Dylan Batty, Peter Blamey, Chris Burton, Luisa Hansal, Gabriella Lo Presti, Johanna Ng, Nick Santoro, Reina Takeuchi, Kai Wasikowski, Poppy Williams, Alex Xerri & Christopher Zanko
AVAILABLE WORKS
A group exhibition programmed by guest curator Con Gerakaris, featuring; Dylan Batty, Peter Blamey, Chris Burton, Luisa Hansal, Gabriella Lo Presti, Johanna Ng, Nick Santoro, Reina Takeuchi, Kai Wasikowski, Poppy Williams, Alex Xerri & Christopher Zanko; 'Fireworks' is an exhibition about the ongoing forwards-backwards passage of time and the physical remnants of abstract moments in life. We can all hear a far off boom of gunpowder, the smell of chemicals and see colourful arrays of sparks dissolving into languid night skies. It is within this explosive moment Fireworks operates, presenting disparate works that consider the slipperance of existence, consolidating where we have been and romanticising where we may go.
Dylan Batty
Dylan Batty pays homage to the cars he has owned, particularly his first vehicle, a 1995 Suzuki Swift GTi. Through precise recreation of the car's enamel hues, Batty honors both the nostalgia of youth and the inevitability of loss, as his first car now exists only in memory. The work builds on techniques from his previous piece about his dream car, merging automotive paint with personal history to evoke a sense of longing and the bittersweet nature of fleeting moments.
Peter Blamey
Peter Blamey approaches art with a playful and experimental mindset, often recontextualizing everyday objects to explore deeper meanings. His work, particularly Invisible Residue Scan 1–5, captures the infrared signatures of discarded items, blurring the lines between art and observation. By employing a ‘what if?’ philosophy, Blamey connects his practice to historical art movements, allowing discarded materials to engage in a dialogue with contemporary and classical concepts, ultimately questioning the very nature of creativity and the value of objects deemed worthless.
Chris Burton
In Fireworks, Chris Burton freezes the passage of time by capturing the essence of abandoned buildings he encounters, presenting them as silent witnesses to urban transformation. His pencil and toner transfer prints highlight the textures and forms of these structures, emphasizing their stories and the dignity of decay. By documenting these at-risk sites, Burton creates a poignant commentary on impermanence, inviting viewers to reflect on the past lives of these spaces before they succumb to the pressures of renewal and erasure.
Luisa Hansal
Luisa Hansal’s artworks embody a delicate dialogue between emotion and materiality, reflecting her experiences of trauma and resilience. Each piece on canvas serves as a visual manifestation of her inner journey, where intuitive colors and symbols come together to create ethereal compositions. The works capture the fragility of memory, morphing and fading like dreams, allowing viewers to connect with intangible experiences and the complex tapestry of existence.
Gabriella Lo Presti
Gabriella Lo Presti explores the duality of presence and absence through her photomedia practice, capturing intimate moments in domestic spaces. By employing a single-point perspective and unconventional materials like plywood and corflute, she disrupts traditional photographic norms, revealing snippets of larger narratives. Lo Presti’s work invites contemplation on the subtleties of everyday life, blurring the lines between the visible and the hidden, and transforming the mundane into something profoundly evocative.
Johanna Ng
Johanna Ng's contributions to Fireworks examine familial ties and the complexities of memory through a unique lens. In mother and father reminisce about Hong Kong, she documents her parents' past using a frosted perspex sheet to obscure clarity, symbolizing the haziness of recollection. Her accompanying piece, we don't talk about patrick, further engages with the theme of unspoken secrets, creating an intimate space for reflection on personal histories and the interplay of light and shadow in storytelling.
Nick Santoro
Nick Santoro’s Posture of Champions presents a collage of moments in Wollongong, intertwining personal narratives with broader societal observations. His artwork features diverse characters sourced from various platforms, creating a tapestry of interactions bound by location and experience. Through sharp wit and vibrant colours, Santoro captures the richness of everyday life, prompting viewers to engage with the extraordinary stories that unfold within the mundane intersections of their own communities.
Reina Takeuchi
Reina Takeuchi’s work reflects a personal narrative intertwined with cultural memory, drawing from her experiences related to the Japanese summer festival お盆 [Obon]. By transforming discarded calligraphy sheets from her grandmother into handheld fans, she bridges the past and present, exploring themes of connection and absence. Accompanied by a video of her improvisatory movements, Takeuchi’s work becomes a poignant exploration of solace and the ephemera of shared experiences across generations
Kai Wasikowski
Kai Wasikowski utilizes digital photography and 3D rendering to interrogate our understanding of knowledge and colonialism in environmental conservation. His series Bounded in a Nutshell / King of Infinite Space highlights the contentious dynamics of land use and representation, presenting sculptures composed of numerous images. By navigating the intersection of history and technology, Wasikowski invites viewers to reconsider how information is categorised and the implications of these choices on our understanding of nature and indigenous lands.
Poppy Williams
Poppy Williams plays with the relationship between abstraction and reality through her reduction printing technique, animating model cars within real-world contexts. Her series I Can’t Drive cleverly reflects on childhood fantasies juxtaposed with adult realities, emphasizing the playful nature of creation. Williams’ works embody a whimsical exploration of identity and aspiration, inviting viewers to engage with the joy of artistic expression and the nostalgic allure of childhood dreams.
Alex Xerri
Alex Xerri’s visual narratives merge imagination with a sense of wonder, often evoking a prehistoric aesthetic in her canvas works. Through pieces like GOZO SPEED and MASTER OF REALITY, she captures transformative moments, where objects hold the power to evoke memories and experiences. Xerri encourages viewers to reflect on their current realities, emphasizing that every moment is imbued with extraordinary potential, inviting a deeper appreciation for the present.
Christopher Zanko
Christopher Zanko’s new work, in a moment of cosmic chance, explores the charm of suburban life through vibrant depictions of mid-century architecture. By meticulously carving and painting scenes populated by nostalgic characters, he captures the essence of childhood memories and the beauty of everyday surroundings. His bright palette and whimsical narrative elements create a bridge between youthful wonder and adult appreciation, inviting viewers to find joy in the seemingly mundane aspects of life.