Hirokatsu Hijikata<br/> <em>Poster</em> (1980s) <!-- (recto) --><br /> colour screenprint<br /> 103.0 x 73.0 cm (image and sheet)<br /> National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne<br /> Gift of Jacqui Thomas, 2019<br /> 2019.775<br /> © the artist <!--138384-->
Letters from the Director

Seeing green

Dear friends,

As spring blooms around us, it feels as if Melbourne has been enveloped by a beautiful blanket of green. New leaves adorn trees, colourful birds soar through our neighbourhoods in chorus and we picnic upon fresh, lush grass. This week, I thought we’d share with you a selection of artworks celebrating the colour green.

For many of us, the colour green conjures images of the natural world that surrounds us. Meriam Mir artist Sedey Mabel Stephen uses watercolour and fibre-tipped pen in Kara meta (My home) to depict her home in Erub (Darnley Island) in the Eastern Torres Strait. In the work we see the artist position herself within a garden of tropical plants. Mabel Stephen plays with scale, as the house and pets are dominated by a looming array of leaves, fruit and vegetation. These varying plants fill most of the composition, almost taking over the work, and allude to the fertility of a landscape that is ripe with life.

For many of us, the colour green conjures images of the natural world that surrounds us. Meriam Mir artist Sedey Mabel Stephen uses watercolour and fibre-tipped pen in Kara meta (My home) to depict her home in Erub (Darnley Island) in the Eastern Torres Strait. In the work we see the artist position herself within a garden of tropical plants. Mabel Stephen plays with scale, as the house and pets are dominated by a looming array of leaves, fruit and vegetation. These varying plants fill most of the composition, almost taking over the work, and allude to the fertility of a landscape that is ripe with life.

Vernon Marbendinar is a Wik-Alkan/Wik Mah’an artist who works at the Wik and Kugu Arts Centre in Aurukun, Queensland. Artists from this community are well known for their carved wooden sculptures that represent totemic Ancestors and important creation stories. In his 2018 work, Rainbow birds and parrots, Marbendinar has carved seven Australian King Parrots perched on branches of a tree. Marbendinar’s striking use of colour captures the beauty of these birds and helps distinguish the males from females. The larger parrots with red and green plumage are the males, while the smaller birds with mostly green feathers are female parrots with their offspring.

Vernon Marbendinar is a Wik-Alkan/Wik Mah’an artist who works at the Wik and Kugu Arts Centre in Aurukun, Queensland. Artists from this community are well known for their carved wooden sculptures that represent totemic Ancestors and important creation stories. In his 2018 work, Rainbow birds and parrots, Marbendinar has carved seven Australian King Parrots perched on branches of a tree. Marbendinar’s striking use of colour captures the beauty of these birds and helps distinguish the males from females. The larger parrots with red and green plumage are the males, while the smaller birds with mostly green feathers are female parrots with their offspring.

In Japanese creative traditions, there is no differentiation between art, craft and design, with all three practices overlapping to establish a visually distinctive national aesthetic. The skilful use of flat areas of colour, bold symbolic shapes and simple compositions, developed throughout Japanese history, informed the practices of twentieth century Japanese graphic designers. The Japan Graphic Designers Association (JADGA) was established in 1978 and many early members are renowned for their posters featuring poetic imagery and bold colours paired with short but poignant slogans, to inspire environmental and non-violent activism. Leading Japanese graphic designer and JADGA member Hirokatsu Hijikata uses the colour green in his minimalist compositions. Tree woods forest perceptively uses the written character for tree then multiples it to create the symbol for woodland and forest. Hijikata uses this intense colour and tree motif again and again, as seen in other designs including Green aid featuring a bandage to mend an apparent crack, and Love and peace on earth where a heart is sensitively juxtaposed with a tree.

In Japanese creative traditions, there is no differentiation between art, craft and design, with all three practices overlapping to establish a visually distinctive national aesthetic. The skilful use of flat areas of colour, bold symbolic shapes and simple compositions, developed throughout Japanese history, informed the practices of twentieth century Japanese graphic designers. The Japan Graphic Designers Association (JADGA) was established in 1978 and many early members are renowned for their posters featuring poetic imagery and bold colours paired with short but poignant slogans, to inspire environmental and non-violent activism. Leading Japanese graphic designer and JADGA member Hirokatsu Hijikata uses the colour green in his minimalist compositions. Tree woods forest perceptively uses the written character for tree then multiples it to create the symbol for woodland and forest. Hijikata uses this intense colour and tree motif again and again, as seen in other designs including Green aid featuring a bandage to mend an apparent crack, and Love and peace on earth where a heart is sensitively juxtaposed with a tree.

One of the greenest works within the NGV Collection is Edward Burne-Jones’s 1886–87 Arcadian scene, The garden of Pan. While some shades are more intense than others, this work consists almost entirely of a green palette. Burne-Jones depicts Pan, a shepherd of Arcadian flocks whose duty was to care for his animals and ensure they reproduced. We can sense the theme of fertility in this work both in the lush landscape as well as the sexually charged portrayal of Pan playing to two lovers. Interestingly, the female figure is a reworking of a youthful Maria Zambaco, Burne-Jones’s lover whom he painted many times. This unattainable, Arcadian vision is a whimsical painting drawn purely from the artist’s imagination.

