'The Girls' artist statement

i've been making different kinds of art these last few years, hence the lack of posts here.
still trying to figure out what the hell i'm on about, it all started with a real look at my own identity.  i've written up a quick statement if you wanna read about "The Girls" series.

Statement - The Girls

This series of paintings from 2005-2008 consists of images of the female form layered with text and graphical elements inspired by traditional Japanese imagery. A strong influence from Melbourne's popular street art aesthetic is evident in the earlier works, however, the later works show a maturing and refining of some of the techniques employed from this genre.
The female forms shown in these works are derived from pornographic web sites, however, a softening of the image - most definitely attributed to the fact that the paintings are painted by a female - lends an emotional aspect usually devoid in pornography.

Also, at a quick glance, a Pop Art inspired aesthetic might convince the veiwer that there is no sentiment behind the work,however, a closer reading of the work will reveal a multi-layered, subjective interpretation. The text behind the figure supports this idea, as the words are derived from song lyrics, sometimes from popular, mainstream bands, and sometimes referenced from more obscure songwriters. But almost always, the lyrics form an integral part of the understanding of the work and can literally spell out the intention behind the painting, even if it appears in a subtle way, ie, camouflaged, or painted in a subtle colour change from the background of the work. The text has the ability to reveal the tension between the internal experience of an emotion and its outwardly expression.

Identity forms a major part of the understanding of this series. Looking at what it means to be a woman in this increasingly sexualised society, and how they are percieved by both men and other women. Beautifying these woman from (essentially) a taboo part of todays popular culture and placing them in a public space, and indeed the gallery, I am exploring the tensions between how identity can unveil itself, and what are some of the contributing factors. The search for love, desire and companionship are evident in this work as I explore these particular aspects of the human condition.




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28th November, 2008

HIP POP

i will be participating in United Galleries annual emerging artists group show.



Opeing night, November 28, 2008 at 6:00pm

Runs until Sunday, December 28, 2008

Location: United Galleries Sydney

Street: 179-181 Palmer Street

City/Town: Darlinghurst, Australia


The second Hip Pop show continues with the best of young fresh exciting Australian talent. Supporting Father Chris Riley's Youth off the Streets once again the exhibition aims to showcase 4 "Hip" and 4 "Pop" artists from 2008. A donation will be made from the sale of each artwork to the Father Chris Riley charity.

artists include

Kieran Antill

Thor Engelstad

Jane Fontane

James Hancock

Buni

Ben Rak

Dennis Ropar

Kate Scardifield




more info at www.unitedgalleries.com.au
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28th April, 2008

buni shows at kent street

please join me for drinks at the bar called "kent st" where i am exhibiting some early works from my private collection. some of these works have never been shown before, and prices start at $60, so now you could get your hands on your very own original buni painting!


opening night is this saturday, may 3rd, 6-8pm


201 smith street fitzroy, victoria, australia.


the exhibition will be open every day and will run untill the 6th of june.



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15th October, 2007

ART SYDNEY '07

United Galleries, 26-28 October 2007, Located at the Royal Hall of Industries Moorepark, NSW, Aust.

opening night 25th October 2007.

I'm exhibiting with Sydney represented artists Jane Fontane, James Hancock, Jeff Martin and Paolo Talbert.

Hip HOP

United Galleries, 179 Palmer street, Surry Hills, NSW, Aust.

opening night: 15 November 07

with artists James Hancock, Paola Talbert, Jarrod Taylor + more.

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17th August, 2007

Wallpaper Wars - Group show with Pia DeBruyn
Opening night 31st Aug, 6-9 drinks all round!

At: Off the Kerb gallery and studios 66b Johnston Street, Collingwood, Vic, Australia
[link]

The show runs till the 21st of September.
Opening hours are Thurs & Fri 12:30pm-6pm, Sat & Sun 12-5pm.

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Contact details
Email - buni@graffiti.net Myspace: [link]
D.O.B - 12.05.1982

Education

2002 Bachelor of Fine Arts (Painting)
Monash University, Faculty of Art and Design, Department of Fine Arts and Applied Arts, Caulfield, Victoria, Australia.

