularly well installed but the content was inspiring. Music, film, archival material and artistic interpretations created an interactive, museum-like context for this cult figure of African music. This was an inspiring show and certainly influenced my curatorial agenda in the beginning. I tend to curate like I am working in a museum rather than a gallery. I like glass vitrines and formal arrangements of pictures.
And 60’s modernism.
The gallery space. Designed by Craig Chatman architects.
Could you tell me a little bit about your background? Where you find inspiration, where you studied, etc.
I grew up as an air force child–living in Malaysia, Sydney, Darwin and Newcastle (where I completed a Bachelor of Visual Arts at Newcastle University in 1994). After graduating I worked as a demonstrator at the university whilst maintaining a freelance illustration practice – doing (mostly) editorial pictures for Sydney based magazines.
At present I am finding inspiration in;
the books and posters of Arte Povera;
the collaboration between Roger Willems & Mark manders;
the recommended reading of Matt Hinkley;
the banter of Alan Partridge;
the new timelessness of Times New Roman;
the discovery of Pataphysics;
the no coffee, no beer regime of Cameron Bird and;
the music of Robert Wyatt & Lindsay Buckingham (not collectively)
Being a small gallery in Melbourne, how do you overcome challenges of standing out from the crowd in a city of hundreds of galleries?
1. Good posters
2. Free posters
3. Good beer
4. Free beer
What is your opinion of the current design scene in Melbourne?
When you sift through the plethora of indifferent graphic work there are a handful of innovative studios that I admire for their output and energy. The frequently blurred line between fashion, music, street art and graphic design make it a bit difficult to isolate ‘the design scene’ – but the interesting printed matter is certainly more accessible now. The dialogue I have had with designers, who visit the space, shows that there is an enthusiastic movement towards seeking out, supporting and promoting interesting projects in Melbourne. This is good.
'Tudo Que Acho' Nathan Gray, December 4-20 2008.
Currently showing at the Narrows is work by illustrator Nathan Gray, ‘Tudo Que Acho’ from December 4 – 20 2008. The work featured in the exhibition was produced by Gray while spending two months in Brazil. The exhibition explores the ‘boundaries between experiences and ideas’.
The NarrowsLevel 2, 141 Flinders Lane
Melbourne
Open Wednesday to Friday 12-6pm and Saturday 12-5pm or by appointment.
View Gallery | Visit Website | Print & File [Members] | Return to DG magazine 131
The Production Book
Dec 12, ’08
3:15 PM
Kate McCurdy
Visit Website | Print & File [Members] | Return to DG magazine 131
The Production Book, published annually, is the most comprehensive film and television directory for crew, suppliers and production information in Australia.
Known as the ‘industry bible’, it is spiral bound, tabbed and indexed so that you can find what you’re looking for quickly and easily.
The Production Book contains over 16,000 listing spanning 230 categories, including Actors, Directors and Agents, Book Publishers and Bookshops, Distributors, Libraries (Public, Sound, Stills Photographs, Stock footage), Postproduction, Researchers, Television Production Houses, Visual Effects, Writers and Wranglers.
It also includes other useful information all in the one place, such as sunrise and sunset times, calendars, distances between cities, location contracts, international time zones, and film and television production lists.
The Production Book is a must-have resource for creative professionals – and those studying to be – in the film, television, media, advertising and multimedia industries in Australia and overseas.
The Production Book is also online as a searchable directory available through subscription to the website.
The 2009 edition is available for pre-order through The Production Book website.
18cm x 23.5cm
Approx 860 pages
Spiral Bound & tabbed throughout
230 categories
16000 listings
$140 inclusive of GST and postage
Visit Website | Print & File [Members] | Return to DG magazine 131
Over & Over, A Catalog of Hand Drawn Patterns by Mike Perry – Gallery
Dec 12, ’08
3:14 PM
It is difficult these days to come across design that does not include some kind of hand-generated elements. The most common example is for giving a corporate identity a more organic appearance. The DIY theme seems to have really taken off lately. Michael (Mike) Perry’s Over & Over is a generous and well-demonstrated documentation of the patterns used in the current hand-drawn trend.
.jpg "12(b).jpg")
Over & Over, A Catalog of Hand Drawn Patterns – Review
Dec 12, ’08
3:14 PM
'Over and Over' by Michael Perry. Princeton Architectural Press, 2008.
Review
Caroline McCurdy
View Gallery | Visit Website | Print & File [Members] | Return to DG magazine 131
It is difficult these days to come across design that does not include some kind of hand-generated elements. The most common example is for giving a corporate identity a more organic appearance. The DIY theme seems to have really taken off lately. Michael (Mike) Perry’s Over & Over is a generous and well-demonstrated documentation of the patterns used in the current hand-drawn trend.
Mike Perry is a graphic designer based in Brooklyn NY, where he has been running a small studio for the last two years. Over & Over is the second publication he has produced, the first being the the catalogue of hand-generated type, aptly titled Hand Job (Princeton Architectural Press, 2007). Over & Over is a catalogue of hand-drawn patterns, some also using cut paper, photography and collage. Perry himself ‘uses patterns wherever possible, probably not as often as he should. He fell in love with patterns while digging through clip-art books and has not looked back since. He has used patterns in his work for clients such as Zoo York, 2k, Zune and New York Times Magazine‘.
.jpg "Over and over 3")
'Over and Over' by Michael Perry. Princeton Architectural Press, 2008.
Similar to Perry’s first book, Over & Over features many well known designers from around the world, such as: Noah Butkus, Dan Funderburgh, Jeremyville, Luke Ramsey, Yuko Shimizu, Holly Stevenson, Ben Weeks and Yokoland. Mike Perry describes Over & Over as being a ‘celebration of things done by hand’, as well as stating that pattern is ‘meant’ for use in collaboration. He understands pattern to be something that can act as a bridge between designers, ‘Sometimes they are the end result and sometimes they are the beginning’.
'Over and Over' by Michael Perry. Princeton Architectural Press, 2008.
The catalogue explores a huge range of patterns; some using black and white, while others are created with a hypnotic amount of colour. The subject matter ranges from some child-like, simple shapes to highly sophisticated and detailed pieces. Whilst viewing such an array of different kinds of hand-drawn patterns, it derives a different sense of appreciation. By making the reader more aware of the origin of the work, you can further acknowledge and appreciate the amount of time these designers/artists have spent on creating these pieces, without the help (or too much help) from technology.
Overall, the most exciting thing about the catalogue is the small hand-made errors, that can be seen if viewed carefully. Most often these are caused by the designer’s slip of the hand whilst laboring over a monotonous and complex pattern. These unique errors in the designs are something only capable of achieving by stepping away from the computer, and add character and personality to each piece.
Over and Over is a refreshing take on viewing design today; a view of something different, away from the graffiti, vector, street art styles.
By Michael Perry
Published by Princeton Architectural Press
ISBN 9781568987576
Publication Date 9/1/2008
Format: 8 x 10 inches (20.3 x 25.4 cm), Paperback, 256 pages, 250 color illustrations
View Gallery | Visit Website | Print & File [Members] | Return to DG magazine 131
