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Midnight Hour represents a new vein of Gustafson’s painting practice, expanding on her ongoing investigations of transformation, sequential evolution, and corporal systems. The title refers to the abstraction of ideas and intrusive thoughts that occur in the dark midnight hours. Many of the images are drawn from time spent at Aquatic Park, SF and Gustafson’s experience with open water swimming. In this exhibition swimming and swim gear become symbols for both transformation and restraint. The criss-cross of the back of a swimsuit, goggles, a pair of flippers, all become simplified to their most elemental gestures.
While swimming in the cold brackish waters of the San Francisco Bay, one peers through a dense greenish blue fog underwater. As each hand enters the surface, it quickly disappears into a sea-green cloudy void. The works in Midnight Hour attempts to articulate abstracted visions and expose anxieties and fear while being in this darkness of the sea, the night, and the mind.
The works in this exhibition were created at the same time as a book of Gustafson’s work titled “Treasure Trove” which consists of the artist’s visual notes from 2020-2023. Like the creation of Treasure Trove this exhibition was made and exhibited thinking about paintings in pairs. Drawing from her native San Francisco Bay Area’s art legacy, Gustafson draws inspiration from artists such as Margaret Kilgallen, Etel Adnan, and Miyoko Ito. Her application of paint in flat opaque layers is learned from her experience with screen printing.
Lena Gustafson (b. San Francisco 1989) received her BFA from the Art Institute of Boston in Illustration and Art Therapy in 2011. Gustafson is presenting her second solo show Midnight Hour at China Heights in Sydney, Australia. She has presented two solo shows at Park Life Gallery in SF and Pt2 Gallery in Oakland, CA. Some recent group exhibitions include New Image Art (Los Angeles, CA), The Hole NYC (New York, NY), The Fog Fair (San Francisco, CA), China Heights (Sydney Australia), SFMOMA (San Francisco, CA), and the Headlands Spring Auction (San Francisco, CA). In 2011 she co-founded Night Diver Press
with her husband Peter Calderwood. Together they use silkscreen and other alternative printing techniques to create and publish multiples in the form of prints, books, zines, and monotypes. They have exhibited work at Art Book Fairs in Mexico, Miami, New York, Los Angeles, and the Bay Area.
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Opening on the 8th of March, ‘Neither Dream, Nor Delusion’, curated by Jarryd Lynagh draws together a swathe of artists, writers, and makers whose practices revolve around the human experience of the Internet and the ways in which the navigation of this realm translate into visual expression. Included in the exhibition are works from Adele Warner, Drew Holland, Maya Man (US), Nicholas Aloisio-Shearer, Robert Schmitt & Wade Kelly.
Adele Warner reflects upon ideas of the para-social, fame and its encompassing psychological effects through her painting ‘LATTER NIGHT’. Drew Holland presents a series of his solvent transfer assemblage pieces. Maya Man (US) is exhibiting her new body of work ‘(The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes’ encompassing three prints, a browser based work and subsequent video.Three pieces have been selected from Nicholas Aloisio-Shearer’s ‘Fragile Fantasy’ collection of works. A newly commissioned animation piece by the Melbourne based Robert Schmitt will be the first time his works have been formally presented within a gallery context. Two large format paintings by Wade Kelly offer a humorous and cynical inner dialogue with their screen printed text contrasted by abstracted spray painting.
Alongside the pieces on display, publications which heavily informed the rationale and thinking behind the themes of the show will be presented as tools to expand upon the viewing experience. Exhibition resource collaborators include Filip Kostic (US), Mindy Seu (US) & Dr. Omar Kholeif (UAE).
The exhibition’s title ‘Neither Dream, Nor Delusion’ alludes to the surreal and transcendental space in which the source material of the exhibition finds itself. A plane of para-social relationships, avatars, myth-making, contemporary merchants, and transhumanism in an infinite expanse we navigate as ‘Internet Explorers’.
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Kitty Callaghan's artistic practice is deeply rooted in exploring the complexities of memory, perception, and the ever-expanding digital landscape. Through her photography and collage work, she delves into the intricacies of how we capture, interpret, and preserve moments in time.
In her latest exhibition, in collaboration with China Heights gallery and Louis Vuitton in Brisbane, Callaghan expands upon her 'Pixel Asphyxial' series, integrating fabric photographic weavings to further enhance her exploration of these themes.
Callaghan's statement reflects on the nature of memory, likening it to a flawed yet selective recorder of our experiences. She acknowledges the power of photography to immortalize certain moments, offering a sanctuary for memories to endure beyond the limitations of our own recollection. Drawing from Susan Sontag's insights in "On Photography," she highlights the capacity of photographs to encapsulate reality and preserve the past in a tangible form.
However, she also interrogates the consequences of the exponential growth of imaging technology. With the proliferation of digital media, the line between reality and representation becomes increasingly blurred. Callaghan raises questions about the value of this endless stream of imagery and its impact on our perception of the world. As we drown in a sea of data, she prompts us to consider the implications of sacrificing meaningful input for the sake of quantity.
In her artistic process, Callaghan subverts traditional notions of photography by printing, cutting, and re-weaving her images. This act of manipulation serves as a metaphor for the subjective nature of memory and the distortions inherent in the medium itself. Through her intricate compositions, she invites viewers to reflect on the shifting boundaries between the real and the fabricated in our digital age.
Overall, Callaghan's work offers a thought-provoking commentary on the complexities of modern-day existence, inviting us to contemplate the ways in which technology shapes our perception of reality and memory.
Lucy O'Doherty's artistic practice is characterized by her captivating exploration of memory, dreams, and the interplay between reality and imagination. Working primarily in painting and drawing, O'Doherty's latest exhibition, in collaboration with China Heights gallery and Louis Vuitton in Brisbane, builds upon her acclaimed 'Technicolour Haze' series while incorporating new works inspired by her environment and personal reflections.
At the heart of O'Doherty's practice are her mesmerizing motif oil pastel drawings on paper and oil paintings on canvas. Through her meticulous blending techniques, she creates landscapes and scenes that exude a dreamlike quality, inviting viewers to lose themselves in the soft contours and harmonious colour palettes. Drawing from a diverse array of inspirations, including memories, dreams, and moments of serenity in both natural and domestic settings, O'Doherty's artworks often feature period-specific architecture, deserted restaurants, tranquil pools, and the interplay of light and shadow.
'Technicolour Haze' showcases a collection of pieces that reflect O'Doherty's eclectic sources of inspiration. Whether depicting architectural marvels from her travels to places like Ischia, Sifnos, and Sydney, or conjuring surreal landscapes from faded recollections and imaginative reveries, her paintings and drawings transport viewers to ethereal realms where reality and fantasy intertwine. Using a combination of bold strokes and subtle smudges, O'Doherty masterfully captures the essence of her subjects, infusing each composition with a sense of nostalgia and cinematic allure.
Throughout her body of work, O'Doherty maintains a dialogue with recurring motifs such as deserted suburban pools, noir-inspired dining spaces, and domestic interiors, each rendered in her distinct visual language. Her art has garnered recognition both locally and internationally, with accolades including the Brett Whiteley Travelling Art Scholarship and nominations for prestigious prizes such as the Wynne Prize and the Doug Moran National Portrait Prize. Featured in various publications and exhibitions, O'Doherty continues to captivate audiences with her evocative portrayals of memory and imagination, inviting viewers to embark on a journey through her enchanting visual narratives.