Jonathan Jones @ GBK

My initial reaction to Jonathan Jones’s installation at GBK was of intrigue and delight; I was shocked by my quick acceptance of Jones work as I had withheld a negative preconceived opinion towards it. Having previously seen photographs of the installation I thought that it was going to simply be another take on Dan Flavin’s use of the fluorescent light or Joseph Kosuth’s neon lighting. Presuming that Jones was not going to provide a new element that would be appealing or stretch my mentality, I was proven wrong as Jones’s work spoke to me more so than of those previously mentioned.

The structural element of Jones installation I found could only be appreciated first hand; walking around and in between the individual pieces, I was able to experience the full extent of what Jones created. Attempting to decipher how the work was constructed and establish what each individual piece represented; my imagination soared freely I considered the structures to represent sailing ships, birds and cliff-faces amongst other things. The work emitted what I thought to be a serene haziness, I felt utterly calm as I walked alone amongst Jones piece allowing the tranquil mood to pass through me.

Jones’s use of geometric patterns and shapes indicate geometric abstraction as an influence and the simple materials used, the “fluorescent lights” and the presentation itself fall category to minimalism. Despite this Jones’s indigenous cultural heritage is said to hold a profound influence on his practice, as many of his pieces refer to historical Australian landscapes and past events. However I feel that this was not clearly evident in his work at GBK and if not informed of Jones ‘s linage one would associate him the same as any other contemporary artist. As Jones is combining modern technologies with the traditions of his heritage I feel that one of his greatest concerns is to avoid falling category too or being labelled as a contemporary artist or an indigenous artist. Instead I feel that Jones is hoping to challenge these titles as they exist and shape a new faction.

Within the installation itself an idea of the ‘vast’ and ‘unknown’ can be associated within the reflective qualities of the space. As the artificial light glows on the floors surface and bounces of the glass-framed artworks mounted low on the walls of the gallery, the light seems too extend the space itself and it is unclear as to what exactly you are viewing. I feel that this is similar to the artwork itself as the meaning and representation is unclear, and all that is provided by Jonathan Jones is a ‘vast’ pool of emotion and our interpretation. I feel that Jones has found a truly beautiful way of engaging the audience’s emotions in such a simplistic manner.