What can I tell you about these works? The Blue Lake series were made during the 2020 lockdown; a period of sudden confinement, when self-reflection became inevitable. They are small works, demanding intimacy, predominantly blue in colour - it somehow fitted the prevailing mood.
Layer upon layer of happenings, moments, actions perceived and then lost/ overlaid. I look back over multiple life drawings of the moving model - noting how movements seemed to imply emotion, playing with this as stories and events began to take form in each work.
Enjoying the physical reflections of an imaginary lake - my character would obligingly move, dance, climb mountains and take my hand. The shadow self always happy to tag along.
I can look at them now displayed as a series of almost stories - of happenings that are related and unrelated.
In the gallery hang they appear as a tight cluster next to the larger work, Turbulent Times. Turbulent Times invites the viewer to step back - away from the work to be able to see the human form falling forward in space. With the Blue Lake works, being micro, you have to step forward, really get up close to begin to see the figures running away with themselves, their shadows intent on catching them. Their reflections bouncing off the surface of the lake to be held – embraced. A one-two step dance the viewer participates in.
The realisations of lockdown - embrace that shadow of self and move forward.
Turbulent Times and the Blue Lake series are included in the group exhibition 21AD curated by Mike Reed.
21AD at Fortyfive Downstairs Gallery 8 - 19 March, 2022
45 Flinders Lane
Melbourne VIC 3000
Gallery opening hours:
Tuesday to Friday 11am – 5pm, Saturday 11am – 3pm