An exhibition of paintings and photographs
by Gregory and Angie Burns
at Ganesha Gallery, Four Seasons Resort,
Jimbaran Bay. Tel: 701010.
In conjunction with the Four Seasons Resort at Jimbaran Bay,
the Ganesha Gallery has initiated a new project which will
award Residencies to Local and International artists. The
first recipients of this scheme are Gregory and Angie Burns.
It is unusual for a married couple to create art together.
Often the creative, emotional and financial pressures can
prove too much for any marriage, let alone an artistic one,
yet Gregory and Angie have engaged in residencies for seven
years, all over the world. During their travels Gregory has
been painting, while Angie has recorded their journey with
photography. From their first visit to Bali, it has long held
a special place in their hearts.
As the son of an American diplomat, Gregory’s penchant
for art and travel began as a six year old boy in Paris. After
graduating from university in 1980, he continued to expand
his horizons by wandering throughout Asia as a backpacker.
Gregory then completed his Masters of Painting in 1999. As
can be seen immediately in his striking paintings, displayed
in the exhibition ‘Jimbaran’, Gregory’s
art relies on a subtle tension suspended between the enigmatic
combinations of opposites. His work commences with deep contemplation,
and it then finds expression with a spontaneous outburst of
brushstrokes. Although Gregory’s technique is influenced
by an intensive two year study under the renowned Chinese
brush painting master Liang Dan-Fong, he does not imitate
traditional Chinese painting. Instead, Gregory incorporates
those techniques into his own Western, or International, style.
Located on the cliff tops of Jimbaran, the Four Seasons Resort
commands a magnificent view of Jimbaran Bay, Kuta and on to
the outskirts of Denpasar. The environs of the hotel make
it one of the most spectacular resorts to be found in Bali.
Ensconced in his bale come studio, beside the resort’s
temple grounds, Gregory has created a series of paintings
which beautifully reflect the luxuriousness of his locale.
Shrewdly, though, Gregory has divided his paintings into four
distinct areas of contemplation. With broad gestures, he first
depicts the sweeping panorama from the hotel. Then, he focuses
on points of interest to be found in the hotel grounds. Various
activities occurring at the hotel, such as Gamelan Orchestras
and Legong Dances, also come under his scrutiny. Finally,
he creates a fantastic series of paintings which explore the
sparkle of sunlight on the hotel’s vast swimming pool.
Utilizing a palette which is as sumptuous as the hotel itself,
the canvas ‘Jimbaran I’ reduces the panorama into
three distinctive bands. Poking through the greenery can be
seen the red tile roofs of the Jimbaran seafood cafes. The
beach has been rendered in a sweep of glittering yellow, while
the aquamarine and turquoise blues shimmer like the waves
they are intended to represent. The abstraction of the painting
brings to mind ‘color field’ expressionism, yet,
it is instantly apparent what the image indicates. Created
in mauve, red and shades of blue ‘Cliff Temple’
is a haunting work, which imparts an air of evening mystery
to this secluded temple, to be found in the grounds of the
hotel. The discordant clashes of vibrant greens and oranges
suggest the sounds of a Gamelan Orchestra, accompanying a
traditional Balinese dancer, in the work ‘Dance IV’.
Here, the delineation of the figure brings to mind ‘German
Expressionism’, wherein the angular lines of the body
indicate the angular movements of the dance. Finally, from
a vast height, Gregory transforms the hotel’s swimming
pool, in the painting ‘Villa Landscape’, into
a wonderful geometric arrangement. Stepping stones and deck
lounges add to the charm of the composition. Within the art
of Gregory Burns, he shows himself as a man of passion, and
as an accomplished artist, willing to reveal his life and
emotions, and dedication to the creation of art.
Meanwhile, with her photographs, Angie Burns has endeavored
to capture ‘moments’, and un-posed portraits,
which seek to reveal the essence of the Jimbaran location,
and the people who live there. Predominantly focused on the
beach and its activities, Angie opens her section of the exhibition
with a sensitive photograph of a beach temple. ‘Padmasana’
plays with effects of perspective. Dwarfing the beach goers,
and highlighting the power and image of the temple. The effervescence
of boys frolicking in the water is beautifully captured in
‘Surf Patrol’, while a more unusual photograph
of children enjoying an evening barbeque is caught in ‘Dinner’.
Perhaps a touch sentimental, ‘Sardine’ is, nevertheless,
a lovely composed image of a young girl proudly displaying
her fishing catch. All of Angie’s photographs contain
a spontaneity which sparkles with the vibrancy of its subject
matter.
As an exhibition that documents two artists’ response
to their environment, ‘Jimbaran’ is extremely
successful. In their individual ways both Gregory and Angie
Burns have been able to create memorable and impressive images.
Even though they use very different mediums. Hung together,
their works reinforce and compliment one another. However,
even though I admire and applaud the Four Seasons’ initiative
in establishing this new project of ‘Residencies’,
I trust that future recipients are able to create work that,
let us say ever so kindly, do not contain so much subtle advertising
and promotion of the hotel’s facilities. Ganesha Gallery
has commenced a very brave scheme, hopefully, it remains untainted
by brash commercialization.
