After Durer- Paintings by Nicole Page-Smith

"After Durer" 

Paintings by Nicole Page-Smith

Nicole Page-Smith's preview review of her exhibition of images "After Durer" was held in Page-Smith's Dunedin warehouse precinct studio. The fashionable address has been well tenanted over Nicole Page-Smith's fifteen year residency in Dunedin, New Zealand. The former Melbourne artist moved to Dunedin in late 2000 from Melbourne, Australia, where Page-Smith held her former studio, also located in the central CBD of Melbourne. Nicole Page-Smith held three studios in the centre of Melbourne in disused office spaces, most businesses needing lower storey offices, on floors closer to ground level. The peace and quiet was well observed and although, Page-Smith had commented about feeling like her studio was up there with her feathered variety of friends, Nicole Page-Smith, remembered reading something in the paper about the perfect height of a building was as tall as trees grow. High-rise buildings are apparently unnatural to the senses but this was predominately the view out Page-Smith's Melbourne studio windows so, Nicole Page-Smith, felt up there with the pigeons and a bird's eye view. The current, Dunedin, warehouse studio, in New Zealand, is a ground floor business, in a nice, treelined, street, Page-Smith's long, dreamed of, "ideal studio". 

Nicole Page-Smith often feels viewing art is like an interview with the artist whereby you have to ask questions as with reading novels where it takes the first chapter or sometimes half the novel before you can understand the voice of the writer. In early literature reinterpreted into a comprehensible readable language as you have to imagine Greek philosophers of early and pre-Christian times wrote in Ancient Greek; mostly English versions of ancient language would have been translated from Latin. In more recent, social media history, musicians are quite often asked what they would have to say if they met the composers from whose compositions they are singing or playing the compositions of, for example, Handel, Brahms and so forth. Nicole Page-Smith has not wondered what it would be like to meet Durer, if you could step back in time but, stepping into an ancient history museum is similar to reading ancient literature. Durer appears to be working for the church and his patrons of the arts, annotating the bible like say, William Blake, may have done with Blake's illustrations. Five hundred years hence, Durer could not understand your German if you were a fluent speaker of German let alone your current English. If, for example, we tailor our minds back to Shakespeare, written in the native tongue, Shakespeare is predominantly unreadable.

Nicole Page-Smith feels mostly we are influenced by the strongest influence of the day. For example, David Smith, the former American sculptor, talks about the artists who preceded his work, in televised interviews. David Smith would have been perhaps influenced by current literature of the day like books on Cubism. Cubism would make sense as reference to David Smith as his sculpture is in the modern style but you would never think of David Smith looking at early Modernism or even coming out of Modernism. If you think of who surrounded Durer in early, Northern Renaissance art, Durer's style would predominate and refer to all we currently have available in literature and books, on Northern Renaissance, painting. Nicole Page-Smith, in thinking about the early development of Modernism which all Western art refers, from current text, does think about Picasso and perhaps, Braque and Cubism, could be a reference to acquiring a modern style. Early, European Modernism was particularly influenced by the primal arts from Africa down through to the Asia Pacific region. Those living in the South Pacific and Southern Hemisphere are predominately influenced by the primal, primitive, arts, too. If you look at the history of the Australian, style of art, you can see the influence of Aboriginal art, on artists like Tony Tuckson, Ian Fairweather, John Olsen and Arthur Boyd through to Albert Tucker and Joy Hester; Aboriginal art had a huge influence on their style. Where, in New Zealand, the Moari and Pacific Island arts, appears to have influenced everybody from Colin McCahon and Tony Fomison through, to the current modern style of contemporary art. The people of the South Pacific are luckier than their European counterparts because there are better examples of primal arts available and more on display. The Pacific arts are still a very strong component of museum history.

Nicole Page-Smith has a religious view.

     

    

After Durer

Durer's Self Portrait, Nicole Page-Smith, 2013

After Durer

"After Durer" is the name of a recent development on the current series of Nicole Page-Smith, paintings. On Nicole Page-Smith's last European excursion, Page-Smith, decided to contribute her first photography project, a series of photographs taken while traveling around Europe. It is interesting how memories swell and resonate in the mind and are remembered several years later. The current, Page-Smith, paintings, sometimes use photography as a reference and other times memory. Nicole Page-Smith spent three months traveling around Europe, in 2013, using Frankfurt, in Germany, as a base. Frankfurt was also, host to a major Durer exhibition in the Stadel Museum over the three month stay. While, in Frankfurt, there were several other exhibitions worth attending including a major exhibition of late Philip Guston paintings, Theodore Gericault paintings and Roni Horn photographs, at the Schirn Kunsthalle. Art exhibitions and music are in saturation throughout Europe so, the influence of viewing takes years to absorb. Other, exhibitions included: Dix/Beckmann, "Mythos Welt", in Mannheim; Zurburan, Antonello da Messina, and the Venice Biennale's exhibition, in Italy; "Springtime in the Renaissance", at the Louvre Museum, "The Renaissance and Dream", at the Luxembourg Museum, Erwin Blumenfeld photography and Pierre Huyghe, in Paris; Paul Klee in London; and Edvard Munch, in Zurich, Switzerland, to mention a few. 

