Paola Pivi's "I Don't Like It, I Love It" Exhibition: A Celebration of Freedom and Joy at AGWA
Experience the Unforgettable: Paola Pivi's Visionary Art Transforms AGWA
Paola Pivi's Groundbreaking Exhibition at AGWA: Blending Playfulness with Profound Insights
Paola Pivi's exhibition, titled "I Don't Like It, I Love It," at the Art Gallery of Western Australia (AGWA) represents a pinnacle in her three-decade-long career. This monumental presentation combines long-envisioned creations with significant new commissions, expertly integrated within the museum's striking Brutalist architecture. Through extensive collaboration with AGWA's curatorial team, Pivi pushes the boundaries of artistic expression, delving deeper into her ongoing examination of joy, urgency, and the contemporary state of freedom. Pivi expresses immense gratitude for the opportunity to freely articulate her artistic vision, a liberty she perceives as rapidly diminishing in today's world.
Art as a Lens for Life: Pivi's Exploration of Joy, Responsibility, and Perception
Throughout the exhibition, Pivi masterfully balances whimsical and existential elements, providing a unique framework for re-evaluating our relationship with the world. Her renowned fluorescent feathered polar bears, imbued with a joyful dynamism yet intrinsically linked to the serious issue of "global warming" (a term Pivi prefers over "climate change"), exemplify her deep reverence for life and appreciation for movement. Her artistic philosophy seamlessly merges delight with a sense of responsibility. Pivi articulates, "For me, joy stems from a profound care for life. Everything is interconnected; there is no division." This conviction that art can expand our understanding of the world forms the bedrock of her practice, as she asserts, "I am certain that art possesses the power to transform the world because art itself is capable of change."
Scale, Illumination, and Play: A Fusion of Elements in 'I Don't Like It, I Love It'
Among the exhibition's new centerpiece installations is a colossal inflatable comic strip panel, majestically suspended within the museum's soaring lobby. This piece, inspired by an early Big Nate vignette by Lincoln Peirce, masterfully translates two-dimensional lines and paper into a voluminous, air-filled sculpture. It initiates a compelling dialogue about the capacity of images to ignite imagination. Pivi views this panel as embodying the creative spark that flows between artist, artwork, and observer. She reflects on the profound energy encapsulated within this "little cell," which not only propelled Big Nate's global success but also profoundly influenced her own artistic direction, underscoring the immense power of aesthetics and art.
From Hawaiian Inspiration to Global Warming: Art's Interconnected Narratives
This theme of stored energy re-emerges in another new installation on AGWA's rooftop level: a suspended array of 1,000 transparent trays brimming with vibrant colored liquids. This artwork directly engages with the building's intense natural light and draws inspiration from Pivi's experiences living in Hawai'i. She notes, "It all converged during my time there, with the interplay of colors and light — the very essence of planetary life." For Pivi, the realization of these long-cherished artistic visions underscores a broader principle: "The more opportunities we are given to express ourselves without restraint, the greater humanity's progress can be." The exhibition also features her celebrated feathered polar bears, conceived after her move to Alaska in 2006. For Pivi, their joy and urgency are inseparable, rooted in a deep reverence for life and its continuous flow. These playful yet poignant bears embody the tension inherent in her work: the belief that art can foster empathy, imagination, and new possibilities without dictating interpretation. Pivi prefers to elicit viewer responses, stating, "I don't intend to tell people what to think... I want them to tell me what they think. I hope people will be more insightful than me and educate me."
The Genesis of a Grand Vision: Collaborative Creativity at AGWA
Paola Pivi reflects on her collaborative journey with AGWA's curatorial team, highlighting the organic evolution of the exhibition. She reveals that the initial concept was developed through extensive conversations with curator Robert Cook and director Colin Walker long before she ever set foot in the physical exhibition space. Pivi was deeply impressed by the museum's commitment to supporting her most ambitious show to date, not merely in terms of scale or production scope, but also in selecting artworks that would significantly advance contemporary artistic dialogue. The architectural grandeur and generous spaces of the AGWA building, with its diverse areas and lighting, naturally imbued the art with a sense of dynamism and movement, enhancing the overall experience.
Inflatable Comics and Liquid Dreams: Pivi's Sculptural Expressions of Freedom
Pivi's exhibition features two new commissions that fulfill long-held artistic aspirations, representing her profound commitment to free expression. One such work is a colossal inflatable comic cell, an enlarged representation of a single panel. This piece transforms the black lines of a marker on paper into inflated black material, with the white of the paper becoming empty space. Inspired by an early Big Nate comic by Lincoln Peirce, which Pivi discovered serendipitously, this artwork speaks to the enduring power of aesthetics and the latent energy within artistic creations. The second new work comprises suspended transparent trays filled with vibrant colored liquids, strategically placed on the museum's top floor. These trays interact with the intense natural light from expansive glass walls, creating a mesmerizing spectacle that also overlooks the grand lobby below.
