Del Kathryn Barton Flashcards
(17 cards)
When was Barton born?
1972
still alive
What culture is Barton?
Australian
lives/works in sydney
What art movement is Barton part of?
contemporary art
What is contemporary art?
art made in present time, reflecting lifestyles of modern ages
What subject matters does Barton include?
feminine figures
animals
flora
heroism and divine feminine
sexuality and sensuality
What education did Barton receive?
College of fine arts at uni of New South Wales - graduated with bachelor in 1993
NSW Uni - later employed as a lecturer
What awards did Barton win?
2008 Archibald Prize
2013 Archibald Prize
Historical/cultural context - Personal
Grew up on an Angora goat farm
two siblings
eccentric parents “odd, magical, crazy, beautiful childhood”
she lived very freely on the farm
she experienced anxiety attacks that manifested into weird episodes where she hear voices/hallucinate/be light sensitive and it was scary and uncontrollable
drawing became an escape from anxiety, then a vocation
Historical/cultural context - External
1970s was time of economic/technological/social/political change
The white Australia policy was revoked
growing support of women and indigenous peoples, and awareness of social issues
sexuality and strength of women was becoming more recognised
Artistic influences/inspirations
had a ‘hippy’ childhood where she swam/rode/drew and explored imagination and the flow of life freely
Her love of her children and motherhood
Sally Gabori - strong/creative femininity
Gustave Klimt - decorative, sexual elements
Yayoi Kusama, Indian, aboriginal paintings - patterns
Willian Darger - cartoon-like figures and stylisation
Chris Ofili - painting with elephant dung
What media/materials does Barton work with?
synthetic polymer paint
gouache
watercolour
pen
glitter and sequins
embroidery thread
canvas
paper
What techniques does Barton use while painting?
her strokes are precise yet loose to create organic lines
she leaves no blank space because she scared of it
stipples patterns
builds layers upon layers and often mixes media together
What is Barton’s studio process like?
she uses no sketches, dives straight into a painting by drawing with an architectural pen
can take up to 6 months to finish a piece
builds layers slowly, methodically in a repetitive way
very detailed hairs, dots, shapes, created with small brushes
labour of work got her to get a studio assistant to help with demand
Interpretations of subject matter, meanings and ideas
highly personalised symbology
intertwines the characters with each other and the environment - idea of connect between mother and child or connection to nature
adds multiple appendages to represent the human form and female sexuality and self appreciation
the idea of giving and receiving, how everything in nature/relationships balances each other, like the visuals on her paintings
the subject matters involve powerful women doing imaginative things, creating an idea of her deepest wishes and fantasies in life
What themes does Barton like to explore?
folklore
space/cosmos
femininity
sexuality
motherhood
nature and connection to it
imagination
How did Barton develop her distinctive style?
Her intuition and sensitivity to the world formed her studio process where she let it flow organically
her love of detail and fear of empty space leads her to layer intensely and create extremely elaborate pieces
her inspirations and own imagination are eccentric
What elements and principals are seen in her work?
movement
light
pattern
colour
texture