The "After Durer" series of paintings are after the Nicole Page-Smith, photographs of the Albrecht Durer, "Self Portrait", 1500, held in the Alte Pinakotheck, collection, in Munich, Germany.

Pawmistry

Pawmistry

Nicole Page-Smith has completed her first painting assignment. For the past four years, Page-Smith has been contributing to the long awaited catalogue address for the much anticipated, fashionable, sculpture project. The Harris Smiths regular workload does involve long hours of hard work at their combined fashionable, enterprise and god bless! The predecessor to the Nicole Page-Smith's contemporary, painting, project were many hours of photography and research. "Pawmistry", your numbers are up, fated at the fashionable Harris Smith address as though written like the lines on your hand or the palmistry of another, does include a selection of Nicole Page-Smith cat paintings, larger cat photographs, video work of a sociable nature and a few garden experiments. Research is sometimes closer to home, throughout Asia and does include the famous Japanese-French cat paintings of Foujita. When you think of famous paintings of cats, the mind, also wanders, to the French with Pierre Bonnard or Franz Marc for the Germans. Many fond a Frenchman included paintings and drawings of cats such as the earlier French Romantic painter, Eugene Delacroix. 

  

Renaissance Days

Renaissance Days

With the closing of the very successful, Jeffrey Harris, exhibition, Renaissance Days, an exhibition of recent paintings, the Harris Smiths would like to restock and thank our patrons, greatly, for their appreciation. The well deserved and much recommended show deserved enormous acclaim. Jeffrey Harris has been diligently working away on this small set of paintings, in-between exhibitions, for about as long as the Harris Smiths have known one another. The first time New Zealand saw a similar group of paintings was back in the seventies in a successful show, in Wellington. The small size were like precious keepsakes, reminiscent of the late Victorian era where, children and family members were the subject of painters and, early photographers. Similarly, more recently, contemporary, American, figurative painters such as the satirical paintings of John Currin, have also reflected on a bygone era of Edwardian society portraits and Currin is equally influenced by old master painters from the Renaissance through to Mannerism. Also, the transcendental, philosophy of Henry David Thoreau's "Walden or, Life in the Woods", springs to mind. 

Jeffrey Harris rose to critical acclaim, in New Zealand, from the seventies through to the eighties with his American debut, in the 1982, Carnegie International, exhibition, in Pittsburgh. This was followed by a move to Melbourne, Australia, in the eighties where, Harris stayed for a further, fifteen years. Australia is also, well rewarded, by the early post colonial, Heidelberg School painters of the era, artists like Charles Conder, Arthur Streeton and Frederick McCubbin. Harris's petit society paintings are also of this class, although, the paintings of the Heidelberg School are traditionally larger in size with similar post English memoirs of the late Victorian era being common themes; families and the figure in the landscape. The Renaissance of a society, long past, for the post colonial outposts from England, Australia and New Zealand. However, Harris, holds the Italian and Northern Renaissance, portraiture work, closer to heart. Jeffrey Harris continues on the small series of paintings, looking, reading, traveling occasionally and absorbing the music, Durer's "Saint Jerome in His Study". 

 Jeffrey Harris looks forward to the Harris Smiths next trip to Italy with another, of the very scholarly and much anticipated, old master, Renaissance art, tours. Society beckons Venice. The exhibition, Jeffrey Harris Renaissance Days, continues with the catalogue address and an impressive book to compliment the fashionable, small, works, well housed in many private and public collections. The continued series of current, Jeffrey Harris, paintings would not be out of place in any society rooms or museums, worldwide. The current address of international sympathy needs to be redressed from London to New York. Current fashions indicate well and Jeffrey Harris is well placed in and, amongst, this forum. We look forward to the current patronage.

From Bellini to Bernini

From Bellini to Bernini

Flying in from Paris to Venice, the water taxi ride, from the airport, is always worth experiencing. Venice is more famous for the Venetian school of painting than the tourist book gondola rides would allow you to observe. Titian the giant heavy weight of the Venice school of painting came out of a tradition of Bellini, another Venetian painter famous for his Madonnas and one favorite resides in the Accademia, in Venice. Churches are also a must, with the church ticket for viewing the well learned collection of masterpieces that adorn the churches, being well worth the tour. Most people do love getting lost down the never ending arcades enroute to the next art venue. There are also much deserved and recommended, gourmet delight, fish restaurants, to observe.

