John Vella has recently been commissioned to create a portrait of the architectural firm Terroir for an exhibition entitled Portraits + Architecture at the National Portrait Gallery in Canberra.

Seven teams of architects were invited to take part in the exhibition. Terroir’s three directors, Gerard Reinmuth (Sydney), Scott Balmforth (Hobart) and Richard Blythe (Melbourne), invited Brett Boardman to take a series of photographic portraits while John Vella has produced a major video component of the 16 minute three-screen projected loop.

John created a setting for a discussion featuring the Terroir directors which sees the firm’s architectural models dynamically drift through landscapes, emphasising the relationship between the natural and built environments, and demonstrating the three architects’ creative process.

The exhibition continues until 15 November.

Video stills from the three panel installation

A group of four photographic works by Geoff Parr have been acquired by the Parliament House Art Collection for their contemporary art collection. The works are a selection from his First Light Folio #21, 2OO8. They capture precise moments of dawn light from within domestic interiors and surrounding exteriors and show Geoff’s ability to elegantly express a sense of humanity in the juxtaposition of domestic objects and the intricacy of nature.

The First Light Folio #21 was developed in conjunction with Geoff’s works shown in STORYLINES at Criterion Gallery in February 2OO9.

Geoff Parr
6am 2OO8
Digital Print
36 x 44 cm
Edition of five