TOOL KIT

In the sand dunes outside Abu Dhabi 2005 

My solo exhibition was held at the Abu Dhabi Cultural Foundation in December 2005

 

 

What do I mean by TOOL KIT? If you're a regular reader you will know I don't necessarily mean it as a literal tool kit, like the one a builder might have. My 'tool kit' still 'builds' though.

 

A SPEECH AT THE UNIVERSITY OF QUEENSLAND

I was reminded of my thoughts about a metaphoric 'tool kit' when I listened to the recording of the speech I made, as guest speaker, at the University Of Queensland's 2008 graduation ceremony for the Faculties of Arts, and Social and Behavioural Sciences. I chose the topic of 'Perspective' and alluded to the idea that an academic education is one tool, an important one, in the 'tool kit' for life.

 

I very firmly 'wore' my 'artist's hat' for the speech, suggesting that many of the attributes artists employ to create their work are important for everyone. I used various aspects of perspective as a way of illustrating this. Towards the end of the speech I suggest that an education is like a brush stroke on a canvas...that as time goes by a picture of a life emerges. But, like an artist we can move back and forth from the 'canvas' of life to gain new perspectives...and the possibility of new directions.

 

You can listen to my speech at this link:

http://omc.uq.edu.au/audio/graduation08/KBrimblecombeFox_160708.mp3

 

I recently wrote a post about PUTTING ON A SHOW It's an insight into the plethora of things an artist needs to think about when 'putting on a show' ie: an exhibition. It explains some of the more practical 'tools' in my 'kit'!

 

 

SELECTED PAST PERSPECTIVE POSTS:

 

ART, PERSPECTIVE AND POLITICS

A NOT SO IMPOSSIBLE DREAM: A SHORT STORY ABOUT EARTH AND THE UNIVERSE

AN ALTERNATIVE TO PERSPECTIVE

PERSPECTIVE DISTANCE

 

 

 

That's Life Oil on linen 55 x 80 cm 2006

 

UNIVERSITY OF QUEENSLAND SENATE ELECTIONS

 

So, while I am on the topic of the University of Queensland...I have been nominated for one of the three graduate positions on the University of Queensland Senate.

 

The election period is Tuesday 8 October - 9 am Monday 21 October.

 

Voting will be via an online ballot only.
 

Click HERE to view all nominations, plus access links to the ballot page. If you are a graduate of UQ you are eligible to vote for graduate representation. However, you will need your student number...I know...not something you keep in the forefront of your memory. But, all is not lost, you can ring or email the Elections Officer and she will retrieve your student number. [Ms Tina Ferguson, Elections Officer on  61 (07) 3365 3360 or at uqelections@uq.edu.au] If you email her please provide your name [graduating name], birth date and preferred email address.

 

Needless to say, I'd be delighted if you would vote for me please. I am keen to be part of the University's ongoing quest for rigour and excellence, especially in the fast paced life of the 21st century. I'd definitely employ the powers of 'perspective' I've gained over many years... and learn new ones too.

 

BRIEF UQ HISTORY

1980 B.A. [Double major Art History]

2001 Successfully completed a bridging course to enable entry, by invitation, into a PhD [Art History]. I decided not undertake the PhD because I wanted to concentrate on my visual art practice.

A full CV can be viewed HERE

 

 

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COSMIC ADDRESS: Earth Maybe Our Home, But The Universe Is Our Environment

 

Tuesday 15 - Sunday 27 October

 

Cosmic Address Oil on linen 90 x 180 cm 2013

 

My next solo exhibition is just around the corner.

 

The gallery's 'cosmic address' is:

Graydon Gallery,

29 Merthyr Rd,

New Farm,

Brisbane,

Queensland,

Australia,

Earth,

Milky Way,

The Universe/Multiverse/21st Century.

 

EXHIBITION DATES: Tuesday 15 - Sunday 27 October.

Open daily 10 am - 6 pm or by appointment

 

All the details, artist's statement, events and images can be viewed on my

COSMIC ADDRESS PAGE

 

All the paintings, prices etc can be viewed HERE

 

 

My last BLOG post COUNT DOWN was a playful ramble about the 'count down' to COSMIC ADDRESS...

-Playing with ideas stimulated by the recent discovery by physicists of the amplituhedron.

-Plus Prof Nick Bostrom's theories on post-humans manipulating us via computer simulations.

-Plus a short reflection on Jean Baudrillard.

All this 'play' posing questions about whether a count down and a cosmic address are possible or not!