Following through with the research of European people living abroad there are always at least a couple of old master exhibitions on during any trip throughout Italy. Jeffrey Harris and Nicole Page-Smith started their love affair with Italy during Melbourne days together as artists where, several books were available on the Italian Renaissance, due to the large population of Italians living in Melbourne, Australia. Although, the Melbourne, National gallery, does host a few examples of Italian master paintings, the main thrust of the collection is predominately fashionable, precolonial, paintings from London or masters from the late 1800's such as John William Waterhouse, an English painter known for his Pre-Raphaelite style. They do boast a Constable, cloud painting, in their collection but from memory, the work is not on view. A Rembrandt is prominently displayed but one longs for the Italian cafes and restaurants, down the street, for a lunch retreat. 

The Harris Smiths have enjoyed publicity in their careers and the business decision together in New Zealand has proved fruitful with several trips to Italy being the result of much hard work. The Harris Smiths library of Italian Renaissance books is a treasure they both preserve. Literary establishment is something New Zealand is famous for so most of your great literary classics are available in the local bookstores and Dunedin is a university town so, the rest of the books available are curriculum texts. Unfortunately, the post English settlement are poor cousins next to displays of Italian Renaissance art in major towns like London but given the small size of New Zealand, we have had a rewarding group of contemporary individuals both in literary circles and the contemporary art arena. 

Every trip to Italy is a blessing for the Harris Smiths Italian love affair. Florence is a magical place for a refinement of taste. Other trips have included Bologna, Ferrara, Padua, Ravenna, Rome, Naples and more. The church sculptures of Bernini, in Rome, for example, nominated in most art history books on the subject, are a highlight, with Papal collections also worth the visit. Italian masters of sculpture and painting are also well documented in other main European centers such as Paris, London and Vienna. Jeffrey Harris has a current solo exhibition of recent, small, paintings, influenced by Renaissance painting, now on display in Dunedin. Jeffrey Harris and Nicole Page-Smith are both heavily influenced by their trips to Europe. After seeing the Florentine Italian Renaissance sculpture for the first time, Nicole Page-Smith, decided, the smaller scale of the Florentine masters, almost half life-size, was the perfect size for sculpture. Nicole Page-Smith's writing is also influenced by the humanist tradition and Renaissance theory. Florence, the much loved city of gold has so many painting masterpieces you feel in need of a week stay, a joy usually only reserved for much larger cities. The favorite church bound destination, for gold of a different reflection, would have to be Ravenna, for Early Christian, Byzantine mosaics. 

Photographs by Nicole Page-Smith

Contemplating Mice

Nicole Page-Smith,

2008-2015

"As they sit, statuesque like some ancient cat statue of worship, contemplating mice, we sit with them."

Nicole Page-Smith

Contemplating Mice

Nicole Page-Smith, a Melbourne artist, currently exhibiting in Dunedin, New Zealand, has a small exhibition of her recent, 2015, cat photographs, a series called "Contemplating Mice", on display and available for view, at the Harris Smith Museum, of art. This small contribution, to a continuing exhibition series, on display, complements the Harris Smith collection. The Harris Smith Museum was established in 2001, incorporating three commercial venues, now including two factory warehouse addresses in the Bond Street location, the address is open by appointment, for review.

"Contemplating Mice" is a series of photographs influenced by continuing travel overseas. Japan celebrates many important photographers who are well known for their street photography. Cats are as synonymous with the Japanese photographers of worth as they are with the French photographers, who also are frequent with the little furry creatures of the night, or cats prowling around the neighbourhood. Other exhibitions of note included German and New York photographers. The most famous cat sculpture would have to be by Alberto Giacometti, as well loved by the French as Giacometti's ascension theory, figurative sculpture. Etruscan art would hold another tribute to the gods, the "Chimera", one of the most famous art history requirements. 

Nicole Page-Smith, established her career in Melbourne and Sydney Australia, with three successful, solo, commercial, exhibitions and several group exhibitions, in both commercial and public galleries. Page-Smith's work is highly regarded in Australia and New Zealand, where, Page-Smith, has shown alongside other established names like the New York artist, Philip Guston, along with the contemporary Australian and New Zealand artists, Callum Morton, Tracey Moffatt, and Rosalie Gascoigne. The Harris Smith Museum, established exhibitions from the container contents of two successful productive studios from both the Jeffrey Harris and Nicole Page-Smith, Melbourne studio addresses. Harris had an established inner Melbourne studio, near the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) whereas Page-Smith, frequented an inner city studio, right in the heart of the Melbourne metropolis, a New York style, fifth story, address in the heart of the fashionable, CBD, shopping district.

