Gina Bruce
Treelines and Shadows
1-26 March, 2008
Opening Night Tuesday 4 March, 6-8pm

 

 

 

 

Treelines and Shadows is Gina Bruce's third solo exhibition. The 30 year old artist has been a finalist in the prestigious Sulman Prize at the Art Gallery of New South Wales three years running. She has been awarded many prizes including the Denise Hickey Studio Residency at the Cite Internationale des Arts in Paris.

"Bruce is a young artist who has made striking progress over the past few years by paring away everything that is extraneous to the image she wants to capture These are slow pictures that grow steadily more engaging as one spends time in their presence, and this is always a good sign."

John Macdonald, Natural Wonders, Sydney Morning Herald, April 23 2005

Treelines and Shadows is an exhibition of new tempera paintings. Images were abstracted from places known well to the artist, around Sydney and also the Lue, Mudgee area. The theme Treelines and Shadows references Bruce's previous solo exhibition Monuments and Shadows while also moving into new territory. [This exhibition is loosely inspired by the imagery in the book The Secret River, by Kate Grenville, which explores themes of Australia's colonial and indigenous past inhabiting the Australian bush.

The Paintings were created using tempera, with a process of putting paint on and taking it off. Thin layers were built up in this way. Bruce's choice of egg tempera reflects her interest in watercolour painting, as well as a desire to explore a more textural medium and one which requires an interest in the chemistry of making paints and gesso grounds. She has been working in tempera since 2001 when it was introduced to her at the National Art School, Sydney.

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Tempera uses an emulsion of egg yolk and water to bind dry pigments. Egg tempera painting is recognised as the second oldest medium after encaustic. It was used by the ancient Egyptians and Greeks and perfected by the icon painters during the last 100 years of the old Byzantine Empire (400 AD-1202 AD). This medium requires a traditional Gesso surface, which is made by the artist using chalk and glue. The making and application of the paints and the gesso becomes very much a part of the painting process.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

'The artist would like to thank Michel Brouet for the photography'

 

 

click here to see images from previous shows

GINA BRUCE

Born 1977 Sydney, Australia 

2004-2006
2008
 Lived and worked in Paris and the UK
Currently lives and works in Sydney, Australia

SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2008
2005
2004
 Treelines and Shadows, Robin Gibson Gallery, Sydney.
Monuments and Shadows, Robin Gibson Gallery, Sydney.
City Sequence, Robin Gibson Gallery, Sydney.

GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2007
2006
2005
2004
2004
2003
2003 
2002
2002
2002
2001
2001
2001
2001
2000
2000, 2002
2000
 Body Works, Robin Gibson Gallery, Sydney.
Three, Robin Gibson Gallery, Sydney.
Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prize Exhibition, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney.
Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prize, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney.
Parliament House Exhibition, Parliament House, Sydney.
Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prize, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney.
4 New Artists, Robin Gibson Gallery, Sydney
Salon Des Refuse Exhibition, S.H.Ervin Gallery, Observatory Hill, The Rocks, Sydney.
Nokia Art Awards, Silpakorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.
Recent Graduates, Robin Gibson Gallery, Darlinghurst.
Degree Show, Cell Block Gallery, National Art School, Sydney
Footwork, Shoebox Gallery, Darlinghurst
One Week in the City, an exhibition of drawings, William Wilkins Gallery, Bridge Street, Sydney.
View from the Cell, Cell Block, National Art School, Sydney
48 hours, Grand Pacific Blue Room, Oxford Street, Sydney.
Lloyd Rees Memorial Art Prize Exhibition, Lane Cove Council Chambers, Sydney.
Waverley Art Prize Exhibition, Waverley Art Centre, Sydney.

EDUCATION, RELATED WORK AND LECTURES GIVEN
2004 
2003 
2003 
1999-2001
1996-1998
 Guest Speaker, Art Gallery of NSW.
Guest Lecturer, National Art School, Sydney.
BA(Fine Arts)(Hons), National Art School.
BA(Fine Arts), National Art School.
B.Comm, University of Sydney.

ART AWARDS
2005
2003
2002
2001
2001
2000
 Highly Commended, Sulman Prize, Art Gallery of NSW.
Denise Hickey Paris Studio Residency, Art Gallery of NSW
Lloyd Rees Memorial Youth Art Award
Nokia Arts Award Australia (Joint Winner)
Ken Done painting prize, National Art School.
Gruner Prize for landscape painting, Art Gallery of NSW.

BIBLIOGRAPHY / ARTICLES
An Archibald for Olsen, Sydney Morning Herald, 29.04.05
John McDonald, Natural Wonders, Sydney Morning Herald 23-24th April 2005
Dominique Angeloro, Gina Bruce : Critics Pics, Sydney Morning Herald 13.2.04
Leta Keens, Me and my shadows, Belle Magazine Apr 04		 



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