Modernism in Motion: What do Jane Bustin's Paintings Have to do with 19th Century Russian Ballet
For all the apparent poise and fragility of ballet, every worthy composition is bold in its own right, underpinned by immense strength. Similarly Jane Bustin's paintings balance the fragility of millimetre thin ceramic, fabric and pale tones with hard edges, metal and vivid colour.
This is the underlying reference point for Bustin's solo exhibition Rehearsal, which presents a series of paintings that take Modernist Russian ballet icon Vaslav Nijinsky (1890 - 1950) as a central point of inspiration. Working within an expanded understanding of painting, mixing fresco techniques with oil washed aluminium, acrylic panel painting with ceramic and glazes, mirrored copper with latex, polyurethane and woven cotton - reflection is inherent in the work due to the polished metal panels that recur in her compositions. But Bustin makes particular use of the edge of her works, reflecting light off carefully chosen colours and finishes to extend the composition onto the wall. These effects can only be appreciated by exploring the paintings in person, connecting her work with Nijinsky who only ever wanted his performances experienced first hand – never recorded.
Nijinsky pioneered a revolutionary use of symmetry and 'sensual expression' leading to a new era for modern ballet. In her own practice, Bustin explores the effects of balance, placement and dimension, but what intrigues her most about the dancer is his obsession with the idea that the audience ‘could feel him’. This bridges with Bustin’s eagerness to raise the emotional encounter with the artwork beyond the immediate and purportedly rational aims of Minimalism and Modernist Geometric Abstraction. In this sense, Rehearsal connects beyond Nijinsky to the wider thinking of the Belle Epoch (1870 - 1914); a new social order that favoured fresh modes of emotional expression within the arts in opposition to the ‘rational’ Enlightenment thinking.
Any reference to prior movements is critically interpreted by the artist on her own terms and the result of all this careful drawing together is work where nothing is arbitrary. Despite this, Bustin embraces a certain permeability that invites viewers to entertain their own perspectives, rather than fostering the kind of singular and dogmatic approach so often found in related Modernist movements.
JANE BUSTIN: REHEARSAL runs until 20th May 2016 at the Copperfield gallery
6 Copperfield Street
London
Image credit in order of appearance:
Faun (2015) acrylic, polyeurathane, copper pins, balsa wood
