CAMERON ROBBINS
Biography
Cameron’s work is based on interaction with natural forces and the elements. He has devised many ways of producing a kind of collaboration between artist and nature using sound, fog, water, photography, drawing and sculpture to interpret natural phenomena.
Cameron’s Wind Drawing Instruments are mechanical devices, set up in different locations to collect wind and weather energy and translate it into a strangely readable format of ink drawings on paper, which themselves take on the form of the storm (pictured).
In June 2016 Robbins will mount his first major museum solo exhibition, including seven new commissions, for Field Lines at the Museum of Old and New Art (MONA) Tasmania.
Cameron has been commissioned to create works for numerous significant exhibitions including; Gauge Brighton Festival, UK, 2015; The Red Queen, Museum of Old and New Art MONA (Hobart) 2014; Melbourne Now, National Gallery of Victoria (International) 2015, Setouchi Festival of Art Japan, 2010, and has been included in exhibitions at Artspace, (Sydney), Australian Centre for Contemporary Art, ( Melbourne ), Perth Institute of Contemporary Art, and the Hong Kong and Korean International Art Fairs. He has created numerous monumental and long-lasting outdoor sculptural works that harness their natural surroundings including MILLKULTURE, Yarra Ranges Regional Museum, 2015; Wind Section Instrumental, MONA 2015; Meta-pier (2006), and Raphael Stone Circles (2005) , a solar calendar, in outer Melbourne; Double Vortex (2006) for CH2 (City of Melbourne ).
Cameron was awarded an Australia Council Visual Arts Fellowship in 2015/16, and was Artist in Residence at NKD – Nordic Arts Centre in 2013. Cameron’s work is held in numerous significant public and private collections throughout the world including the National Gallery of Australia, Museum of Victoria, Perth Institute of Contemporary Art, MONA and the Holmes A Court Collection.
MONA Series
Drawings created by the Wind Section Instrumental installation at MONA as part of The Red Queen exhibition 2013–14.
28/5/14 - W/NW 20-30kph
2014
ink on paper
48 x 30 cm
24/5/14 - SW 15-20kph, W/NW
2014
ink on paper
48 x 30 cm
25/5/14 - E-SE-NE
2014
ink on paper
48 x 30 cm
26/5/14 - N/NW 20-30kph
2014
ink on paper
48 x 30 cm
21/5/14 - NW light - NW 15-25kph
2014
ink on paper
48 x 30 cm
"mona 3" - MONA Wind Drawing - 18/7/2014, SW 25-40kph, NW 15-20kph
2014
ink on paper
56 x 80 cm
"mona light winds" - MONA Wind Drawing - 16/7/2014, Light Winds
2014
ink on paper
56 x 80 cm
"mona 2" - MONA Wind Drawing, 1/05/2014, NW 15-25kph
2014
ink on paper
56 x 80 cm
Other Works
29/8/06 - KAMT, clear cool wind, southerly, 42hrs
2006
ink on paper
86 x 86 cm
ECNU Shanghai - 30/04/2010 at 4pm, warm and sunny, page blew off, 20hrs
2010
ink on paper
55 x 79 cm
ECNU Shanghai - 10/05/2010 at 5pm, Phoeng trip 12 noon, 42hrs
2010
ink on paper
55 x 79 cm
17/9/2014
2014
ink on paper
71 x 76 cm
May 10 2011 - gbk, solar all day, cloudy
2011
ink on paper
49 x 78 cm
May 11 2011 - gbk, solar <1hrs
2011
ink on paper
43 x 60 cm
May 12 2011 - gbk, solar <2hrs
2011
ink on paper
44 x 40 cm
May 04 2011 - gbk, solar <1hr & May 07 - 6hrs, solar, gbk
2011
ink on paper
62.5 x 71.5 cm
Norway Series
Norway Wind Drawing, 14.5 hrs, snow, NKD
2013
ink on paper
56 x 80 cm
Site Specific Works at Stockroom
Atmospheric Test Rig
Utilising updraft from the massive chimney connected to the de-commisioned 19th century boiler at Stockroom, Cameron Robbins 'Atmospheric Test Rig' responds to the external weather conditions.
Its mesmerizing, whirling dance follows the wind conditions, growing and shrinking with the breezes.
Music - Jon Tarry and Cameron Robbins 2013
Wind Rig
Cameron Robbins beautiful wind rig in action. Its dance is a beautiful thing.
You can see it on the roof of Stockroom, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Music is by Paradise Motel.