Table of Contents
| Title: | Neon Parc |
|---|---|
| Duration: | 02:26 |
| Year: | 2025 |
| Production: | Handmade Films (Australia) |
| Production Crew: | David Silva, Alex Ballingall, Ben Chew, Luca Rabak |
Neon Parc, a contemporary art gallery based in Melbourne, presented a thoughtfully curated selection of works at the Melbourne Art Fair 2025, offering a compelling dialogue with key tenets of Modernism, abstraction, and the enduring concept of time. The gallery's stand featured both new and historical pieces by four distinct artistic voices: Damiano Bertoli, Diena Georgetti, Janet Burchill, and Jennifer McCamley, each contributing to a rich tapestry of ideas and visual explorations.
The presentation by Neon Parc highlighted the gallery's ongoing engagement with artists who critically examine and build upon the legacies of Modernism. This artistic movement, with its emphasis on formal innovation and conceptual depth, continues to resonate with contemporary practitioners. The works on display invited viewers to consider how artists today engage with abstraction, historical references, and the ever-present passage of time.
Damiano Bertoli (1969–2021), though no longer with us, was represented by historical works that exemplified his concept of the "Continuous Moment". Bertoli's practice involved connecting various points in history through familiar motifs, particularly those from 1970s Italian pop culture juxtaposed with classical statuary. His "Superpositions" series, showcased at the fair, employed collage to explore recurring gestures and representations within moments of countercultural disruption. Inspired by the writings of Gilles Deleuze and Carmelo Bene, Bertoli rejected rigid cultural hierarchies, advocating for subjective experiences over passive consumption, a sentiment clearly visible in his layered and referential works.
Diena Georgetti (b. 1966), a significant figure in Australian contemporary art since the 1980s, presented new works from her series "The Collector". As a conceptual painter, Georgetti creates composite pictures, acting as collages of obscure fragments drawn from the communities of her artistic predecessors. Her works often examine the conventions and structures of the art world itself, with "The Collector" series positioning the art patron within her artistic narrative, honoring their vital role in the ecosystem of art. Georgetti's practice re-energizes historical contributions, emphasizing the essential and motivating life force that art represents.
The collaborative duo Janet Burchill and Jennifer McCamley, who have worked together and individually since the early 1980s, presented a range of works spanning neon, bronze, and textile-based pieces. Their practice draws upon diverse influences, from political and artistic manifestos to the enduring legacies of Modernism, feminism, and conceptual art. Their neon work, "'The Earth Reversed her Hemispheres' 2024," borrowed a phrase from the American proto-modernist poet Emily Dickinson, positioning the earth as an autonomous protagonist undergoing a process of undoing. Their interest in the unique status of fungi, neither plant nor animal, was also evident in their exhibited sculptures. Burchill and McCamley's collaborative practice consistently engages with critical ideas and material explorations.
Through their carefully considered presentation at the Melbourne Art Fair 2025, Neon Parc provided an insightful look into the ongoing dialogue between contemporary artistic practice and the foundational principles of Modernism. By showcasing the distinct yet thematically linked works of Bertoli, Georgetti, and Burchill/McCamley, the gallery underscored the enduring relevance of abstraction, historical engagement, and the multifaceted exploration of time within the contemporary art landscape.
