Paint-Paper-Scissors: Rubicon ARI

By Daisy Fae Fielding

Laid out like a red carpet, the Persian rug outside Rubicon ARI’s unassuming gallery entrance was the sign I needed to know I’d finally found the right place. I stepped in from the grey chill of Melbourne’s winter and was met with a bright white corridor, an abrupt contrast to the darkness outside. As I adjusted to the light, I walked past a room glowing with scattered lights and unidentifiable contraptions. Upon my exit later, I overheard two people leaving, laughing, one saying, “Let’s leave the lights on so people walk past and think, what the hell is going on in there.”

I followed a handwritten sign pointing me upstairs, noticing the warm wooden steps beneath me, a striking contrast to the cool white walls of the gallery above. The white walls created a sense of openness, whilst a large arrangement of potted plants, mismatched seating, and a chandelier in the back left corner added a touch of intimacy and charm. Set against a backdrop of soft rock music and Ziggy Stardust, the atmosphere invited you to explore Rubicon ARI’s latest exhibition.

Through Paint-Paper-Scissors, eight artists blend the art of paper collage with painting and drawing to create a new dialogue that centres transformation, construction, deconstruction, and materiality. The exhibition forgoes tradition, with paper becoming more than just a canvas; instead, it becomes a central element of each work through textural elements and carefully considered collage. As the paint interacts with the paper, it forms a visual and tactile dialogue with the elements, obscuring or enhancing shapes and designs.

Art in this exhibition is unrestricted to the canvas and expanding with life. With collage colosseums that extend beyond the canvas in Travis Vella’s ‘DeChirico Dreaming’, and abstract arrangements of coloured glass fragments on top of Maddison Kitching’s framed work, all pieces demand the viewer's attention and welcome close inspection. The use of unassuming and easily accessible materials stood in contrast to the artwork’s physical and conceptual complexity. With subject matters spanning from deeply personal collages that glimpse into the artist’s world to abstract paintings of ‘gestures’ open to interpretation, the artworks and use of everyday materials engage people of all ages.

Whilst I admired all artists' work, I felt most connected to two pieces by Jemima Cudmore, titled ‘eye spy’ and ‘sweet tooth’. Cudmore’s work evoked a strong sense of girlhood, with painted motifs such as flowers, butterflies, strawberries, and 3D elements such as buttons and bows adding layers of visual interest. Scattered personal photographs, paintings of cigarettes, car keys, and nostalgic electronics created an intimate narrative I felt connected to, suggesting we might be of a similar age, both navigating the liminal space between girlhood and adulthood.

Paint-Paper-Scissors ultimately serves as a unique celebration of creativity and a reminder that art comes from the artist, not the quality of their materials. All artists' work leaves a lasting impression on the viewer through its inventive use of accessible materials and complex narratives, which push the boundaries of traditional artistic mediums.

See Paint-Paper-Scissors at Rubicon ARI, 3 Merrifield Street, Brunswick, showing Wednesday to Saturday from 12 to 5pm from 21 June to 12 July.

Artists featured: Jemina Cudmore, Christine Berkman, Maddison Kitching, Travis Vella, Criena Court, Vanessa Meckes, Angela Hughes, and Mel Lineham.