JANINE GOOD

ARTIST STATEMENT

Check 1…2       

Paintings & drawings by Janine Good 2013

Check…1…2, check 1…1..2, the echo of sound check can be heard across Melbourne in early evening as bands set up for their gigs each night. The Tote, Old Bar, Public Bar, The Pony, Arthouse, IDGAFF, Blue Tile Lounge were just a few of the venues – midweek quieter nights are when young emerging bands try to get noticed. Melbourne is full of these venues that sustain a vibrant music industry like nowhere else in Australia, offering a place for young would-be musicians to taste what it’s like to perform.  Each venue tries to establish a unique character, some use murals painted both around the stage and sometimes throughout the space while others have peeling wallpaper, proudly preserved stains and detritus of their past lives, some display quirky retro objects or layers of band posters. The venues are almost as ephemeral as many of the performers.

This exhibition of paintings and drawings explores the movement, energy and passion of live contemporary music experienced through Melbourne’s unique and vibrant music culture. Between 2007 and 2011 when my teenage son played drums with ShyRobyn a young energetic Gippsland thrash band. I became their unofficial photographer, initially documenting their gigs for promotion but became increasingly interested in the photographic effects of movement, trying to capture the energy of the band in difficult lighting situations. Inspired by the band’s live energy and encouraged further by William Kentridge’s depictions of movement in the exhibition ‘Five Themes’ at ACMI¹ in 2012, I felt the urge to try to invigorate my work with these qualities - the challenge of exploring movement and the drama of performance.  Visually I have enjoyed the distortion of blurred imagery of figures merging with instruments and stage murals. The exploration of colour in dark tonal contrast has also been exciting and I’ve discovered that colour alone can create a sense of movement when using its vibrational properties. While most of the works are studio based using photographic reference, a series of works were executed live from rehearsals and a public performance, capturing a more spontaneous result.

 ¹ Australian Centre for the Moving Image, Federation Square, Melbourne.