Mark Parfitt has been expanding the format of visual journaling when accounting for the trials of ordinary living. It is an investigation into a mundane existence in order to discover something celebratory, absurd, or even profound. For several years he has culminated in a range of projects that include growing a perfect front lawn, shaping a manly six-pack, getting engaged and making an over land crossing of Australia. Like many contemporary life-like art practices, Parfitt’s fascination with examining immediate circumstances seeks to make an ordinary life more fun, resist futility and permit anyone’s mundane activities as significant endeavour. It attempts to examine the automatic and overlooked behaviours and situations that go on in the quotidian. Referring to a long history of artists’ documentation it visualizes and guides others to be creative in their own everyday life.

Backyard swimming pools have become the recent focus for practice whereby a site of recreation and leisure may also reveal concerns to do with class, aspiration and resistance. The City of Joondalup Community Invitational Art Award offers an opportunity to present a new body of work that enlarges the format of the visual journal that accounts for an investigation into swimming pools and their comparable suburbs.

His work has been exhibited in a number of group and solo exhibitions and residencies including, Riding Bicycles, Seventh Gallery, Melbourne (2013), Fremantle Arts Centre Print Award, Fremantle Arts Centre (2013), Mine Own Executioner, Mundaring Arts Centre (2012), Anyday Now, Galerie Dusseldorf (2011), Rogue Trip, Open Studio@Artspace, Artspace, Sydney (2010), Dream Bore, Fremantle Arts Centre (2010); Why do we do the things we do, Perth Institute of Contemporary Art (PICA) (2009); Yellow Vest Syndrome, Fremantle Art Centre, Fremantle (2009); Economy, Perth Institute of Contemporary Art (PICA) (2007). Mark has received numerous grants and scholarships including a New Work Emerging grant from the Australia Council and an All Artforms grant from the Department of Culture and the Arts Western Australian Government. Mark has a Bachelor of Arts (Social Science) from Edith Cowan University, a Master of Arts (Visual Art) from Curtin University and is currently an Associate Lecturer in Art.