Spider Writing

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Research Background In recent years there has been significant interest in the role of drawing as a universal communicative device and as an independent art form in itself. Ideas of drawing as a complete cultural entity that continues to evolve in concept and technology abound in international symposia and exhibitions. Drawing is made by artists and oceanographers, there is scientific drawing and drawing that relates to language. Peter Ellis' work in this international exhibition explores the use of an idiosyncratic approach to drawing that is deploys concepts of animist theory and the transformative strategies of word and image association. Research Significance The exhibition Contemporary Australian Drawing 2: Drawing as notation, text and Discovery, features the work of significant Australian Artists, responding to themes selected by the University of Arts London, for the Drawing Out Conference and exhibition held in London UK. In 2012. This is part of an ongoing set of International exhibitions and conferences between RMIT and UAL in association with the international research centre Metasenta and the Global Centre for Drawing. A public lecture was delivered and a catalogue was published by curator, Dr. Irene Barberis. Research Contribution This work is the outcome of research that supports the idea that "all writing is drawing." Peter Ellis uses found antique Japanese paper with calligraphic writing as a support to add the image of an invented spider. The paper and text is from the 1890's and poses the question can writing in another language work in a contemporary drawing as a conceptual device without its meaning being known? Ellis plays on the term" spidery writing" literally by having a spider appear to be responsible for the writing. The Spider prophetically brandishes a computer screen in one of his eight arms. Ellis has long researched the links between ancient Asian calligraphy techniques and contemporary animist imagery.