2016
Fairweather (2013)
Narrator, koto and string quartet. 50:00
ABOUT
Fairweather is a collaboration of Miles Franklin Award-winning author Rodney Hall, composer Erik Griswold and artist Glen Henderson exploring the remarkable life, work, and psychology of artist Ian Fairweather. This multi-media work is scored for string quartet, koto virtuoso Satsuki Odamura, with Rodney Hall himself as narrator, and framed by Henderson's evocative video works.
Starting from the artist's early years in Scotland, Fairweather traces his experiences as a soldier in World War I, his myriad travels through the Asia-Pacific, his life changing journey aboard a home-made raft, and his final years in a dilapidated shack on Bribie Island.
Reflecting on scenes, events and images from the artist's life, Griswold, Hall, and Henderson create a collage of music, text, and image which mirror the intricate, textured layers of Fairweather's paintings.
No one thought he was who he was. But he was.
PERFORMANCE HISTORY
2013 - Queensland Art Gallery
Queensland Conservatorium
Brisbane Festival
2017 - OzAsia Festival
REVIEWS
"'Fairweather,' the evolving collaboration between poet Rodney Hall, video artist Glen Henderson and composer Erik Griswold...takes shape as a painter approaches a canvas, layer upon layer eventually yielding a glorious masterpiece. Featuring Satsuki Odamura on koto and the Kurilpa String Quartet with Hall's narration, 'Fairweather' is deceptively economic in delivery, and a harrowing and richly textured journey of perseverance and redemption through art."
- Vincent Plush [FULL REVIEW]
"...a magnificent portrayal of an artist’s life." - Chris Reid
In this intriguing show, we are taken inside the mind of this fascinating and troubled artist. It’s difficult to categorise a show that is neither concert nor theatre, but works because the three artists involved — writer Rodney Hall, composer Erik Griswold, and visual artist Glen Henderson — share a mutual fascination for Fairweather’s work, and found a way or working together, or in parallel, that reflects the multi-layered nature of the artist’s paintings. - Stephen Whittington [FULL REVIEW]