
© ‘Treasury’ 2016 screen print Jillian Ciemitis
May, 2017
Jillian Ciemitis’ screen print was awarded a high commendation at the Beverley Art Awards 2017, Western Australia.
© ‘Treasury’ 2016 screen print Jillian Ciemitis
Jillian Ciemitis’ screen print was awarded a high commendation at the Beverley Art Awards 2017, Western Australia.
Jillian Ciemitis and Peter Ciemitis were part of the successful MEADOWS “Personal Structures” exhibition in the Venice Biennale collateral program in 2017.
With the Biennale over, the installation commenced a European tour, opening at the glorious Villaguilua on Lakemaggiore Italy. Congratulations to Lena Kelekian Sulahian and Francesca Maurizi for success in their efforts to maintain exposure to this outstanding project.
When the Waterhall Centre in South Guildford, opened for business, it also unveiled an enigmatic series of floating images … a new public art installation called “The Gallery” by Peteris and Jillian Ciemitis.
The artists wanted to create a series of repeated images of trees as if they were portraits or ‘floating trees’ on exhibition. The floating trees of Waterhall are based on drawings which forensically examine the form and texture of their trunks and branches.
The Waterhall residential estate in South Guildford, Western Australia, has historically been part of the property holdings of the Guildford Grammar School, and it is recorded that some early tree plantings in the colony were undertaken in close proximity to the site. The artwork theme remembers the historic practice of clearing and replanting in the locality.
The artists used the negative space of the panels to allow branches to disappear and re-emerge in the same way they appear amongst foliage. The artists wanted to use this technique to make the images feel more abstract; almost like ‘messy calligraphy’.
They also played with the idea of repeated, ‘processed’ tree forms as references to the notion of commodification … especially in their position where they appear to be marching toward the loading docks of the centre.
The panel production used a Finnish concrete form methodology. The innovative technique embeds the image into the concrete panels themselves using a form of ‘etching’ process, creating an image that will last the life of the building itself.
Working in close consultation with the project architects KPA Architecture, the artists also carefully considered the manner in which the works should respond to context. The subtle colouring and mark-making ensured that the imagery didn’t attempt to compete with the architectural forms of the building. They also carefully positioned key images on the building so that they would almost classically align to the viewlines along particular roads when approaching.
In October 2016, Jillian and Peteris Ciemitis represented Australia in the G20 International Art Exhibition in Hangzhou, China. This short film tells the story of the Exhibition, which featured over 60 international artists invited from the twenty G20 countries.
Jillian Ciemitis was selected as a finalist in the 2016 Fremantle Arts Centre Print Award with her screen print ‘Treasury’. The Award is Australia’s richest and most prestigious print award, which celebrated 41 years of presenting the best in printmaking from established, emerging and cross-disciplinary artists.
Jillian and Peteris Ciemitis are both participating in the 15th International Calligraphy and Painting Exchange Exhibition, Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, Tokyo, Japan. Organised by Kokusai Shoga Koryukai, the exhibition opens Tuesday, January 5, 2016.
Jillian Ciemitis was selected as a finalist in this year’s Fremantle Arts Centre Print Award with her screen print ‘Aperto’. The Award is Australia’s richest and most prestigious print award, which celebrated 40 years of presenting the best in printmaking from established, emerging and cross-disciplinary artists.
Peteris and Jillian Ciemitis Numbered Exhibition photo by Kathryn Yip Ross
After extensive collaboration, Jillian and Peteris Ciemitis produced a body of work on exhibition at the Gallery, Ellenbrook. “Numbered” reflects upon the possessive and complex relationship that citizens have with urban trees, and sees them presented in dissected and disembodied forms.
The exhibition will be opened by ABC radio presenter Sabrina Hahn on Sunday August 10, at 3pm and will be followed on Sunday 17, by and artist floor talk by the artists.
Jillian Ciemitis was one of four Western Australian artists to collectively present a body of work exploring the tension between the concepts of nature vs nurture in a group exhibition ‘Alitura’. Held at the Heathcote Museum and Gallery throughout July. The exhibition also included artists Debbie Oakley, Miriam Gardiner and Delrene Hemingway.