Imagery that is taken from the everyday, television and the internet are engineered and assemble into a state of juxtaposition to poke fun at the rituals and subcultural practices that have evolved from this limited historical view.
In 1882 the French philosopher Ernest Renan gave a lecture at Sorbonne University tilted “What is a nation”? At this lecture he spoke on what constituted a Nation and the role history plays in it. Renan said that History “often poses a threat to nationality” a statement that can very easily be applied to Australia. Selectively focusing on aspects of Australian history particular English settlement and the colonial past has shaped our national identity, influencing our myths, legends and sub cultures propagating a narrow idea of the “Australian nationality”.
In Memorabilia Australiana familiar icons of the Australian visual landscape are used to critique this view and its appearance in contemporary political discourse. Imagery that is taken from the everyday, television and the internet are engineered and assemble into a state of juxtaposition to poke fun at the rituals and subcultural practices that have evolved from this limited historical view.
Martin James is a contemporary artist who studied at the Australian National University School of Art in the Print Media and Drawing Department, completing Honours in 2012.His works have been shown widely in Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra as well as Bangkok and a number a regional galleries. James was a studio resident at Canberra Contemporary art space and Megalo print studio. He has works in private and public collections including the National Library of Australia.
James’ practices pans the mediums of drawing, printmaking and sculpture using familiar icons of the Australian visual landscape in a critique of contemporary politics and the corruption of the middle class ideas of egalitarianism and equity. He draws his imagery from film, television, advertising and the infinite research library of the internet. Engineering and assembling them into a state of remix and juxtaposition.
In 1882 the French philosopher Ernest Renan gave a lecture at Sorbonne University tilted “What is a nation”? At this lecture he spoke on what constituted a Nation and the role history plays in it. Renan said that History “often poses a threat to nationality” a statement that can very easily be applied to Australia. Selectively focusing on aspects of Australian history particular English settlement and the colonial past has shaped our national identity, influencing our myths, legends and sub cultures propagating a narrow idea of the “Australian nationality”.
In Memorabilia Australiana familiar icons of the Australian visual landscape are used to critique this view and its appearance in contemporary political discourse. Imagery that is taken from the everyday, television and the internet are engineered and assemble into a state of juxtaposition to poke fun at the rituals and subcultural practices that have evolved from this limited historical view.
Martin James is a contemporary artist who studied at the Australian National University School of Art in the Print Media and Drawing Department, completing Honours in 2012.His works have been shown widely in Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra as well as Bangkok and a number a regional galleries. James was a studio resident at Canberra Contemporary art space and Megalo print studio. He has works in private and public collections including the National Library of Australia.
James’ practices pans the mediums of drawing, printmaking and sculpture using familiar icons of the Australian visual landscape in a critique of contemporary politics and the corruption of the middle class ideas of egalitarianism and equity. He draws his imagery from film, television, advertising and the infinite research library of the internet. Engineering and assembling them into a state of remix and juxtaposition.
