Make way for the 'YAAs'

The Young British Artists or YBAs, may have had their day, so spare a moment for the latest bright young things attempting to carve out a movement of their own the YAAs - Young Australian Artists, and their latest exhibition which takes to the streets of Sydney today.

The five individual artists and three artists groups selected for the Primavera 2011 exhibition at Sydney’s Museum of Contemporary Art (September 8 – November 13) are all 35 or under and their creations take many forms, from drawing to sculpture, photography to performance. But all share a common ability to convey a story about the working lives of contemporary  artists, however banal or outrageous they may be - from everyday issues such as the cost of living to themes of happiness and celebration.

Hiromi Tango, Behind the Door (2010), collaborative project with local artists and public installation view, Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts

Take Rebecca Baumann for example (see top image), the 28-year-old from Perth in Western Australia, creates displays that explode around you or encase viewers in pools of colourful smoke. Like all the works in this year's exhibition, Baumann's ephemeral art will be displayed outside the gallery, through the streets of the historic 'Rocks' area of Sydney.

The four-woman-strong Brown Council meanwhile, will present a series of pop-up performances. Their past works include A Comedy (2011) where they spent four hours on stage wearing dunces hats performing whatever classic comedy stunt the audience demanded, from a list which included the dancing monkey, stand-up and the dreaded . . .cream pies.

Jess Olivieri and Hayley Forward with the Parachutes for Ladies, Dance of Death (2010), type C photograph

And Keg de Souza will create an inflatable sculpture made from found or donated umbrella skins, inspired by Buckminster Fuller's futuristic-looking geodesic dome, while two Sydney artists will transform red telephone booths into Dr. Who-like time machines.

The new art from the land-down-under showcased at Primavera 2011 is ballsy, funny and at times outrageous. Looking to the future, confronting the present and commenting on the past, these works promise to juggle with a bit of gravity and some humour, history and innovation.