Image courtesy of the artist.
JAH (aka. Judith Harvey)
JAH, aka. Judith Harvey is an emerging Sydney-based Sound and Serigraphy artist. As of December 2019, she will be a graduate of the University of New South Wales, Art & Design, with a Bachelor of Fine Art with honours. Her practice is driven by a concept first developed in 2017, called ‘Visual Transposition’. By theorising a relationship between music and fine art, it takes the potential of sound, music and composition theory to be translated.
JAH has been exhibiting nationally and internationally in group shows and awards since 2015. Notable achievements include the 4th Xi’an International Printmaking Workshop in 2017, a group exhibition showcasing students from globally esteemed universities in the East Gallery of the Xian Academy of Fine Art, in Xi’an, China. She has also exhibited in Singapore, Melbourne, Canberra and Sydney, exhibiting with organisations such as the Print Council of Australia. JAH has also won notable prizes such as the 2018 New South Wales, Royal Agricultural Society Medallion for Excellence in Printmaking, first place in the Printmaking class of the Royal Easter Show. Also, she was a finalist for the 2017 Mosman Youth Art Prize, 2018 Waverley Art Prize, and 2018 Fisher's Ghost Prize. Most recently, JAH received the ‘Megalo Emerging Graduates Award’(‘MEGA’) entailing a four-week residency in Canberra, at Megalo Print Studio. Alongside this, the UNSW ARC Art & Design Grants Committee awarded her a grant aiding her efforts in Canberra.
Tell us about your creative process. What drives your practice?
To an onlooker, my making process could seem exhaustive, relentless, and unforgiving, which by no means it is, conversely much of it is systemised and forms a weblike structure to support each ‘Visual Transposition’ print. Behind each print is an act of immense passion, and perseverance to a medium occasionally dubbed ‘simple’ or the ‘Mac’n’Cheese’ of printmaking.
My methodology is much like Marvel Studios release of Kevin Fieges’ twenty-three-film masterpiece that is the ‘Infinity Saga’, it is ill-advised to begin viewing halfway in. The entirety of each print is understood when the analytical procedure mapped to translate sound to visual, comprehensive screen-printing recipes, music, aesthetic, fine art and manifesto theories is recognised. This is why during 2018, I wrote the first edition of my manifesto ‘The Theorem of Visual Transposition-A guide to understanding the Visual Transposition Language’. It introduces the reader to the detail within my practice, in that its broken into three “departments” with numerous sections and few sub-sections (more information upon enquiry).
Though my process appears over-calculated and is sometimes received as pseudo-scientific, I feel it is a labour of love. It reveals the untapped capacity of sound, manifesto art-practice, and highlights the importance of screen-printing today. Serigraphy can be more than an appealing lo-fi poster, it could ignite a new movement in Sound representation art. My determination and strength has fuelled my interest in these facets of art theory, and my process was born out of an immense adoration for music composition and Split-Fountain printing techniques.
You have described yourself as an emerging ‘sound’n’serigraphy’ practitioner, and the creator of the Visual Transposition Theorem, can you break these down for us?
I say ‘sound’n’serigraphy practitioner’ as I previously identified as an artist who was ‘post-mediumistic’. I made this affiliation a few years ago upon learning how printmaking had been ‘benched’ in the Australian contemporary art world. Ashamed of my abilities, I hid my love for screen, instead using two words as a ‘guise to move fluidly through various other mediums such as ceramics, photography, drawing, installation. However, I always returned to printing, so in time I learnt to pride myself on my printmaking abilities. I now identify as the ‘sound’n’serigraphy practitioner’ because I am not one nor the other, I am both. I am a Sound Art artist as much as I am a Printmaker. This identifies the two dominant spheres of which I practice most however leaves some ambiguity.
It means that I am the person who created the ‘Visual Transposition’ Theorem and its completely original from anything anyone has seen (Yes, whopping big statement, I know). But what is the ‘Visual Transposition’ Theorem you say? It is a concept which works to theorise a relationship between music and fine art, through composition analysis independent from digital technologies. I embarked upon this pathway in early 2017 after a discussion with MTRs’ very own Sarah Rose about what I should do for an experimental printing assignment. During my Honours in April/May of 2019, I learnt I wasn’t alone, and my theorem was reminiscent of 20th century artist/composer, Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis. He was the first artist to investigate the relationship between music theory and semblance structure to communicate the intent of the score. Yet, I remain confident in my originality, as there are differences in medium, mode of practice and our methodologies.
Are there any female printmakers and/or artists that influence you?
Sadly no, I would say my works are influenced by musicians as music is the input to my creative practice. Although there is one very eminent lady by the name of Hilma af Klint whom my efforts may be paralleled with. Klint’s manifesto practice and use of codified methodologies we share; we both employ non-discursive languages which have been built using visual languages and semiotics in society.
Finally, what exciting projects are you working on at the moment?
This year has been something I haven’t ever experienced. Firstly my most proud achievement is that I completed my Honours in May and am in line to graduate! In August I was selectively shown in Lane Cove Gallery’s ‘Vision in Ink-Experimental Printmaking’ exhibition. Alongside this, I exhibited in Singapore in a group show called ‘Trasher Planet’, with some fellow artists I completed honours with.
Recently, (11/10/19, literally!) I finished a residency with Megalo Print Studio and Gallery as I received the ‘Megalo Emerging Graduate Award’. It entailed a four week stay in a homely farmhouse in Canberra, A.C.T where I got extended access to work and print at the Megalo Studio. In these four weeks I transposed three songs, ‘Another One Bites the Dust’ by Queen, 'Ain’t No Mountain High Enough’ by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell and Kanye West’s 'Gold Digger’. Forthcoming, on Wednesday (16/10/19) I will be PRINTING LIVE at Freda’s which is a ‘Pub’n’Gallery’ in Redfern! I will be printing your BYO t-shirts for MTR and Reclaim the Night, come visit us for epic art and tees!
