Ellis D Fogg wass the pseudonym of Roger Foley now known as roger Foley-Fogg (born 24 January 1942) who the National Film and Sound Archive have described as Australia's "most innovative lighting designer and lumino kinetic sculptor." The term Lumino Kinetic Art was first used in 1966 by Frank Popper, Professor of Aesthetics at the University of Paris.[1]
Early life
Foley was born in Cairns, Queensland and attended Newington College (1957–1959).[2] In the late 1950s he was encouraged by his mother to expand his interest in art, attending Joy and Betty Rainer's art and craft classes in Mosman, experimenting with light and shadow through bathroom glass and with light diffracted through the leaves of trees. In the 1960s he started designing rock concerts and psychedelic light shows achieving a high degree of success. Albie Thoms founder of friendly rival Lightshow group UBU says: … "Fogg is later recognised as Sydney's leading lightshow artist"
[3]His experimental light shows incorporating his Light Sculpture - Lumino Kinetic sculpture through to the 1970s were precursors to present multi-media installation.
Yellow House
He was one of a group of artists who worked and exhibited at the Yellow House Artist CollectiveinPotts Point. The Yellow House was founded by artist Martin Sharp and between 1970 and 1973 was a piece of living art and a mecca to pop art. The canvas was the house itself and almost every wall, floor and ceiling became part of the gallery. Many well-known artists, including George Gittoes, Brett Whiteley, Peter Kingston, Albie Thoms and Greg Weight, helped to create the multi-media performance art space that may have been Australia's first 24-hour-a-day happening.[4]
Current work
While continuing as an artist Foley is a producer of light shows and light sculpture for festivals and events. He was part of the Yellow House Retrospective at the Art Gallery of New South Wales in 1992 and was a finalist in the Blake Prize for Religious Art in 2003 and 2007.
