NIKLAS SUNDIN @ WWW.CABINFEVERMEDIA.COM
Back in the crucial years of late high school, I used to be an avid metal head. I would devote a lot of time to listening to aggressive death metal, new wave, gothic and industrial. A particular interest at the time was a scene called the Gothenburg scene, originating in Sweden, in the city of the same name (Gothenburg). In year 11 I purchased an album from the Swedish melodic death metal band inflames called soundtrack to your escape. Apart from being a ridiculously awesome album, I was fascinated with the album artwork (which is fast becoming rare due to the digital online market) and its ability to hold its own style against a sea of stereotypical European Metal album art. It was at this point I came into contact with the art of Niklas Sundin.
Niklas Sundin is an active member of the metal community in Europe. As well as being a rhythm guitarist for the band dark tranquillity, he also produces countless artwork packages for his other metal contemporaries. Niklas style blends abstract illustration with digital imagery, with heavy surreal and ethereal connotations and themes.
During the time I found Niklas work, I was in year 11, moving into year 12, and needing to decide what subjects to choose. Niklas’ work at this time was crucial in my choice, because he represented everything I wanted to do in my career (at the time) He was a household name in the metal community, a community I wanted nothing more than to one day offer something back to. His originality in his work made him one of the most recognisable packaging design in the field. I owe him a lot to shaping my choice to pursue the graphic arts path.
ALEX PARDEE @ WWW.EYSUCKINK.COM
It is first year out of High school, and I’m studying certificate 4 in Graphic design. While laboriously enduring tormenting classes of colour theory and OHS, im trying to find other avenues of design that aren’t presented by this incredibly narrow and somewhat boring course. While im messing about in class with my newly forged crew, my mate dean pulls me over to his comp and shows me some band artwork for one of his favourite “bands, “the used”. I cant remember which album he showed me, but I do remember dean telling me that it was the work of Alex Pardee, and that I would find more of his work at www.eyesuckink.com.
After a few visits to his portal, I was enthralled with his style. He has truly managed to define a style unique to his individual, easy to appropriate but impossible to replicate. His works hold a morbid, depressive and dark quality, strongly juxtaposed with bright colours, and cute / kitsch creatures and imagery. I still have tremendous respect for Alex in the sense that he has managed to create a style that is truly his. It takes one glance at a pardee to work to be instantly recognised as his.
JON BIENART @ WWW.BEINART.ORG
After my year at Swinburne I moved on to study here at ACU. I found graphic design to be somewhat limiting to my interests, and found that the bachelor of visual arts and design gave me the flexibility to choose which path to pursue, either graphic design and visual arts, or even both. Between the many breaks in classes, I spent a lot of time in counterculture and pop culture shops like minotaur and polyester books. In my many visits to polyester, I came across a fascinating showcase of surreal and visionary artists; in a book called “metamorphosis” I was impressed with the style and detail presented by the painters presented in the publication. Over a few months of online surfing, I was constantly running into adverts and links to a website called beinart.org. After a few visits to the site I found out that “Metamorphosis” was published under this “Beinart” label. From here on in Beinart continued to be a valuable resource to my artistic practice and development.
Jon Beinart, a Melbourne based Artist, sick of not finding avenues to display and interact with other artists of his interests, He created a group called the “beinArt underground Australian art collective. This increased interest and growth over the years became the “BeinArt International Surreal Art Collective” in 2006. Below is an exert from Beinart.org:
“The beinArt International Surreal Art Collective (2006) evolved from the beinArt Underground Australian Art Collective (2003). Jon Beinart, a practicing artist new to the Melbourne art scene, found it difficult to gain exposure for his art beyond exhibiting in cafes around the streets of Fitzroy and Brunswick. Wearied by his attempts to gain entry into the local gallery scene, Jon decided to establish a personal website to showcase his work. During his journey through the underground art scene he encountered many talented artists who could relate to his frustration. These artists lacked the networking skills and promotional focus to gain greater exposure for their work. Jon welcomed many of his friends and emerging artists to create guest galleries on his website, then, in the burgeoning popularity of the Internet, discovered an effective tool for the promotion of an entire art movement. He shifted his focus from showcasing his personal portfolio to a central online gallery containing a rapidly expanding collective of artists in 2003.
The popularity of The beinArt Underground Australian Art Collective grew rapidly and attracted international appeal. After being inundated with submissions from international artists, and overcoming his initial apprehension, Jon reviewed the direction of the site and launched the beinArt International Surreal Art Collective. A number of artists began to play key roles in the collective and in increasing its web presence. Leo Plaw emerged as the chief designer of the website and has worked consistently alongside Jon ever since to maintain and improve the website. The dynamic combination of well-known and lesser-known artists in the beinArt Gallery has provided the vital exposure necessary for new and emerging artists.
The recent publication of 'Metamorphosis' and the launch of the commercial venture beinArt Publishing has allowed its founder to sustain the social and philanthropic mission of the non-profit collective and provide a new avenue through print publication to promote emerging artists and strengthen the surreal and visionary art movement.”
Jon Beinart And the Beinart collective are influential to my idea, not because im trying to start a new collective, but due to the fact that Jon was able to bypass the issue of mainstream denial, and create his own world of exposure, community and ultimately creative success. Through sticking to his guns and recognising the need for a new community, Jon has been able to create an internationally recognised online collective and community. The point is He has created a definitive name for himself, his collective, Something I hope I can aspire to do with my own art.
