Jillian Green’s new paintings continue her fascination with depicting spirituality in art.
Without referencing just one particular religion, her works encompass iconography from many: Patterns from Eastern religions, hands clasped in prayer or making signs, the silhouettes of cassocks, halos, grails, mother and child, crosses, prayer rugs and doves.
In describing her inspiration Jillian stated, "for many years I have had a strong attraction to early religious art and architecture. Especially pre-renaissance Christian art, the illuminated manuscripts which came out of the monasteries of Europe, the icon paintings of Orthodox Russia as well as the endlessly beautiful blue patterning of Islam. I also have a strong appreciation of the aesthetics of Protestant religious communities as seen in their church and farm architecture, furniture design of the Shakers or quilt design of the Amish. These represent two groups of aesthetic concerns which continue to vie for my attention and I'm always attempting to satisfy both in a manner which is complimentary to each. The first seen mainly in early Catholic but also Islamic art / architecture. It is richly detailed, textured and patterned. The other is better exemplified by Protestant cultures; plain and simple with mindfully defined strong shapes. I love them both and in one way or another I continue to make work about them."
For this exhibition Jillian has limited the size of the individual painted panel to 18 x 18cm. These small artworks are sold in sets of four or more, creating a mosaic of brilliant colours and patterns. Deep blues are contrasted with fiery reds and offset with gold detailing. Other works are subtler, combining soft graphite greys, pale blues and black. These intricately painted surfaces resonate with beauty and transcend the divisiveness that religious beliefs can invoke.
The title of Jillian’s show, The Old Believers comes from a major schism in the Russian Orthodox Church after reforms were introduced in 1666. 'The Old Believers' rejected the imposed revisions and continued to practice their beliefs according to the rites and writings of the old Russian Orthodox Church and, as a result, suffered hundreds of years of persecution. But the 1666 schism was more than just a rejection of the reforms, the Old Believers arose from an ongoing 'shared distrust of state power and of the episcopate, insisting upon the right of the people to arrange their own spiritual life, and expressing the ambition to aim for such control.' (Sergey Zenkovsky, Russia’s Old Believers, 1995) Many of the Old Believers fled Russia after years of tsarist persecution, followed by the 1917 Revolution, and now modern day Old Believers live all over the world. Jillian observes and respects their tenacity and ongoing faith throughout hundreds of years of intolerance and discrimination.
Jillian has a BA in visual art from Edith Cowan University and has also done studies in theology and Buddhist philosophy. Her paintings and drawings can be found in the collections of Murdoch University, Edith Cowan University, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Royal Perth Hospital, Cruthers Collection, St John of God Healthcare, King Edward Hospital and New Norcia.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
- TURNER GALLERIES | showcasing contemporary art
at 470 WILLIAM STREET NORTHBRIDGE WESTERN AUSTRALIA 6003 - TURNER GALLERIES HAS NOW CLOSED.
This website is an archived record of the exhibitions and artwork shown at the gallery. - Turner Galleries acknowledges the Whadjuk Nyoongar people as the Traditional Owners of the lands and waters where Turner Galleries is situated, and pay our respect to Elders past, present and emerging.
- Website © 2000-2024 TURNER GALLERIES. All images are © the artists and are not to be used without permission.
- This is a millapede project.
