Louise Hearman
Encyclopedia
Louise Hearman is an artist from Melbourne
who has been painting
and drawing
from a very young age. She attended Victorian College of the Arts
from 1982-1984. She mostly paints with oil on masonite
, though she does work with pastel
and charcoal
from time to time.
She first came to public notice in 1986 when she spent a year painting a mural on the inside of the concrete dome of the old gymnasium at the Missions to Seamen building in Flinders Street in Melbourne. The premises also served as her studio at that time.
In 1991 her work was exhibited at Australian National University
's Drill Hall Gallery in a solo show, "The corpreal body", whilst in 1993 she was chosen by the curators for that year's Australia Perspecta exhibition. Her work next gained recognition through an appearance on the short-list for the 1999 Contempora 5 award, whilst in both 2000 and 2005 she was exhibited at the National Gallery of Australia
; in 2000 appearing in the "Uncommon World; Aspects of Contemporary Australian Art" exhibition which ran from 15 July until 22 Oct; and in 2005 within the "Big Spooks" exhibition. In 2007 her piece Untitled #1158 was chosen for exhibition as part of the city of Sydney's Open Gallery exhibition, which described the roster of artists chosen as representing "leading Australian and international artists".
juxtapositions, eerie light, and strong emotive emphasis. There are recurring themes of floating heads (both of the human and animal kind), sleek aeroplanes, floral close-ups, and limitless roads. Hearman is particularly vague about the meanings of her works, preferring to let the viewers make their own interpretations. This is why she leaves all her works untitled.
Clarice Beckett
has been identified by Australian arts writer, critic and broadcaster Bruce James as a possible influence on Hearman, James writing in The Sydney Morning Herald
in 2002 that "Hearman's interest in uncanny situations and mind states can surely trace its pedigree back to Beckett's twilight zone.".
Hearman has been compared to the 18th century Spanish painter Francisco José de Goya, being described as the closest thing Australia has to Goya.
There has been some speculation that Hearman was influenced by the television show The X-Files
. Hearman denies this, stating that she watches very little television, and has not seen The X-Files
.
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
who has been painting
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
and drawing
Drawing
Drawing is a form of visual art that makes use of any number of drawing instruments to mark a two-dimensional medium. Common instruments include graphite pencils, pen and ink, inked brushes, wax color pencils, crayons, charcoal, chalk, pastels, markers, styluses, and various metals .An artist who...
from a very young age. She attended Victorian College of the Arts
Victorian College of the Arts
The Faculty of the VCA and Music is a faculty of the University of Melbourne, in Victoria . VCAM is located near the Melbourne central business district, on two campuses, one - the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music - on the Parkville campus of the University of Melbourne, and the other - the...
from 1982-1984. She mostly paints with oil on masonite
Masonite
Masonite is a type of hardboard invented by William H. Mason.-History:Masonite was invented in 1924 in Laurel, Mississippi, by William H. Mason. Mass production started in 1929. In the 1930s and 1940s Masonite was used for many applications including doors, roofing, walls, desktops, and canoes...
, though she does work with pastel
Pastel
Pastel is an art medium in the form of a stick, consisting of pure powdered pigment and a binder. The pigments used in pastels are the same as those used to produce all colored art media, including oil paints; the binder is of a neutral hue and low saturation....
and charcoal
Charcoal
Charcoal is the dark grey residue consisting of carbon, and any remaining ash, obtained by removing water and other volatile constituents from animal and vegetation substances. Charcoal is usually produced by slow pyrolysis, the heating of wood or other substances in the absence of oxygen...
from time to time.
She first came to public notice in 1986 when she spent a year painting a mural on the inside of the concrete dome of the old gymnasium at the Missions to Seamen building in Flinders Street in Melbourne. The premises also served as her studio at that time.
In 1991 her work was exhibited at Australian National University
Australian National University
The Australian National University is a teaching and research university located in the Australian capital, Canberra.As of 2009, the ANU employs 3,945 administrative staff who teach approximately 10,000 undergraduates, and 7,500 postgraduate students...
