Natasha Bieniek

Born in Melbourne 1984, Natasha Bieniek has been painting for ten years. Bieniek began her formal artistic training at the Victorian College of the Arts in 2002 where she began to concentrate on figurative painting. Bieniek received substantial recognition when her painting "When the music's over" (2006) won the Nino Sanciolo Art Prize, a painting scholarship to study at the Accademia d'Arte in Florence. At the Accademia d'Arte she learnt the ancient technique of egg tempera, and studied under a well known contemporary Florentine painter Sonia de Franceschi, who exhibits regularly in Florence, Rome and Bologna. Bieniek has received a number of Melbourne based commission work. In 2007 she completed a portrait of David Riley, retiring C.E.O of the William Angliss Institute of Tafe. That same year she painted A.F.L football umpire Hayden Kennedy as a testament to his four hundredth game. Prior to that Bieniek completed a portrait of Richard Jones, V.C.A lecturer, for private collection. In 2008 and 2009 Bieniek was a finalist in the Metro Art Award ranking second place for the people's choice award in 2008 and third in 2009. This year Bieniek also was sort listed for the National Youth Self-Portrait Prize at the National Portrait Gallery Canberra. Bieniek currently paints in her St Kilda based studio and works part time teaching at an independent art school in Melbourne.

Exhibitions

Selected Works - 2009

The individuals within this body of work are categorised as what we call "Generation Y"- a generation that is unlike any generation previously. Empowered by technology and the influx of advertising and media saturation everything has become accessible. In this "trophy" generation, everyone receives a ribbon for participating and is sanctioned with entitlement. They are exceedingly consumed, adaptable but impatient. With low attention spans but high expectations they constantly yearn for more. I'm interested in the behavioural habits of young people that can be seen as culturally disapproving. The figures within the paintings are often seen with a certain substance or an insinuation of a substance which may allure to the attitudes of these individuals. I'm concerned with the notion of escape from one's self and how the general public react to this. This series of work is an investigation into the need to enhance or heal one's mind in this current age. The paintings depict a moment before an event takes place. This too is often seen in Italian baroque paintings which are rich in intensity, devoted to passion instead of a calm rationality. I'm attracted to this period as it revealed a narrative, often emphasizing the ugly but was always approached in a beautiful way. Technically my paintings stay within tradition. Oil painting as a medium allows for permanence. Unlike performance, installation and ephemeral art the physical work will always exist somewhat to its present state- something I admire in our throw away society.

Natasha Bieniek - Behind the stoned cold stare

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