Explain the relationship between the conceptual and material practice of atleast TWO artists that

you have studied

Material practice and the conceptual agencies of the art-world have a meaningful relationship which
reflects on the final outcome and concept of an artwork. Art has forever served to reveal this
inextricable link between the artist, audience and the world through the material practice
and techniques utilised whilst constructing an artwork. In contemporary society; artists
cultivate and communicate their social, religious and political standpoint and values through
incorporating traditional techniques or challenging art conventions and practices through
pushing the boundaries; exploring unique and unprecedented concepts. Artists have arisen
such as Lachlan Warner, George Gittoes and John Coburn; who successfully communicate
their beliefs to the audience through their artmaking practice and works subjectivity.
Lachlan Warner communicates his ideas regarding the dynamic religious landscape of the
world commenting specifically on Buddhism through his complex yet whimsical sculptural
works. Warners sculptures focus upon the Buddhist culture and their practice of meditation;
displaying a variety of vividly coloured Buddha figures. Warner’s sculpture ‘Vitrine of
lightweight disposable Buddha’s…’ was awarded the prestigious Blake Prize in 2001. This
work displayed various hollow, Buddhist figures constructed out of Darrel Lea chocolate
wrapping foil. This material allows him to cultivate his ideas, presenting his thoughts to the
audience as foil is utilised to comment upon consumerism within Western faiths such as
Christianity during festive events such as Easter as these foil wrappings are used as a ploy to
produce millions of dollars from consumers purchasing Easter eggs. Thus; Warner reveals
the relationship which the artwork has with the popular world religions as the material
allows him to communicate his opinion, express his beliefs and contrast both Buddhism and
Christianity.
George Gittoes successfully provides the audience with a powerful, thought provoking
insight into various conflicts occurring in the world including the famine and peacekeeping
in Somalia, Pakistan and Afghanistan, ethnic cleansing in Yugoslavia and the Kibeho
massacre in Rwanda. His artworks grasp the complexity of individual context, human frailty,
power and survival against an array of complex political and social circumstances. ‘The
preacher’ 1995 is a strong example which expresses the relationship between his material
artmaking practice as he utilises various techniques to provide the work with depth and
meaning which can educate and inform the audience. Within ‘The preacher’ we view a man
with his hands raised in a surrendering position; as Gittoes makes religious allusion to
Christ’s crucifixion. Gittoes uses controlled brush strokes throughout the figure contrasted
to the chaotic background as he recounts his firsthand experience of the moment before a
massacre in Rwanda. Thus “The Preacher” is a powerful artwork as the techniques and
material practice employed by Gittoes provide the artwork with meaning and inform the
audience about what is occurring in the world.
Lachlan Warner yet again; strongly reflects the influence and strong relationship between
the structure and materials used in an artwork and the world through his work ‘Buddha of
infinite directions’. This sculpture depicts four hollow Buddha figures purposefully placed
facing one another (with a mirror in between) to symbolise the Buddhist concept of illusory
nature of conventional opposites and self-realization. The belief in emptiness or ‘Sunyata’
and intrinsic value of individuals is also represented as each figure is hollow to the
superficial nature of Buddhism as viewed from western culture as a result of rampant
consumerism in western society. Hence; Warner’s material practice as seen in his use of
mirrors, hollow sculptures and placement reveals the strong influence and relationship
which Buddhism as a modern world religion has upon Warner’s artmaking practice and
processes.
Gittoes takes inspiration from the world and occurrences in his surrounds to influence his
material practice as he attempts to educate and inform the audience about the horrors of
human conflict through the structure of his works. George gittoes ‘wages a war against war’
within his artwork ‘Evolution’ 1999 which depicts numerous monkeys fighting one another
to death with swords. Gittoes material practice and intentions of educating are revealed
through his use of the colour red to symbolise blood and death during war. Monkeys have
been used to symbolise the primitive nature of mankind and reveal how humankind have
devolved into senseless murderers who kill other individuals for political and social
disagreements. Therefore; through the material practice used throught making his work
‘evolution’ Gittoes manages to make comment on how the occurences in the world
influence his artmaking practice and allow him to apply certain techniques to ensure the
audience is educated through his works.
Artists have perpetually strived to communicate and reflect their beliefs and opinions
concerning the world to the audience as the audience are the individuals who draw meaning
from analysis of the artists’ material practice within their works. Whether the artist is aiming
to demonstrate the decline of spirituality and rise of consumerism as shown by Lachlan
Warner or comment upon the foul realities of war as done by George Gittoes; the
interpretation of meaning from an artwork is drawn through a strong relationship between
the world and life experiences of an artist, reflected in the material practice and techniques
used within an artwork.