's Drill Hall Gallery in a solo show, "The corpreal body", whilst in 1993 she was chosen by the curators for that year's Australia Perspecta exhibition. Her work next gained recognition through an appearance on the short-list for the 1999 Contempora 5 award, whilst in both 2000 and 2005 she was exhibited at the National Gallery of Australia
National Gallery of Australia
The National Gallery of Australia is the national art gallery of Australia, holding more than 120,000 works of art. It was established in 1967 by the Australian government as a national public art gallery.- Establishment :...
; in 2000 appearing in the "Uncommon World; Aspects of Contemporary Australian Art" exhibition which ran from 15 July until 22 Oct; and in 2005 within the "Big Spooks" exhibition. In 2007 her piece Untitled #1158 was chosen for exhibition as part of the city of Sydney's Open Gallery exhibition, which described the roster of artists chosen as representing "leading Australian and international artists".
Artistic work
Hearman’s works are characterised by surrealSurrealism
Surrealism is a cultural movement that began in the early 1920s, and is best known for the visual artworks and writings of the group members....
juxtapositions, eerie light, and strong emotive emphasis. There are recurring themes of floating heads (both of the human and animal kind), sleek aeroplanes, floral close-ups, and limitless roads. Hearman is particularly vague about the meanings of her works, preferring to let the viewers make their own interpretations. This is why she leaves all her works untitled.
Influences
Growing up in suburban Croydon, Hearman took to painting and drawing at a young age. As a child she had limited ability to travel, so her initial subjects were the landscape around her. Landscapes have subsequently formed the basis of many of her works.Clarice Beckett
Clarice Beckett
Clarice Majoribanks Beckett was an Australian painter born in Casterton, Victoria. Her works are featured in the collections of the National Gallery of Australia, National Gallery of Victoria and the Art Gallery of South Australia....
has been identified by Australian arts writer, critic and broadcaster Bruce James as a possible influence on Hearman, James writing in The Sydney Morning Herald
The Sydney Morning Herald
The Sydney Morning Herald is a daily broadsheet newspaper published by Fairfax Media in Sydney, Australia. Founded in 1831 as the Sydney Herald, the SMH is the oldest continuously published newspaper in Australia. The newspaper is published six days a week. The newspaper's Sunday counterpart, The...
in 2002 that "Hearman's interest in uncanny situations and mind states can surely trace its pedigree back to Beckett's twilight zone.".
Hearman has been compared to the 18th century Spanish painter Francisco José de Goya, being described as the closest thing Australia has to Goya.
There has been some speculation that Hearman was influenced by the television show The X-Files
The X-Files
The X-Files is an American science fiction television series and a part of The X-Files franchise, created by screenwriter Chris Carter. The program originally aired from to . The show was a hit for the Fox network, and its characters and slogans became popular culture touchstones in the 1990s...
. Hearman denies this, stating that she watches very little television, and has not seen The X-Files
The X-Files
The X-Files is an American science fiction television series and a part of The X-Files franchise, created by screenwriter Chris Carter. The program originally aired from to . The show was a hit for the Fox network, and its characters and slogans became popular culture touchstones in the 1990s...
.
External links
- Louise Hearman interview with Artist Profile magazine in 2008
- Artlink Journal review of Hearman's work
- 2003 review by The Age
- Artlink Journal review of Hearman's work as exhibited in the "Instinct" exhibition of 2004
- http://www.artinfo.com.au/articles/read/louise-hearman-at-tolarno-galleriesArtinfo.com.au review of 2007 Tolano Galleries exhibition by Tony Lloyd (Artist)Tony Lloyd (Artist)Tony Lloyd is an Australian contemporary artist. Tony was born in Melbourne Victoria. Lloyd's paintings are influenced by cinema, in particular Film Noir and Science Fiction, and the Romantic Sublime . His largely monochromatic paintings are realist in style...
- Archive of Louise Hearman works at the Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery website
- http://www.theage.com.au/news/entertainment/arts/seeing-in-the-dark/2008/10/16/1223750228676.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap2=Seeingin the Dark