Reflex 2 - A Show of Mechanical Poetry
Gaffa Gallery in Sydney's CBD presents Reflex 2 - A Show of Mechanical Poetry, an award-winning exhibition of mechanical oddities curated by and featuring work from celebrated contemporary sculptor Geoff Farquhar-Still.
On view from 26 August until 7 September, this interactive exhibition displays kinetic sculptures displayed in an "absurd, delightful and slightly sinister manner". A quirky mix of Jules Verne-meets-Myth Busters, Reflex 2 is an exhibition that actively explores both modern science and and mechanical poetry. All 11 objects on view require the active participation of gallery visitors to make the exhibition come to life.
"The magic of these machines are reactions waiting to happen, to be set in motion by the touch of the hand, the breath or the movement of the body. In essence, each machine is ready to have a witty, sublime or even wicked conversation with its audience." states Director of Gaffa Gallery, Kelly Robson.
Bringing together 11 artists and machine makers from around Australia, Reflex is an opportunity to engage with the poetic possibilities of machines and their hand cranked, 12-volt, gravity-activated personalities.
Farquhar-Still explains: "Reflex 2 is a rare opportunity for gallery visitors to touch, to explore and to bring the works to life by the movement of their hand, the passing of their body or even the force of breath. I wanted to show the poetic possibilities of machines to engage people on a one-on-one journey, almost like feeling and knowing each element of each contraption as though it were an extension of their body."
Some machines spin at the turn of a handle or the flick of a switch, revealing their nature with a cacophony of sound and movement. Others will rise and fall gently only to rise once more while others will crash, springing back to life at the flick of a switch.
"To look with the eyes is one thing, to feel with the hands, another thing entirely. Objects have form, color and scale but they also have weight, resistance and sound. The point of the exhibition is to bring together artists to create machines which serve no purpose other than to bend the mind into new shapes and to walk away filled with wonder at their brilliance," says Farquhar-Still.
Over the last five years, Geoff Farquhar-Still has worked on large-scale interactive sculptures, including with Harris Hobbs Landscape Architects on four urban parks in southern Canberra. He has exhibited in group and solo shows in NSW, VIC and the ACT, receiving numerous awards. At present, Farquhar-Still is exhibiting at Canberra Museum and Art Gallery show 'Something in the Air', an exhibition of artists working with found objects, which includes work by Robert Klippel and Rosalie Gascoine.
In addition to work by Farquhar-Still, Reflex 2 features the work of Ella Barclay, Chloe Bussenschutt Sarah Firth, Nicci Haynes, Daniel Lorrimer, Marina Neilson, Sean O'Connell, Heike Qualitz and Matthew Smith.