2003 Basic Camera,
Swinburne University of Technology, Prahran, Victoria, Australia.

Biography
Since graduating from Fine Arts at Melbourne's Monash University in 2002, Buni has been working as a full time artist in Tokyo and Melbourne, with various group and solo exhibitions in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Tokyo.
Buni has been selected for the inclusion in the "Anything I Like" Arts section of acclaimed online magazine from Paper Tiger Media and her work has also appeared on the front cover of TBN magazine and Player magazine in Tokyo, Australian Art Review and also Belle Magazine, Australia.
Utilizing paint, craft and sculptural mediums, the work explores themes of binary opposites. Borrowing iconography from folk tales and popular culture, the work endeavors to explore dichotomies inherent within the human condition, and how they operate in todays social constructs and communities.

Solo Exhibitions
Buni shows @ Kent St, Kent st Fitzroy, Vic, 2008
Like Faces Are Two Hearts, Artasis, Richmond, Vic, 2007
Like Lovers Do, blank_space, Surry Hills, Sydney, NSW, 2006
Buni @ Mossimo, Mossimo, Chapel St, South Yarra, Vic, 2005
DieBuni Die, The Lounge, Swanston St, Melbourne, Vic, 2003

Curated Shows
2005
Feb – Missing Things Tomorrow, Curtain House, Swanston St, Melbourne, Vic.

Group Exhibitions
2008
Assembled, Bamakko, Melbourne, Vic
2007
Hip Pop, United Gallieries, Sydney, NSW.
Wallpaper Wars, Off The Kerb, Collingwood, Vic
The Empty Show, Melbourne CBD, Vic
Sydney Art Fair, Sydney, NSW
Melbourne Art Fair, Melbourne, Vic
Unwrapped, United Galleries, Perth, W.A.
The Empty Show, CBD, Melbourne, Vic
2006
Unwrapped, United Galleries, Sydney, NSW.
The Pink Cow, live painting performance, The Pink Cow, Shibuya, Tokyo.
BlackBurst, Yoyogi, Tokyo.
Melbourne Art Fair '06, Carlton Exhibition Building, Vic.
Urban Myths, Brunswick Arts, little Breese st, Brunswick, Vic.
PostMod, Toyota Community Spirit Gallery, Port Melbourne, Vic.
Phaze3, 2 Hall St, Newport, Vic.
Artasis, 323 Lennox St, Richmond, Vic.

2005
Artasis, 323 Lennox St, Richmond, Vic.
Pearl, Dante's Upstairs, Gallery Gertrude St, Fitzroy, Vic.
Missing Things Tomorrow, lvl 2, Curtain House, Swanston St,
Melbourne, Vic.

2004
Retali8, Hush Hush Gallery and City Lights combined exhibition,
Hosier Lane, Melbourne, Vic.
Drawing Blood, Early Space, Smith St, Collingwood, Vic.

2003
The Empty Show, Canterbury, Vic.
Get A Real Job, Tomorrow Food and Design, Johnson St, Fitzroy, Vic.
Fatal Eight, Early Space, Smith St, Collingwood, Vic.
Stencils and Drips, The Laundry, Johnson St Fitzroy, Vic.

2002
Synthetic, The St. Kilda Duke, St. Kilda Rd, Balaclava, Vic.
Hatch, Monash University, Dandenong Rd, Caulfield, Vic.
What Inspires You? Competition/Exhibition, Inspire Foundation and General Pants Co.,
Fox Studios, Sydney.

Publications
- Scoop Traveller, NSW, 2008
- Channel V, "The Know", 2007
- Australian Art Review, 2007
- Oh Really, Australia, 2007
- Player Magazine, Tokyo, 2006.
- TNB Magazine, front cover, Tokyo, 2006.
- Belle, Australia, 2006.
- 'Lip' issue #11, 2006
- "Anythingilike" at [link]
- "Izastickup" Drago Arts and Communication Publication, 2005.
- Cleo, 'Art House', July 2005 issue.
- Antipoda, the Clothing and Arts Co. Online biography with Retali8 members..
- "Wooster Collective" website. [link]


Awards
- Finalist, 'What Inspires You?' Competition/Exhibition, Inspire Foundation and General
Pants Co., Fox Studios, Sydney. 2002

Collections
- Senior Editor, Leader Newspaper, Corp, Cheltenham, Vic.
- Senior Recruitment Consultant, Bradman Recruitment, Sydney, N.S.W.
- NSW Budgerigar Society
- Various Private collections around Australia and Asia.