In Construction of the Corporeal, he photographed rustic Spain and Berlin before disrupting the narrative flow of the work, thereby directing attention to its visceral elements. By applying various 'mechanisms' - Baird's abstract, quasi-surrealist touch - the artist aimed to deconstruct the conventional artistic process.
It's this post-modern deconstruction and repurposing of work that garners our intrigue into Baird's work, and causes us to contemplate the creative process - a trait common to all of his work. The result is a thought-inspiring, refreshing and above all visually alluring portfolio from one of Melbourne's most adventurous emerging artists.
You can catch his latest work and maybe have a chat to the artist himself at Love Love Studio's Melbourne to Brisbane exhibition, opening this Saturday 6-10pm!
Love Love's latest exhibition is all about extending the reach of some of Melbourne's best emerging artists, and we're thrilled to see it happen in our city. In the lead-up to the event, we were lucky to sit down with Angus and have a (digital) chat about his work, his influences and his time abroad.
1. Tell us a little bit about what you do?
My works are born of circumstance; from the environment in which they are conceived to the interaction between materials. For example, leaving Melbourne in 2011 and making works in Spain put me in such an environment that I could not continue to produce the same works. As a result of this I was forced to use different materials.
I am an artist, not a chemist, and so am not able to control reactions between materials. In considering this I have to recognize my role in the making of my work, to what extent I control the materials and to what extent the materials play in the authorship of the work. This is my primary concern in the practice and the ‘art works’ are the product of this occupation.
2. And on your day off?
Cooking, even though I only know about 3 dishes (BUT MY GOD DO I COOK THEM WELL). General levels of turning it up, which usually involves some level of alcohol consumption.
3. Oh yeah? What are the three dishes?
Pecorino, sage, sweet pumpkin pasta. Another is ricotta, walnut and broccoli pasta and the third is a Spanish hot pot.
4. How did you get into art?
I started drawing as a little kid - it's an old story which I’m sure is familiar with a lot of artists. The habit just stuck around until I got into art school at RMIT.
5. What do you find is the most exciting and rewarding aspect in your working process?
I feel lucky as my work is the process. I’m never sad to see a work go because it is only the outcome of my practice. I retain that process in which it is made, that I alone have experienced. It is the most rewarding thing I do as it is the most intimate thing I know.
6. What motivates you to create?
The motivation perpetuates itself since it has no end, and because of this I'm driven to see what happens next in course. What any environmental changes will have on the process, what ridiculous mistakes become complete successes and then to later become problematic again. Hilarious! Classic!
7. Favorite place to create?
From my back shed studio, I put in some MDF walls, sound system lights and lazer light roof sheets so there’s plenty of natural light. It's next to my veggie garden and is periodically as hot as an oven which gives me a great excuse to sit around and drink beers and do nothing.
8. We noticed you’ve just had a show in Berlin that was in several publications over there. How did your time in Berlin unravel?
Well as I mentioned I was making works in Spain and it was getting to be time to move on so I picked up and left to Berlin. Even though it was summer I pictured freezing temperatures mainly because I’m a bloody idiot. So I turned up in Berlin in full subzero gear to find that it was +30 degrees. I could easily pedal my works around to all the galleries and flat out ask for a sho, it’s that kinda place. It took a while but with a bit of luck and help from people I knew I got a show at idrawalot gallery curated by Karl Addison.
9. Did you find there were lots of Brisbane creatives over there?
Plenty of Australians from everywhere, though I did end up spending a lot of time with Amanda Ceccato. She’s still over in Berlin and has just exhibited also at Andy Harwood's Love Love gallery this year. I met them both in Berlin.
10. Where are you based now? Will you always come back to Brisbane?
I’m based in Melbourne at the moment before heading back to Berlin when my projects here are finished, probably early next year. I think I’ll always come back to Brisbane. It’s a great change of scene.
11. What would you change about the arts scene in Brisbane?
I don’t think I’d change anything specifically about the art scene in Brisbane. I like to think that as the Brisbane art economy grows there will be more room for development and for the scene to organically take its own path.
12. What’s next in terms of using different media/challenging yourself?
I’ve being using lots of photo transfers and working through them to destroy them in certain ways, attacking the narrative. It's kind of a processing that I’ve been using to create works. I’m going to revisit them and re-process them again by painting them in oils. I’m sure it’ll push me to change/ respond to new materials.
You'll find more of Angus' work via cargo collective!
See you Saturday!
4. How did you get into art?
I started drawing as a little kid - it's an old story which I’m sure is familiar with a lot of artists. The habit just stuck around until I got into art school at RMIT.
5. What do you find is the most exciting and rewarding aspect in your working process?
I feel lucky as my work is the process. I’m never sad to see a work go because it is only the outcome of my practice. I retain that process in which it is made, that I alone have experienced. It is the most rewarding thing I do as it is the most intimate thing I know.
6. What motivates you to create?
The motivation perpetuates itself since it has no end, and because of this I'm driven to see what happens next in course. What any environmental changes will have on the process, what ridiculous mistakes become complete successes and then to later become problematic again. Hilarious! Classic!
7. Favorite place to create?
From my back shed studio, I put in some MDF walls, sound system lights and lazer light roof sheets so there’s plenty of natural light. It's next to my veggie garden and is periodically as hot as an oven which gives me a great excuse to sit around and drink beers and do nothing.
8. We noticed you’ve just had a show in Berlin that was in several publications over there. How did your time in Berlin unravel?
Well as I mentioned I was making works in Spain and it was getting to be time to move on so I picked up and left to Berlin. Even though it was summer I pictured freezing temperatures mainly because I’m a bloody idiot. So I turned up in Berlin in full subzero gear to find that it was +30 degrees. I could easily pedal my works around to all the galleries and flat out ask for a sho, it’s that kinda place. It took a while but with a bit of luck and help from people I knew I got a show at idrawalot gallery curated by Karl Addison.
9. Did you find there were lots of Brisbane creatives over there?
Plenty of Australians from everywhere, though I did end up spending a lot of time with Amanda Ceccato. She’s still over in Berlin and has just exhibited also at Andy Harwood's Love Love gallery this year. I met them both in Berlin.
10. Where are you based now? Will you always come back to Brisbane?
I’m based in Melbourne at the moment before heading back to Berlin when my projects here are finished, probably early next year. I think I’ll always come back to Brisbane. It’s a great change of scene.
11. What would you change about the arts scene in Brisbane?
I don’t think I’d change anything specifically about the art scene in Brisbane. I like to think that as the Brisbane art economy grows there will be more room for development and for the scene to organically take its own path.
12. What’s next in terms of using different media/challenging yourself?
I’ve being using lots of photo transfers and working through them to destroy them in certain ways, attacking the narrative. It's kind of a processing that I’ve been using to create works. I’m going to revisit them and re-process them again by painting them in oils. I’m sure it’ll push me to change/ respond to new materials.
You'll find more of Angus' work via cargo collective!
See you Saturday!
