How we live now: The place of class and taste in contemporary Australian ar

247 Pages·2017·26.94 MB·English

How we live now: The place of class and taste in
contemporary Australian art

STIEG PERSSON
ORCID: 0000-0002-4940-356X

Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the degree of Doctor of
Philosophy (by creative work and dissertation)

February 2018

University of Melbourne
VCA Faculty of Fine Arts and Music
Abstract

This practice led research has explored the various ways taste (with its implicit
relationship to class) has manifest itself as a type of cultural marker, sending a
series of complex and coded messages to its audience. With a focus on a local,
Australian contemporary and historical culture, the research exerts that the
talismans of 21st century taste inhabit a psychic space, a complex matrix of
subliminal and latent cultural ideas, implicitly understood by both
artist/producers and their audiences/consumers. Themes and motifs present in
the paintings are examined and hypothesised as exemplifying this condition,
simultaneously offering the superficial comfort of naïve recognition and a deep,
reflective cultural discourse. The research finds that a middle–class hegemony
permeates not only the fields of reception and production, but unlike other
creative disciplines in Australia, the visual arts are reluctant to engage directly
with these issues. It also finds that the process of aestheticisation, once the domain
of the creative arts is now embodied in all aspects of middle–class culture, best
seen through its hagiographic treatment of food and foodism.
Declaration

