14 June – 26 July 2008

Vienna Parreño is a Filipina artist based in Sydney. Parreño works in a variety of media, including performance, installations and digital video. Her most recent project, Fears of a Jaded Descent, was created during a residency at the Red Gate Gallery, Beijing, China. Her most recent project, Fears of a Jaded Descent, exhibition at Gallery 4A will be the first time this work will be presented to the public.

Fears of a Jaded Descent is a floor-to-ceiling installation which will dramatically transform the ground floor space of Gallery 4A. Parreño’s installation will be visible from the front window of the gallery to the multitudes of passerbys enroute in Chinatown’s Hay Street, where Gallery 4A is located.

Using strands of fine gold filament, a number of large red paint brushes will be suspended from the ceiling, stopping just a few breathtaking inches above the floor. The artist will leave an inscription made from pigment under the pointed ends of these paintbrushes. Parreño began this project as a part of a residency at Studio One at Red Gate Gallery, while reflecting on her own career as a young artist in the midst of Beijing’s flourishing arts scene.

The work transpired when she discovered an ancient tradition whereby Chinese emperors would have their tombs constructed out of jade and gold thread, believing that it would prevent their bodies from decaying after death. Parreño’s work will be an allegorical reference to this archaic ritual.

Vienna Parreño is a PhD Candidate in the School of Media Arts at the College of Fine Arts, UNSW. She also received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Time Based Arts from COFA in 2000. In 2006, Parreño was awarded the UNSW COFA Student Travel Conference Grant and performed at the 31st UNESCO International Theatre Institute World Congress and Art Olympics of the Nations. Parreño has exhibited and participated in performances at such venues as Don’t Look New Media Gallery, Sydney; Blue Room Art Gallery, Philippines; 975Howard Performance & Art Space, San Francisco, USA; and at the Revelation Perth International Film Festival, Australia.