The Red Hill Gallery in Brisbane is overflowing this month with light, energy and colour; such is the aesthetic of our April exhibition. Australian glass artist David Rousell’s dynamic collection of blown-glass pieces is as diverse as it is distinctive. Organic forms and stunning blends of colour illustrate Rousell’s latest aims in his exploration of nature and culture in contemporary life. Of his collection Terraforms, Rousell says “Pattern has become more important in my work, as I often observe the world as a dynamic system of overlaid organic patterns of energy, constantly shifting in and out of chaos. As a result, the work is more of a dialogue based on action and reaction than any direct representation.”
Terraforms presents Rousell’s astounding craftsmanship developed during fifteen years of glassblowing work, and shows the evolution of his practice alongside his world view.
Take a look at his statement on the collection:
The Terraforms compose a new series of works by David Rousell which explore the dissolving boundaries between natural and cultural phenomena in the contemporary world. Terraforming refers not only to the creation of habitats on other planets, but also to the accretion of human-derived layers in the earth’s geologic strata. The accumulation of buildings, roads, landfill sites and industrial chemicals are altering the planetary conditions of the earth at a dizzying rate. Suddenly we realize that we’ve been terraforming the planet for hundreds of years, rather than adapting our ways of living to the earth’s ecological environments. At the same time, terraforming may be the only longterm solution to preserving the complex ecologies of life on earth. The Terraforms series is part of a larger project entitled States and Territories, a three-year research project that explores the connections between art, sustainability and education. Through interactive and site-specific installations, the project creates spaces for engaging with sustainability as a concept and process of cultural change.
Gallery Director Margaret Campbell-Ryder says that Rousell is an extraordinarily talented artist, as can be seen in this collection. “Rousell does not hesitate to experiment, and communicates though his art with his choice of subject and colour. David introduces his Terraforms series – a selection of complex art pieces depicting the earth’s ecological environments.”
The exhibition showcasing Rousell’s astonishingly beautiful collection at Red Hill Gallery in Brisbane is open from April 6th to 20th 2014.