One of the greenest works within the NGV Collection is Edward Burne-Jones’s 1886–87 Arcadian scene, The garden of Pan. While some shades are more intense than others, this work consists almost entirely of a green palette. Burne-Jones depicts Pan, a shepherd of Arcadian flocks whose duty was to care for his animals and ensure they reproduced. We can sense the theme of fertility in this work both in the lush landscape as well as the sexually charged portrayal of Pan playing to two lovers. Interestingly, the female figure is a reworking of a youthful Maria Zambaco, Burne-Jones’s lover whom he painted many times. This unattainable, Arcadian vision is a whimsical painting drawn purely from the artist’s imagination.

Another fascinating work is this green vase, designed by Josef Hoffmann, one of the leading designers in early twentieth century Vienna. Hoffmann was a founding member of the Vienna Secession art movement, as well as the Wiener Werkstätte (Vienna Workshops). These progressive organisations aimed to pioneer a modern design aesthetic for artists and designers, with colour being central to their approach. Hoffmann’s interiors and objects, like this vase, are renowned for their striking use of colour; he designed numerous examples of faceted glass vases in vibrant shades of green, blue and yellow. The bright green colour of this vase is due to low levels of radio-active uranium being added to the glass body. When illuminated under UV light in the dark, the vase glows with a particularly vivid and intense green.

Another fascinating work is this green vase, designed by Josef Hoffmann, one of the leading designers in early twentieth century Vienna. Hoffmann was a founding member of the Vienna Secession art movement, as well as the Wiener Werkstätte (Vienna Workshops). These progressive organisations aimed to pioneer a modern design aesthetic for artists and designers, with colour being central to their approach. Hoffmann’s interiors and objects, like this vase, are renowned for their striking use of colour; he designed numerous examples of faceted glass vases in vibrant shades of green, blue and yellow. The bright green colour of this vase is due to low levels of radio-active uranium being added to the glass body. When illuminated under UV light in the dark, the vase glows with a particularly vivid and intense green.

The Italian knitwear empire Missoni was founded by couple Rosita and Ottavio in 1953, initially producing knit tracksuits. In 1966, the brand debuted their first fashion collection, comprising sheer Lurex dresses, at Teatro Gerolamo in Milan. The collection was designed in collaboration with former French model Emmanuelle Khanh, and the partnership saw a groundbreaking fusion of style and textile innovation. Khanh’s aesthetic was typified by slim silhouettes often featuring scalloped and curved hemlines, known as ‘the Droop’. Missoni on the other hand are widely recognised as technical knit pioneers. Pant suit exemplifies the combination of Khanh’s scalloped layers and design lines with the Missoni’s signature zig-zag motifs within a green monochromatic garment. 

The Italian knitwear empire Missoni was founded by couple Rosita and Ottavio in 1953, initially producing knit tracksuits. In 1966, the brand debuted their first fashion collection, comprising sheer Lurex dresses, at Teatro Gerolamo in Milan. The collection was designed in collaboration with former French model Emmanuelle Khanh, and the partnership saw a groundbreaking fusion of style and textile innovation. Khanh’s aesthetic was typified by slim silhouettes often featuring scalloped and curved hemlines, known as ‘the Droop’. Missoni on the other hand are widely recognised as technical knit pioneers. Pant suit exemplifies the combination of Khanh’s scalloped layers and design lines with the Missoni’s signature zig-zag motifs within a green monochromatic garment. 

Melbourne painter and ceramicist Alan Constable works from the Northcote studios of Arts Project Australia and the artist’s hand-modelled ceramic cameras are a distinctive aspect of his practice. Constable has had a life-long fascination with cameras, having started making them out of cereal boxes at age eight. This interest is given added poignancy when Constable’s profound vision impairment is taken into consideration. His practice sees him tune into a singular element at a time, producing a style that reflects an intimate relationship between maker and work. There is an incredibly tactile and personal element to Constable’s cameras, with the distinct trace of his fingerprints often left on the surfaces of these joyous creations.

Melbourne painter and ceramicist Alan Constable works from the Northcote studios of Arts Project Australia and the artist’s hand-modelled ceramic cameras are a distinctive aspect of his practice. Constable has had a life-long fascination with cameras, having started making them out of cereal boxes at age eight. This interest is given added poignancy when Constable’s profound vision impairment is taken into consideration. His practice sees him tune into a singular element at a time, producing a style that reflects an intimate relationship between maker and work. There is an incredibly tactile and personal element to Constable’s cameras, with the distinct trace of his fingerprints often left on the surfaces of these joyous creations.

If you’d like to immerse yourself further within the history and uses of colour throughout art and design, I invite you to enrol in our popular online course, Colour, which begins 25 October.  

Enjoy your Sunday … and we’ll see you soon!

Tony Ellwood AM
Director, National Gallery of Victoria

If you’d like to immerse yourself further within the history and uses of colour throughout art and design, I invite you to enrol in our popular online course, Colour, which begins 25 October.  

Enjoy your Sunday … and we’ll see you soon!

Tony Ellwood AM
Director, National Gallery of Victoria