Conversations with the Collection

Jonathan Jones & Jessica Jane Bolton

JONATHAN JONES

In 68 Fletcher, Bondi, 20:20, 8.6.03 2003 Jonathan Jones uses domestic light bulbs and fittings to illuminate traditional Aboriginal concerns of country. A member of the Kamilaroi and Wiradjuri nations, Jones uses light as a metaphor for the relationship between individual and community. Though his language groups are of central New South Wales, the artist grew up in the urban environment of Sydney’s beaches. Here the Bondi headland is traced in light with each light signifying human habitation. Jones sees these luminous markers as a type of census and as a physical manifestation of the interconnectedness of all people and all communities.

JESSICA JANE BOLTON
Hunter Valley Grammar
Tunnel Vision (detail) (2010)
Sculpture

“Vietnam, that’s a war not a country right?” This is a perplexity that I struggled to comprehend after reflecting upon my travels in Vietnam in 2009. The Vietnamese perspective that the 2nd Indochinese War was the ‘American War’ encouraged me to explore differing social interpretations of this event. I aim to encourage my audience to explore the true nature of Vietnam, looking beyond the stereotypical sensationalist media images in order to investigate contemporary Vietnam and realise that a country ravaged by successive wars is home to unique and ancient cultures with strong connections to the land, heritage and lifestyle.

Download the ARTEXPRESS 2011 Education Resource.