This is to certify that:
I. This thesis comprises only my original work towards the Doctor of
Philosophy except where indicated.
II. Due acknowledgement has been made in the text to all other material
used.
III. The thesis is less than 50,000 words exclusive of tables, maps,
bibliographies, footnotes and appendices.
IV. Signature:
Acknowledgements
Artists don’t often get the opportunity to acknowledge, in writing, those that have
supported, cajoled, informed and walked with them on what is often a solitary
path.
On this three-year journey, I would like to acknowledge a number of people.
Firstly, to my supervisors, Dr. Kate Daw and Dr. Edward Colless for their
encouragement and support throughout the project. Kate was perfect. Always
there whether the request was major or minor and Ted’s formidable intellect
provided frighteningly cogent insights. Any deficiencies in the dissertation are me
ignoring their advice.
Thanks go to Prof. Nikos Papastergiadis for giving me the confidence that I was on
the right track and Victoria Lynn for suggesting I check my map. To Norbert
Loeffler who also read the text, a man whose knowledge is encyclopedic, who not
only gets the references but can extrapolate on them offering greater depth.
To Tim Bass for his great friendship over decades and his much needed editorial
skills. Countless conversations added layers of nuance to the raw bones, giving an
invaluable perspective to the project.
To Anna Schwartz who has been with me since the beginning, and whose
unwavering trust and judgment as a gallerist is unsurpassed; and to her team at
Anna Schwartz Gallery past and present. To Blair French for the engagement with
some of the works contained in the final exhibition. His selection of the paintings
for The National, at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney, gave the ideas
contained within these works their first public airing.
To my colleagues at VCA, Dr Mark Dustin a supportive and generous head of
department, Adrian Kellett, a master printer whose expertise gave my ideas form,
and Dr Raafat Ishak whose patience with the daily serve of half-baked ideas and
drivel unknowingly provided an invaluable filter.
In these last weeks, the expertise of Caitlin Patane, David Sequeira and Nick Pearce
from the Margaret Lawrence Gallery have made my life a lot easier.
And finally, my friends and family. As a man who is not one for gushy, over floral
statements, I am grateful beyond words for the friends I have around me. They are
far better than me, understanding, loyal, generous and smarter. And my family,
Chloe, Magnus and Ruth make my life worth living.
Contents
Figures and Illustrations
Third party copyright
Introduction 1
Chapter 1 — From Mayfair to North Shore:
Some aspects of class in contemporary 17
Australian painting
Chapter 2 — Shop Signs v. Graffiti 36
Chapter 3 — Rococo: The signifier of taste 71
Chapter 4 — Against Ornament:
The revolution that never happened 96
Chapter 5 — Lifestyle, luxury and the middlebrow 125
Chapter 6— Food, glorious Food! 150
Conclusion 184
Appendix 1 197
Appendix 2 200
Bibliography 213
List of works exhibited 231
Images of works exhibited 232
Figures and Illustrations
Fig 1. Stieg Persson, The Philosophy of Individualism with Goji Berries, p.1.
Fig 2. Diagram. Bourdieu’s food space, p.7.
Fig 3. Still from M&C Saatchi’s Woolworths television commercial with Weber barbeque, p.13.
Fig 4. Still from AHM Health Insurance television commercial, p.14.
Fig 5. Still from BHP ‘Think Big’ advertising campaign, p.15.
Fig 6. Robert MacPherson, Mayfair: Summer farm, forty five signs for Micky Monsour,1993, p.22.
Fig 7. Diagram. Archibald Prize occupation of sitters by SES, p.27.
Fig 8. Diagram. Archibald Prize occupation of sitters by SES artists excluded, p.27.
Fig 9. Diagram. Portia Geach Memorial Award occupation of sitters by SES, p.28.
Fig 10. Diagram. Portia Geach Memorial Award occupation of sitters by SES artists excluded, p.28.
Fig 11. Diagram. Doug Moran National Portrait Prize occupation of sitters by SES, p.29.
Fig 12. Diagram. Doug Moran National Portrait Prize occupation of sitters by SES artists excluded,
p.29.
Fig 13. James Potter’s trade card, p.39.
Fig 14. Trade card of D.Negri, Confectioner at the Pineapple in Berkeley Square, p.41.
Fig 15. William Hogarth, The Bad Taste of the Town (Masquerades and Operas), p.44.
Fig 16. William Hogarth, Southwark Fair, p.45.
Fig 17. William Hogarth, The Invasion: France, p.46.
Fig 18. Jean–Baptiste–Simeon Chardin. A Game of Billiards, p.50.
