In his new series, OZ MODS, Philippe Le Miere invites the viewer to wander into Australia’s rich art history. Leading with humour, each work superimposes the icons we know well in unexpected scenarios – Charles Blackman’s Alice carpools with Sidney Nolan’s Ned Kelly, John Brack’s businessmen march across Jeffrey Smart’s highway, a magpie calls checkmate.
By reimagining the iconic anew, Le Miere surveys the aftermath of Australian modernism. As what was once shocking grows familiar, space for new meaning opens – an opportunity, as Le Miere hopes, to “return to the strange, surreal and imaginative”. To discover more about this series, read our interview with the artist below.
How do you find works of art to remix in your paintings?
I once had an art teacher tell the class, "Do you know what I do, after a whole day teaching art? I look at more art". My life is surrounded by art. My studio is annexed to an art gallery. I'm always visiting art galleries, art openings, previewing fine art auctions, looking at catalogues. While of course this series of paintings reference existing paintings, I wonder if initially it's a remix of the memories of these images?
What is your decision making process for merging two works together?
Humour? Many combinations of images don't work. I'll visualise, in my mind's eye, various concepts. But it was only after producing a quiet giggle, that I'd further develop the composition. It's not just the idea though, it's also the execution: how the colours merge, subjects integrate, compositional weight and balance, all play a part in visually integrating often unrelated ideas.
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'Study for Arrival on a Summer's Day'
Has exploring Australian Modernism for this series shifted your thinking around the movement or revealed anything new?
While the history of art is ancient, Art History is always changing and revising. Art as a movement or "ism", came about as a tool to bring some order to an understanding of Modern-ism. I believe what has shifted is time. Australian Modernism is no longer shocking, but is now established. Just as Impressionism eventually became conventionalised, what I believe has shifted is Modernism's canonisation.
'Study for Bus By The Tiber 5pm'
Why do you think some icons of Australian art history – Charles Blackman’s schoolgirls or Sidney Nolan’s Ned Kelly, for example – continue to resonate with audiences?
Of course, it's their iconographic qualities. Fine art has always worked with icons, be they religious, monarchical, or mythological, the iconic efficiently resonates emotionally. A dark, looming silhouette is scary - the perfect icon for an Aussie outlaw. The tall ears of a bunny rabbit, and sad face of a young girl - a memorable way to retell a tale of Alice in a wonderful land.
But then combine these two elements, and what happens? We return to the strange, surreal and imaginative place most associated with art.
'Study for Alice and Kelly at the table'
Have you ever been surprised by a viewer’s response to a work from this series?
What's most surprising is how fine art has become so increasingly specialised. I guess when an individual specialises in any area of knowledge, be it cryptic mathematics, dynamic computer science, advancing medicine (or any subject requiring years of study), then it is natural to wonder how the familiar might seem so alien to others. So, I'm hoping this series of paintings might support audiences, in creating an accessible gateway into appreciating Australia's rich fine art history.
