Nikki McCarthy

Jan 22

McCarthy, N. (1998) *Arrival* [Installation view]. Critical Influence exhibition at Ivan Dougherty Gallery, Sidney. https://www.artdesign.unsw.edu.au/unsw-galleries/critical-influence

Sullivan (2004) introduced the work of Nikki McCarthy in Art Practice as Research. Her art practice is deeply rooted in a timeless exploration of connection, bridging the spiritual, physical, and technological realms. She underscores the synchronicities between indigenous knowledge and the land, suggesting that these connections transcend temporal boundaries and remain vital in the present. McCarthy challenges the notion that indigenous art and technology are strictly rooted in ancient methods, proposing instead that new technologies can expand our understanding of indigenous traditions.

Her work blends traditional materials like feathers, clay, beeswax, and wood with cutting-edge mediums such as neon lighting, glass fusion, and plasma technology. In doing so, McCarthy asserts that the survival and progress of Aboriginal culture can be symbolized through both old and new media, creating a broader context for understanding indigenous rituals and metaphysical concepts. Her art acts as a bridge between past, present, and future, allowing for the continuation of indigenous traditions in an increasingly technological world, while emphasizing the ever-relevant power of spiritual and metaphysical beliefs (Sullivan, 2004).

McCarthy is a good example of an artist whose works pertain to indigenous themes without falling into the trap of merely depicting the past. Her idea of transcending time in the objects she produces is carried over into my work.

Reference:

Sullivan, G. (2004). Art Practice as Research. SAGE Publications, Inc.

Kevin Roque

Utilizing a collage approach in drawing, Kevin Roque offers enigmatic works that touch on societal issues and literary perspectives. Roque graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Painting) at the University of the Philippines Diliman in 2022. Before this, he was a self-taught artist, creating illustrations and book covers for locally published books. Roque has participated in various group exhibitions in Metro Manila since 2010 and has had solo exhibitions at the Prism Gallery and the Center for Art, New Ventures & Sustainable Development (CANVAS) Gallery. He also joined local artist residencies such as CANVAS Artist in Residence in Batangas and Linangan Art Residency in Cavite. Recently, he got shortlisted for the first SANAG UP Art Prize. Roque has been a member of several artist groups, including the UGATlahi Artist Collective, Ang Ilustrador ng Kabataan (InK), and the Malate Literary Folio.

As a skilled worker who values technical skill and craftsmanship, he uses graphite in drawing to capture the gritty details and nuances of his subjects, making it a powerful storytelling tool to illustrate issues such as inequality, labor conditions, or societal injustices. In his compositions, he seemingly blurs notions of reality and perception. This deliberate blurring of boundaries adds layers of depth and intrigue, inviting viewers to contemplate their fluidity and subjectivity. He also employs visual metaphors, where images stand in for larger ideas or narratives. This allows him to convey complex themes or stories in a condensed and evocative manner.

“In all his works, the referents, whose meanings are culled from history, literature, and present social conditions, are made to exist in the same pictorial plane. Often, what they signify, coincide, collude, and blur. Roque’s inchoate marks and textures also draw attention to a palpable sense of space. Instead of a tabula rasa, one discerns faint and obscure stirrings between and amid more established significations. Roque’s works reveal indications of progressive politics yet veer from direct fervor and incitement of emotions. Without discarding the seriousness of the topic, Roque employs more oblique methods that prod at the surfaces and forms of the nation’s socio-historical and political issues“ (JC Rosette).

Nikki McCarthy

Nam June Paik

Warren Lehrer