Fig 19. Jean–Antoine Watteau, L'Enseigne de Gersaint, p.51.
Fig 20. Miklós Barabás signboard for the Zrinyi Coffee House, p.52.
Fig 21. Theodore Gericault, The Farrier’s Signboard, p.53.
Fig 22. Natalia Goncharova, Linen (Futurist), p.56.
Fig 23. Eugène Atget, Boulevard de Strasbourg, Corsets, Paris, p.60.
Fig 24. Reginald Marsh, Twenty Cent Movie, p.62.
Fig 25. Calvin Klein. CK One Shock for Him, p.66.
Fig 26. Jean–Honore Fragonard, The Bathers, p.72.
Fig 27. Franz Xaver Winterhalter, The Empress Eugénie, p.76.
Fig 28. Franz Xaver Winterhalter, The Empress Eugénie Surrounded by her Ladies in Waiting, p.79.
Fig 29. Mariano José Maria Bernado Fortuny, Antiquaries, p.80.
Fig 30. Giovanni Boldini, An Elegant Lady, p.81.
Fig 31. John H. Belter. Sofa, p.82.
Fig 32. Doulton Burslem. Watteau pattern, p.84.
Fig 33. Louis Soubrier et Cie, Siege d’amour, p. 85.
Fig 34. Ras el–Tin Palace, Alexandria, Egypt, p.86.
Fig 35. David Douglas Duncan. Part of King Farouk’s Collection, p.87.
Fig 36. Louis Farouk Furniture, p.88.
Fig 37. Pope Francis and Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan, p.92.
Fig 38. The entrance hall of a contemporary Russian mansion, p.94.
Fig 39. Carl Larsson, Flowers on the Windowsill, p.97.
Fig 40. Wilhelm Kåge, Liljeblå, Soup plate, p.100.
Fig 41. Twyford’s Unitas, p.103.
Fig 42. Wash basin in Le Corbusier’s Studio Apartment, p.106.
Fig 43. Eugène Atget, Worker's interior, rue de Romainville, p.108.
Fig 44. Interior, Isokon Lawn Road Flats, p.113.
Fig 45. Page from the nine volume, Commodity Dictionary of the Soviet Union, p.115.
Fig 46. Adolf Loos, The Kärntner Bar, p.117.
Fig 47. Coco Chanel’s apartment, p.119.
Fig 48. Damien Hirst and Jeff Koons, p.128.
Fig 49. Del Kathryn Barton, Third Draw Down website, p.133.
Fig 50. Certificate of authenticity for Del Kathryn Barton print, certifying limited edition, p.134.
Fig 51. David Bromley, Joy Flight, p.137.
Fig 52. Norman Lindsay, In the Beginning, p.144.
Fig 53. Del Kathryn Barton, Openly Song, p.147.
Fig 54. Page from Johanna Basford’s Enchanted Forest, p.148.
Fig 55. Heston Blumenthal’s Sound of the Sea, p.152.
Fig 56. Ferran Adrià and pavilion G, Documenta 12, p.155.
Fig 57. First Dog on The Moon. Frame from The thoroughly humiliating and extremely satisfying
demise of Tony Abbott, p.159.
Fig 58. Title page from The English and Australian Cookery Book: Cookery for the Many, as well as the
‘ Upper Ten Thousand’, p.162.
st
Fig 59. Cover of the 1 edition of Oh, For a French Wife! p.165.
Fig 60. Woman’s Weekly, 12 October, 1966, p.170.
Fig 61. Timothy Behrens, Lucien Freud, Francis Bacon, Frank Auerbach and Michael Andrews
having lunch at Wheelers Restaurant in Soho, London, p.172.
Fig 62. Belle. Page from August 2016 featuring Martine Emdur’s paintings, p.174.
Fig 63. Studio Olafur Eliasson: The Kitchen, p.178.
Fig 64. Stieg Persson, Heirloom Carrots, p.186.
Fig 65. Stieg Persson, Poussins and Grapes, p.187.
Fig 66. Detail, Duck and Quail Eggs, Italian Herbs, p.189.
Fig 67. Detail, Heirloom Carrots, p.192.
Fig 68. Stieg Persson, Handmade Chocolates and Edible Flowers, p.193.
Third Party Copyright
Fig 1. Stieg Persson, The Philosophy of Individualism with Goji Berries—Copyright the author
Fig 2. Diagram. Bourdieu’s food space—No copyright clearance
Fig 3. Still from M&C Saatchi’s Woolworths television commercial—No copyright clearance
Fig 4. Still from AHM Health Insurance television commercial —No copyright clearance
Fig 5. Still from BHP ‘Think Big’ advertising campaign —No copyright clearance
Fig 6. Robert MacPherson, Mayfair: Summer farm, forty-five signs for Micky Monsour—No copyright
clearance
Fig 7. Diagram. Archibald Prize occupation of sitters by SES—Copyright the author
Fig 8. Diagram. Archibald Prize occupation of sitters by SES artists excluded—Copyright the author
Fig 9. Diagram. Portia Geach Memorial Award occupation of sitters by SES—Copyright the author
Fig 10. Diagram. Portia Geach Memorial Award artists excluded—Copyright the author
Fig 11. Diagram. Doug Moran National Portrait Prize occupation of sitters—Copyright the author
Fig 12. Diagram. Doug Moran National Portrait Prize artists excluded—Copyright the author
Fig 13. James Potter’s trade card—Public domain
Fig 14. Trade card of D.Negri, Confectioner at the Pineapple in Berkeley Square—Public domain
Fig 15. William Hogarth, The Bad Taste of the Town (Masquerades and Operas)—Public domain
Fig 16. William Hogarth, Southwark Fair—Public domain