 

 

Cheers,

Kathryn

www.kathrynbrimblecombe-fox.com

COUNT DOWN

Towards The Past and Future Gouache on paper 2013

 

 

Count Down has begun for my exhibition COSMIC ADDRESS! The doors are open from Tuesday 15 October... 3 weeks away. The exhibition will end on Sunday 27 October. 

 

I rather like the term 'Count Down' in reference to an exhibition called COSMIC ADDRESS.

 

Let me explain...as well as I can.

There are a few things that have lead me to wonder...and wonder.

 

One is this most fascinating article A Jewel At The heart Of Quantum Physics by Natalie Wolchova in Quanta Magazine . It is about the fact that Physicists have discovered a jewel-shaped geometric object that challenges the notion that space and time are fundamental constituents of nature.

 

The geometric object is an amplituhedron...yes an amplituhedron!

 

Here are a few quotes, but please read the whole article and the comments it has attracted.

 

.....the new geometric approach to particle interactions removes locality and unitarity from its starting assumptions. The amplituhedron is not built out of space-time and probabilities; these properties merely arise as consequences of the jewel’s geometry. The usual picture of space and time, and particles moving around in them, is a construct.

 

And: 

 

But the new amplituhedron research suggests space-time, and therefore dimensions, may be illusory anyway.

 

And:

 

Beyond making calculations easier or possibly leading the way to quantum gravity, the discovery of the amplituhedron could cause an even more profound shift, Arkani-Hamed said. That is, giving up space and time as fundamental constituents of nature and figuring out how the Big Bang and cosmological evolution of the universe arose out of pure geometry.

 

Ye gads! Holy mackerel! Hey what!

 

Where does all of that place a COSMIC ADDRESS?

 

 

Shadow's Secret Gouache on paper 2013

 

 

I did say there were a few things that have made me wonder...

 

SIMULATION

The next is  Prof Nick Bostrom's idea that we are living in a simulation, somehow determined by a post-human project/'life' of re-'living' humanity's history. But, there's more, the simulation includes the creation/re-creation of the Universe...even the multiverse. So, it's a pretty stupendous simulation! These poor post-humans essentially have no life of their own...they just recapture memory...certainly not a pathway to Utopia one would think?! Could be more Kafkaesque?

 

LIVING INSIDE A COMPUTER

So, we maybe living inside a computer? But, then again we may not? But if, indeed, we are living inside a computer it would have to be a really magnificent computer and probably not recognisable as a computer to us, otherwise we'd detect the subtext, the guile, the subterfuge...wouldn't we? But, as the Professor writes, if someone did detect something, the post-human simulators could eradicate the memory of detection, wipe the slate clean...and the simulation would continue.

 

But....maybe the Professor's postulation is a sign of the simulation itself...maybe an undetected leakage from the post-human future or maybe a deliberate play...a teasing loop?

 

And...maybe... the discovery of the amplituhedron, and it's indication that time and space are illusions, is evidence that the simulation postulation is indeed plausible?

 

So, if we are living in a computer simulation, it would be fair to say that we are, in French philosopher Jean Baudrillard's seductive terms, fatally mediated. Because, if we are living in a simulation based on 'memory', the world has already come to an end. Our fundamental destiny is not to exist and survive, as we think: it is to appear and disappear.**

 

 

Cosmic Ouroboros  Oil on linen 120 x 150 cm 2012

 

And,

 

When I was very young, laying awake at night or gazing out the school bus windows, I used to wonder if Life was orchestrated by someone or something that moved us and everything else around like pieces of a board game. I remember thinking that whoever/whatever was in control would have to think of a lot! But, I also thought it would be great fun...

 

But:

 

Back to COSMIC ADDRESS:

If time and space are illusions then a COUNT DOWN and an ADDRESS are actually illusions too! Why... because counting, in this way, is a 'measurement' of time and an address is normally a place in a geographic space. And a COSMIC ADDRESS is situated in time and space...seemingly so anyway.

 

The three paintings above will be in COSMIC ADDRESS.

 

 

** Baudrillard, J. Fatal Strategies, Semiotext[e], Columbia University, NY, 1990 P. 175

 

 

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COSMIC ADDRESS:

Earth Maybe Our Home But The Universe Is Our Environment

Solo Exhibition

 

BRISBANE

15-27 October

 

Graydon Gallery

29 Merthyr Rd, New Farm, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, Earth, The Universe

 

Please check out  my

 

COSMIC ADDRESS PAGE

 

for all the details!

 

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 If you have not already done so, please read my last post Putting On A Show

 

Cheers,

Kathryn

www.kathrynbrimblecombe-fox.com