New Work: Lux ex Tenebris
I’m now in the final stages of preparation for my upcoming exhibition Lux ex Tenebris (Light from the Darkness). I’m feeling super positive about how it’s all coming together. This new collection showcases my most intricate works to date. The two largest works on show, ‘Battle Playlist’ and ‘Détente’, both took in excess of 220hrs each to paint (excluding drawing up/surface prep).
A little of the story behind this ongoing series of self portraits:
Lux ex Tenebris (Light from the Darkness) tells the story of a malfunctioning girl in a binary world of battle or surrender, freedom or restraint, denial or acceptance, hubris or humility. The canary (of the fabled coal mine), ever her totem, assumes the many roles of her fractured self; conscience, instigator, antagonist, liberator.
In torn genes, bound together with a lick of spit and sitzfleisch, our would-be hero crafts the devices she would use to decipher the world from the fond detritus of her dreams. The Monocular: perspective, convergence, insight. The Mask: protection, preservation, resolution. The Battle Headdress: identity, rebellion, ritual. Artifice entwined with insight, each a trick, each a truth, each a light from the darkness.
I’m really proud of these new paintings and, although my work is continually evolving, I’ve reached a point now where I feel as though I’m beginning to paint the works I always dreamed of. Clocking some serious brush-time over the last 12months has helped me level-up in terms of ideation, process and resolution. These are the first works I’ve exhibited painted solely on aluminium composite board since making the shift from canvas in 2017 in my quest to facilitate a greater level of detail. I’m excited to share them with you all and look forward to seeing those who can make it at the opening on Saturday April 28th, 3-5pm at Lethbridge Gallery, 136 Latrobe Tce, Paddington. The show runs from April 28 to May 16 2018.
Selection of WIP Photos From The New Works
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Prop Making
Below is a little video showcasing the creative process behind my latest pair of props: the Mask and the Lollipop, as featured in the new works along with old favourites the Monocular and the Battle Headdress…