Fig 17. William Hogarth, The Invasion: France—Public domain
Fig 18. Jean–Baptiste–Simeon Chardin. A Game of Billiards—Public domain
Fig 19. Jean–Antoine Watteau, L'Enseigne de Gersaint—Public domain
Fig 20. Miklós Barabás signboard for the Zrinyi Coffee House—No copyright clearance
Fig 21. Theodore Gericault, The Farrier’s Signboard—Public domain
Fig 22. Natalia Goncharova, Linen (Futurist)—No copyright clearance
Fig 23. Eugène Atget, Boulevard de Strasbourg, Corsets, Paris—Public domain
Fig 24. Reginald Marsh, Twenty Cent Movie—No copyright clearance
Fig 25. Calvin Klein. CK One Shock for Him—No copyright clearance
Fig 26. Jean–Honore Fragonard, The Bathers—Public domain
Fig 27. Franz Xaver Winterhalter, The Empress Eugénie—Public domain
Fig 28. Franz Xaver Winterhalter, The Empress Eugénie Surrounded by her Ladies in Waiting—Public
domain
Fig 29. Mariano José Maria Bernado Fortuny, Antiquaries—Public domain
Fig 30. Giovanni Boldini, An Elegant Lady—Public domain
Fig 31. John H. Belter. Sofa—Public domain
Fig 32. Doulton Burslem. Watteau pattern—Public domain
Fig 33. Louis Soubrier et Cie, Siege d’amour—Public domain
Fig 34. Ras el–Tin Palace, Alexandria, Egypt—No copyright clearance
Fig 35. David Douglas Duncan. Part of King Farouk’s Collection—No copyright clearance
Fig 36. Louis Farouk Furniture—No copyright clearance
Fig 37. Pope Francis and Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan—No copyright clearance
Fig 38. The entrance hall of a contemporary Russian mansion—No copyright clearance
Fig 39. Carl Larsson, Flowers on the Windowsill—Public domain
Fig 40. Wilhelm Kåge, Liljeblå, Soup plate—Public domain
Fig 41. Twyford’s Unitas—Public domain
Fig 42. Wash basin in Le Corbusier’s Studio Apartment—No copyright clearance
Fig 43. Eugène Atget, Worker's interior, rue de Romainville—Public domain
Fig 44. Interior, Isokon Lawn Road Flats—No copyright clearance
Fig 45. Page from the nine volume, Commodity Dictionary of the Soviet Union—Public domain
Fig 46. Adolf Loos, The Kärntner Bar—No copyright clearance
Fig 47. Coco Chanel’s apartment—No copyright clearance
Fig 48. Damien Hirst and Jeff Koons—No copyright clearance
Fig 49. Del Kathryn Barton, Third Draw Down website—No copyright clearance
Fig 50. Certificate of authenticity for Del Kathryn Barton print—No copyright clearance
Fig 51. David Bromley, Joy Flight—No copyright clearance
Fig 52. Norman Lindsay, In the Beginning—No copyright clearance
Fig 53. Del Kathryn Barton, Openly Song—No copyright clearance
Fig 54. Page from Johanna Basford’s Enchanted Forest—No copyright clearance
Fig 55. Heston Blumenthal’s Sound of the Sea—No copyright clearance
Fig 56. Ferran Adrià and pavilion G, Documenta 12 —No copyright clearance
Fig 57. First Dog on The Moon. Frame from The thoroughly humiliating and extremely satisfying
demise of Tony Abbott—No copyright clearance
Fig 58. Title page from The English and Australian Cookery Book: Cookery for the Many, as well as the
‘ Upper Ten Thousand’—Public domain
Fig 59. Cover of the 1st edition of Oh, For a French Wife!—No copyright clearance
Fig 60. Woman’s Weekly, 12 October, 1966—No copyright clearance
Fig 61. Timothy Behrens, Lucien Freud, Francis Bacon, Frank Auerbach and Michael Andrews
having lunch at Wheelers Restaurant in Soho, London—No copyright clearance
Fig 62. Belle. Page from August 2016 featuring Martine Emdur’s paintings—No copyright clearance
Fig 63. Studio Olafur Eliasson: The Kitchen—No copyright clearance
Fig 64. Stieg Persson, Heirloom Carrots—Copyright the author
Fig 65. Stieg Persson, Poussins and Grapes—Copyright the author
Fig 66. Detail, Duck and Quail Eggs, Italian Herbs—Copyright the author
Fig 67. Detail, Heirloom Carrots—Copyright the author
Fig 68. Stieg Persson, Handmade Chocolates and Edible Flowers—Copyright the author
Introduction

Images of white juvenile domestic animals, floating amongst Simpsonesque clouds
interspersed with dozens of white flowers, each different, amidst a scattering of
goji berries and united with golden curtain of street tagging. The Philosophy of
Individualism with Goji Berries[Fig1] is the title of a painting from 2013 exhibited at
the National Gallery of Victoria’s Melbourne Now exhibition. So how was it that
such innocuous, over sentimentalised images, a piglet and a puppy,
chrysanthemum and hydrangea, somehow managed to convey class anxiety
amongst viewers? This predicament became the catalyst for this thesis.

Fig 1. The Philosophy of Individualism with Goji Berries, 2013. Oil on linen, 183 x 227 cm

1