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 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.
In September 2015, Peteris Ciemitis was invited to represent Australia in the “Silk Journey to Art” world tour exhibition at the China Millennium Monument in Beijing. The exhibition featured three major pieces of his works, along with over 30 other international artists to provide an overview of global arts perspectives. Amongst the many events, participating artists spoke at an exhibition conference and provided a precis of their art praxis to a gathered audience of eminent artists, curators and critics.
Peteris Ciemitis presents a praxi overview at the China Millenium Monument, Beijing
© ‘Discontent in the Age of Anxiety’ 2012 acrylic on canvas Peteris Ciemitis
Peteris was invited and participated in the inaugural Qingdao Art Biennale.
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.
October, 2013Peteris Ciemitis was invited to represent Australia in Shanghai/Changzhou International Art Festival, along with 100 international artists, who produced works during the event. Ciemitis’ painting “Identity Dissonance” extended the idea of a mute self-identity, and was acquired by the Boesheng Museum of Art for it’s permanent collection.
View a short background video to the Festival, and the production of
“Identity Dissonance”.
A major exhibition open at Latvijas Nacionala makslas muzeja izstazu zale “Arsenals” (the Latvian National Museum of Art) which remembers the journey and new lives of Latvian’s dispora peoples. The exhibition, “Latviesu maksla trimda” presented audiences with works by approximately 100 artists including Imants Tillers, Janis Nedela and Peteris Ciemitis. Notably, at the time of the exhibition, the National Museum and also acquired Ciemitis’ painting “Pasa Galva” for its permanent collection.
In 2013, artist Maris Raudzins coordinated a travelling exhibition to tour the Talsi Museum of Art and Madona Museum of Art in Latvia, with “Jaunas Vienadojums” (“New Equation”). The exhibition comprised of fifty works by nine Latvian-Australian artists, featuring Peteris Ciemitis, Janis Nedela, Maris Raudzins and Len Zuks. Some of the works explore modern state of life both conceptually and emotionally, while others convey images of an alien landscape.
c i e m i t i s + a r t 