Embracing the Unattainable: Pivi's Philosophical Approach to Artistic Limits
Pivi explains that her artistic visions for the two new works, particularly the suspended colored liquid installation, were profoundly influenced by her time living in Hawaii. The region's vibrant colors and unique light converged in her mind, symbolizing the very essence of planetary life. For Pivi, the opportunity to realize these long-imagined works underscores a universal truth: unrestricted artistic expression is crucial for global progress. She champions this freedom not just for herself but for all artists, believing that it enables humanity to advance. Pivi views the erosion of creative freedom as a pressing concern in contemporary society.
The Intertwined Nature of Joy and Urgency: Pivi's Artistic Response to Global Issues
Pivi's art, while inherently joyful and playful, simultaneously addresses critical global issues such as climate change and coexistence. She explains that for her, joy is inextricably linked to a profound care for life; there is no separation between the two. Her iconic polar bear sculptures, conceived after her move to Alaska in 2006, originated from a deep respect for life, movement, and the sheer joy of existence. As public awareness of global warming intensified, these sculptures naturally became a vehicle for addressing this critical issue, a role Pivi wholeheartedly embraces. She emphasizes that her art aims to inspire personal reflection rather than dictate specific viewpoints, inviting viewers to engage with the works on their own terms and foster individual insights.
Inspiring Transformation: The Enduring Impact of Pivi's Art Across Generations
Pivi notes that while children's engagement with contemporary art may be less common, those who encounter her works typically respond positively, finding them appealing across all age groups. She believes her art offers a universal language that transcends generational divides, inviting diverse interpretations and fostering a sense of wonder in audiences of all ages.
The Allure of the Impossible: Pivi's Quest for Unbound Imagination and Universal Rights
Pivi is drawn to depicting seemingly impossible scenarios in her art, such as zebras in the Arctic or airplanes turning in the sky, as a means to encourage freedom of thought and expression in her audience. She believes that what appears impossible can often be achieved, challenging conventional limitations. This pursuit of the 'impossible' extends beyond mere artistic creation; it represents a broader aspiration for societal balance and the recognition of universal human rights, inspiring viewers to transcend perceived boundaries and envision a more equitable world.
Thirty Years of Unwavering Artistic Exploration: Pivi's Commitment to Pure Research
Reflecting on her extensive artistic career, Pivi identifies a consistent thread: an unwavering commitment to pure research and continuous artistic inquiry. She emphasizes that her process is about exploration rather than evaluation, allowing her creative journey to unfold authentically and without preconceived judgments. This dedication to unadulterated artistic investigation has been a defining characteristic of her practice over three decades.
Art as a Catalyst for Evolution: Inspiring a More Sophisticated Engagement with Life
Pivi firmly believes in art's power to transform the world by altering individual perceptions. She acknowledges that while not every artwork achieves this, a single profound encounter can fundamentally reshape one's thinking and capacity for understanding. For Pivi, art fosters new ways of living and engaging with the planet. She hopes her work inspires viewers to become more sophisticated human beings, capable of deeper engagement with life's complexities. She finds it exciting to be surrounded by individuals who develop enhanced mental capacities through art, noting that her own work has influenced others to become better versions of themselves, which in turn fuels her own progress.
Collaborative Creations: Weaving Diverse Perspectives into a Cohesive Artistic Vision
Pivi strategically embraces collaboration when it enhances the final artwork. She believes that working with others, whether craftspeople, technicians, or fellow artists like cartoonists, enriches the creative process and outcome. She cites her "25,000 COVID Jokes Is Not a Joke" project, where she collaborated with 25,000 people from 60 countries to collect jokes, as an example of essential collective effort to realize an artwork. This approach ensures that diverse perspectives and skills contribute to a richer, more impactful artistic vision.
The Poetic Power of Titles: Karma Culture Brothers' Influence on Pivi's Exhibitions
The evocative title of the exhibition, "I Don't Like It, I Love It," was conceived by Pivi's husband, Karma Culture Brothers, a songwriter and composer renowned for his powerful use of language. Pivi expresses her delight in using his concise, poetic phrases as titles for her shows and artworks. She views these titles as "little artworks" in themselves, capable of setting a strong communicative tone that fosters mutual understanding and connection among viewers.