Weightless

Optimism and artistic mastery merge within Melinda Schawel's newest exhibition, Weightless. Drawing inspiration from the Japanese concept of 'akarui,' which signifies a hopeful outlook, Schawel invites us on a journey of equilibrium within the tactile realms of paper and clay. As an artist committed to expressing her ideas through action, Schawel's intricate creative process involves labor-intensive techniques such as drilling, tearing, inking, and glazing her paper or clay surfaces. These meticulous methods not only shape her artworks but also serve as a conduit for her pursuit of a lighter state of existence.

In Weightless, Schawel's practice transcend mere physical forms, offering viewers a glimpse into the transformative power of art. Each work is a testament to resilience, optimism, and the ability to find balance amidst life's complexities.

Catalogue essay by Tai Mitsuji “Life imitating art; art imitating life,” Melinda Schawel muses, as she recalls nearly drowning when her raft flipped and she got sucked down a sink hole on the Snowy River, partway through making her new series, ‘Weightless.’ She describes sitting alone on a rock for an hour after the ordeal, contemplating the experience and feeling reborn. Perhaps, it is too neat to directly transfer this rhetoric of rebirth onto Schawel’s new series of works—yet there is experimentation and newness to be found there. 

Nowhere is this clearer than in Schawel’s foray into ceramic works. “I've always wanted to go into that three-dimensional space, but I’ve been hesitant to take on the challenge,” Schawel confesses. Her bravery has been rewarded with an exquisite set of small porcelain works, which present a study in contrasts: the smooth, glazed, internal surface of the vessels in tension with their raw, jagged organic edges. Within the broader setting of the exhibition, these diminutive ceramics also exist in marked contrast to her larger paper works, as Schawel plays with scale, and shifts the relationship between the viewer and the artwork. 

For Schawel—an artist who is known for her two-dimensional works—the ceramics might seem like a complete departure. After all, these works represent a move from the flat paper surface to the tangible form; from the graphic to the sculptural. Yet Schawel’s deep connections with paper persist in her porcelain, as its very materiality contains paper pulp. Upon further consideration, clay is an unsurprising choice given the malleability of its surface, which lends itself to Schawel’s sustained exploration and play with these material outer layers. Indeed, the initial inspiration for Schawel’s three-dimensional works came from clusters of curling, ripped paper scraps, which form the off-cuts of her flat paper works and, one suspects, would have been quickly thrown away by most artists. Schawel, however, found critical inspiration where others would see mere detritus. 

Turning to the artist’s paper works, we find quintessential elements of Schawel in the lyricism of her mark making and the dynamism of her compositions. As Schawel moves through the world she notices patterns, collecting the subtle currents of life and transporting their essence into her works. In some moments, Schawel’s works are delicate and quiet and, in others, they wash over the viewer, threatening to engulf them.  

Despite being made from paper, the works have a body and presence as they comprise weighty 640 gsm sheets. A selection of these pieces hang unframed in the gallery, off the wall, projecting out into the world and entering into the space of the viewer. In spite of their two-dimensional form, the works assume, here, something of a sculptural presence. The perforations that Schawel renders in her paper open up tiny windows for light to pass through, so that her work stages a play of light and shadow in the space that sits behind it. 

Schawel has also painted the verso of some of her works in coloured ink. It is a subtle chromatic move, yet it has a profound effect: the rich colour on the back of the work creates a halo, which backlights the artwork and transforms the space around it. This is the poetic symmetry of Schawel’s work, which is not only affected by the world, but, in return, also touches the world back. 

“This exhibition marks my inaugural showcase into ceramics. The connection between the smooth, 640 gsm paper and the paper porcelain clay is unmistakable. The forgiving, malleable surface of the clay allows for a tactile exploration of form and texture, while its surface, reminiscent of the paper, invites ongoing experimentation with stains and glazes. Whether working with paper or clay, the artistic process serves as a conduit for the meditative balance I strive for. The ultimate goal is achieving some sort of equilibrium which will capture the light and appear effortless, or weightless, or both. There is no guarantee that this will occur, the viewer may be none the wiser, but either way, it is an opportunity for me to practice ‘akari’ - to try and see more clearly, maintain positivity and engage with the viewer on a deeper level. I hope visitors to the exhibition might experience some sense of lightness and renewal too.” Artist Statement, 2024

ARTIST BIO: Born in Illinois, USA, Schawel received a BA in Fine Art from the University of California in 1993 and a Postgraduate Degree in Printmaking from RMIT in 1996. Schawel has been a finalist in the Waterhouse Natural Science Art Prize (2024),the Adelaide Perry Drawing Prize (2024, 2020), WAMA Art Prize for Works on Paper (2023), Omnia Art Prize (2022) and won the People’s Choice Award for the Adelaide Perry in 2018. She has also been a finalist in the Whyalla Art Prize (2017), the Nillumbik Prize (2021,2016, 2015, 2013) and the Fisher’s Ghost Art Award (2015, 2012). She has undertaken residency at the Art Vault in Mildura (2016), Chiang Mai Art on Paper Workshop, Thailand (2015) and at Frans Masereel Centre, Kasterlee, Belgium (2004). She held a successful solo exhibition at Art CentralHong Kong in 2018. Her work is held in the collections of the National Gallery of Australia, Artbank, Crown Casino, Geelong Regional Gallery, the Royal Museum of Fine Art in Antwerp, Belgium and the Whitehorse Art Collection. She has exhibited regularly since 1995 and has been selected for a number of prestigious commissions such as the Westin Hotel, the Park Hyatt in Melbourne and the City of Casey.