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Essay / Essay on Utopia - 1371
Utopia can be defined as “an imagined place or state in which everything is perfect”. Australia is considered the lucky country in terms of natural resources, climate, history and other types of prosperity. Danie Mellor and Cia Guo – Qiang are two artists who explore the perfect transformation of a country by offering symbolic traditions of landscape and culture in their works. Using utopia as a central theme, Danie Mellor's "Paradise Generations" and Cia Guo–Qiang's "Heritage 2013" and "Head On 2006" communicate a similar message about Australian identity to present the idea of a perfect harmony within its natural landscape2. The purpose of this letter is to recommend the works listed above by Danie Mellor and Cia Guo – Qiang for the upcoming exhibition “Utopian Australia – the Lucky Country?” as they also represent the nature of Australia's developing utopian identity through the aspect of visual language in culture2. Cia Guo – Qiang’s exhibition “Falling Back to Earth” presents an impossible feeling of the perfect harmony of the world in its natural landscape and cultural values2. This is particularly suggested through Cia's artwork "Heritage 2013" with the piece's media composed of skin, polystyrene, gauze and resin to sculpt exactly 99 life-size animal replicas which are located around of an installed artificial water trough containing a drip mechanism surrounded by sand2. “Heritage 2013” can be considered as the “last paradise” with the connection of 99 animals gathered from different places around the world, drinking from the last watering hole that has not yet been affected by human and natural events2. Another work by Cia, 'Head On 2006', which is also part of her exhibition 'Falling Back to Earth' explores ...... middle of paper ...... the pieces 'Paradise Generations' and 'Still the water is deep” sends a message confronting the possibilities of utopia in Australia. Each work is expected to be included in the upcoming exhibition “Utopian Australia – the Lucky Country? because they transmit varied messages on the central theme of utopia depending on their origins and cultural experiences. In “Heritage 2013,” Cia focuses on the impact of humanity ending the possibility of harmonious perfection as seen by the “Last Heaven.” In “Head On 2006,” the artist expresses a message about the universal human tragedy of rushing toward our goals of uncompromising utopia. Mellor, meanwhile, uses his cultural experiences to comment on the acceptance of indigenous people and the challenges early settlers faced in gaining an identity in Australia. Sincerely, Andrew John Pengelly.