Since, 2008, with the welcome review of response from Germany, through to New York, Nicole Page-Smith has continued working on her casting project, completed several bodies of pencil drawings, continued her photography project and established a more philosophical view. Writing is the requirement. Book establishment is needed. The catalogue requirement for the Harris Smith Art project is to describe work established by Nicole Page-Smith for international review. This is contributed with requirement and an established blog posting including the Nicole Page-Smith circle is for recommended review. Contributions are contributed to, weekly.

Along with the established address of the Harris Smith Museum, the established studios sometimes contribute to local Dunedin and the broader spectrum, participation. Nicole Page-Smith was contributed in a local group exhibition in the Dunedin Botanical Gardens in recent years, this well regarded exhibition included contemporary local and established order. Another venue was to include fashionable, contemporary, New Zealand, artist names. Both contemporary exhibitions were well received by the general public. The contemporary venues, the Harris Smith team, exhibit in professionally, have enjoyed regular press coverage by way of art magazines and the press. In the early days of Dunedin life, Nicole Page-Smith's first photograph to enjoy acclaim was the portrait photograph, of Jeffrey Harris, on the cover of Art New Zealand, a magazine the Harris Smith team have had regular contribution to both in review and commercially.

Nicole Page-Smith looks forward to the current exhibition, "Contemplating Mice" and to the general public's response. Further detail will be contributed to on the social network calendar so, be informed. The Harris Smith Museum looks forward to your contribution. Best wishes. 

"Contemplating Mice", an exhibition of cat photographs by Nicole Page-Smith, will open at the Harris Smith Museum, of art, venue, on Friday the 19th of February. The exhibition will continue until Friday the 18th of March, 2016, or by prior arrangement.

Jeffrey Harris

Photographs by Nicole Page-Smith

Jeffrey Harris

JEFFREY HARRIS, famous for his first exhibition, in the Otago Museum, foyer, in 1969, a history museum, in Dunedin, New Zealand, has enjoyed an illustrious career only to revisit the very town that initially made him famous with his current exhibition of small paintings called "Renaissance Days", held at the Dunedin Public Art Gallery. Other, career highlights, included, a contribution to "The Carnegie International", in 1982, in Pittsburgh, an American exhibition, similar to the Venice Biennale, in Italy or Documenta, in Germany, where, Jeffrey Harris, exhibited alongside other great names, such as, Antoni Tapies and David Hockney. 

Jeffrey Harris moved to Melbourne, Australia, in 1986 where, Harris remained until late 2000. Jeffrey Harris continued with a figurative style from the late sixties until the late eighties, exhibiting regularly in the private and public sector and also traveling to Europe and America. Whereas, earlier figurative work, of Jeffrey Harris, fits well with the references of other New Zealand artists like Colin McCahon, who also referenced Italian Renaissance painting, the figurative work of Jeffrey Harris, from the eighties, reminds us, of the expressive style of contemporary German and American art of that time. Anslem Kiefer and Enzo Cucchi, were other artists, Jeffrey Harris, showed alongside, in The Carnegie International, exhibition.

From the late eighties, Jeffrey Harris, developed his technique to involve a series where, the figuration was generally replaced by landscape and abstraction. Hundreds of drawings and prints continued with several more abstracted series of paintings, involving some very spiritual, landscape paintings, reminiscent of the American artist, Rothko. These continued with a black and white series using thick, impasto, paint and although, very individual, refer to the American, artist, Philip Guston, especially reminding us of his earlier abstract paintings along with the impasto technique of the German, Brittish, artist, Franck Auerbach.

Jeffrey Harris returned to Dunedin, New Zealand, in late 2000 and a return to figuration had started a couple of years before his departure from Melbourne, Australia, to Dunedin. The figurative series developed into very large canvases that won credibility in an art prize taking, Jeffrey Harris, on a three month residency, to London. The current exhibition of small paintings, on board, enjoy reference to many long hours having been spent at, The National Gallery, in London, where there is a large Italian Renaissance painting collection. Jeffrey Harris was also privileged enough to visit Northern and Italian Renaissance painting collections and exhibitions in Germany, Belgium and France, with several trips to follow, along with Italian Renaissance painting throughout Italy.

The current small series of Jeffrey Harris, paintings, now showing, in an solo exhibition called "Renaissance Days", in Dunedin, New Zealand, have the later portrait paintings referring to Albrecht Durer and Antonello da Messina. Exhibitions of both Durer and Messina were enjoyed by Harris on recent trips through Germany and Italy. A catalogue of the Jeffrey Harris, "Renaissance Days", exhibition, is due for release, shortly, with a more detailed appraisal. 

by

Nicole Page-Smith