Tony Twigg: Passion for Patterns
One visual artist appreciates the beauty of the Philippines not for its natural wonders but for the unique patterns created by the activities of daily life.
The world can be seen through various scopes and varying perspectives. A simple line, a circle and tonal colors can be turned into magnificent works of art depending on the artist’s inspiration and talent. In a country such as the Philippines, there are numerous sceneries that can ignite an artist’s imagination. But there is one visual artist who appreciates the beauty of the country not for its natural wonders but for the unique patterns created by the activities of daily life.
Tony Twigg is an Australian visual artist who appreciates the uniqueness of “accidental” patterns scattered in different places. Twigg doesn’t need to see the extraordinary visual feats to be inspired.
Instead, it’s his better appreciation of the simpler things that draws his attention.
The Australian artist’s fascination with patterns - from stacked aluminum cans, lumbers on the street or parallel shanties, came about because of his wide-open eyes that look at life with clarity.
“There are so many fascinating accidental patterns here in the Philippines and in Southeast Asia in general. They just need a closer look and a better appreciation of their relationship to the world and how they all come about. There are marvelous things that can only be seen here in the Philippines and not in Australia,” shares Twigg.
Initially known for his works on wood for art installations, the Australian visual artist is now known for his multi-disciplinary works which include various abstract patterns representing different human activities.
“There are different advantages in using different mediums for my artworks but I don’t have a preferred medium. For me, it’s more of what medium would best suit my inspiration, what medium can have the best impact for my idea and how I want to represent it,” adds the Australian artist.
Tony received his Masters in Visual Arts in 1985 at Sydney College of Advanced Education. Since then, he has been interpreting the beauty of accidental orders or patterns into different works of art.
“A certain beauty can be found from seeing order within disorder. It’s like when you have a carefully piled stack of wood which later on topples into disarray. After a second look, you can see a new pattern emerge; a product of order and disorder, these are the things that I try to put in my artworks,” explains Twigg.
Tony Twigg is the only foreign artist whose works have been included in the Philippine collections found in the BenCab Museum and Ateneo Art Gallery. The artist is also a recipient of the prestigious Australia Council Manila Studio Grant in 1996.
“My artworks came from my travels and fascination of places I’ve been (to) especially in Southeast Asia. There are so many memorable scenes and patterns in the Philippines that stuck in my mind.
One of which was when I saw a man with a pile of wood and trying to build his shanty. He was trying to build it like a puzzle trying to see which piece fits best into one part. I was so amazed because as an artist, we were trying to do the same thing –see which piece fits best and produce something beautiful from something mundane,” Twigg shares.
Twigg’s artworks are acknowledged worldwide for “capturing the activity of people’s spirit and thoughts and producing something out of it”. The visual artist also has regular shows and exhibit in Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. He also completed several major commissions in Singapore and Phuket, Thailand.
Twigg is currently in Manila for his latest exhibit to present a new body of works at Galleria Duemila. The Australian artist presents his recent works in metal and canvas derived from his familiar timber constructions.
Entitled “The entropy shuffle and other compositions from the Vibrafon,” Twiggs’ latest works play with the ‘musicality of abstraction’ by tracing changing arrangements of his wall sculpture on canvas.
“Entropy is the natural progression from an ordered state to a state of disorder. But in these paintings, a visual paradox is at work. A circle is fractured as it progresses from stasis in its complete form to a highly energized, finely tuned composition of fractured elements. Essentially, it is a discussion of different states of energy - a sort of slow motion explosion not unlike the Philippines itself,” explains the artist.
Twigg rearranges the units in various compositions like keys played in an instrument using his familiar timber constructions as his starting point. Outline and flattened onto a canvass, the painted chords move between order and chaos (therein the artist coined the term entropy), shuffle and produce a free standing sculpture in metal.
“When people look at my artworks, they see a musical relationship to it. They see the linear patterns and colors. The circular patterns represent the negative and positive as well as the spaces between them, that’s why my artworks have musical names,” adds Twigg.
Twigg explains that shuffle is a jazz term connoting movement and patterns. His latest works convey the harmony and order within disorder which stay true to his passion over patterns.
“People have varying responses to my artworks. The special relations, order within chaos, musical notes and so on. But for me, I think it’s kind of sexy when it comes to how the patterns stay very close to each other, yet, not touching the other patterns in the same way as two people dancing,” says Twigg.
Since 1975, Twigg has produced more than 40 solo exhibits as well as installations, performance and film works.
He has been coming back and forth to the Philippines for 16 years now to share his works with Filipino art enthusiasts and also to marvel at the unique patterns that are unique to the country.
Tony Twigg's solo exhibition “The Entrophy Shuffle and other compositions from the Vibration” runs until November 2, 2010 at Galleria Duemilla, 210 Loring Street, Pasay City. – Article courtesy of Manila Bulletin
Add this page to your favorite Social Bookmarking websites
