Gallery

SOUL’S END

An exhibition by Heesco

Opening Night: Wednesday 14th October, 2009 6-9pm

Until 10th November 2009

Somedays Gallery, 72b Fitzroy St, Surry Hills, Sydney

“There is no other world. Nor even this one. What, then, is there? The inner smile provoked in us by the patent nonexistence of both.” - E. M. Cioran, Drawn and Quartered

Tortured faces emerge from a black oblivion, beaten, weathered and contorted in pain. These characters seem to have been mutilated by the brutality of existence, aged beyond their years. A man is pushing a shopping trolley into nothingness. Another is trying to get to sleep whilst he is rained on by a showerhead sticking out of his head. There is a sense of resignation in their actions, an acceptance of the sheer absurdity of existence. Is this the place we will end up? Playing out the rest of our time on earth without hope or meaning, populating in an inner landscape that is as claustrophobic as it is boundless, sad, silent, isolated, forgotten, with all purpose and all comfort reduced to an empty re-enactment of the most mundane details of our daily routines? Is this what it is to be at your soul’s end?

Although these works mine the bleakest of psychological mindstates, the drawings to Heesco were ‘great fun’. Owing more stylistically to comic book monsters and death metal albums than to ‘high art’, these works stand more as an homage to the joy of drawing than to their concept or meaning. Yet it would be difficult to say they do not still resonate, on both a macrocosmic and deeply personal level. As an artist confronting a harsh and meaningless existence, a drawing itself means nothing. It is only the act of drawing that matters, the solace, certainty and satisfaction derived from it, a compass by which to navigate an uncertain world.

It’s my pleasure to introduce Soul’s End, an exhibition of illustrations by Heesco, a 30 year old Mongolian-Australian artist who has survived post communist Mongolia and art school in a Sydney mental institution. This show is the culmination of images and ideas from the past few years, inspired in particular by “the mental place evoked by Dostoyevsky, Kafka and Camus, as well as the music of Tom Waits, Nick Cave, Joy Division, Goldflesh, Jesu and Isis”. Katherine Lim

For more information please contact Bronwyn, the Somedays Gallery Manager at bronwyn@somedays.net.au or visit www.heesco.net/souls-end/ or contact Heesco 0405 923 253 or heesco@gmail.com

Miranda Douglas

November at Somedays Gallery presents

Kerryn Benbow, Miranda Douglas and Mark Elder DJINN & TONIC an exhibition showcasing photographs of culture, travel, the familiar and the hidden 11 November – 07 December 2009 Somedays Gallery, 72b Fitzroy Street, Surry Hills, SydneySydney based artists Kerryn Benbow, Miranda Douglas and Mark Elder – three cultural voyeurs becoming the observed – combine to create an antipodean view of social, cultural and geographical landscapes challenging the notion of dissension by bringing the viewer closer to humanity. Djinn & Tonic, will open Wednesday 11th November at Somedays Gallery and will run until 7th December 2009.

The three artists use images from around the world including Afghanistan, Australia, India, Mexico, Pakistan, Syria, Spain, Thailand, Tokyo and Turkey to explore their individual experiences of the world around them. Like the good or evil Djinn created by fire as opposed to clay like man, the photographers are but interlopers in another world, not always invisible like the Djinn but exposing their own playful and curious visual tonic to reveal the hidden and redefine the familiar.

Benbow uses “Geo-Mashups”, geographic layers of photography, to express unexplored worlds and her own sense of place. “I combine elements or people in their environments with layers of evocative scenery, both urban and natural, from diverse places, to explore the depths of the human experience within myself, and expose the unknown, whilst leaving interpretation to the viewer.”

Douglas arrives in Swine Flu infested Mexico and instead of discovering chaos she exposes a country calmly going about its day to day life in the eye of an epidemic. As the virus spread across the globe, Douglas spent time in the epicentre capturing an unchanged country with strong architecture, beautiful muxes – Mexican Transvestites – and colourful festivals “Through my images I like to explore the still as well as the moving and predominately how we humans fit in to the rich tapestry of cultures”.

Within his images, Elder explores eastern masculinity. “All of my relations in this part of the world are over-archingly male. What’s it like to be a man in a world where the rules and social norms wrap round you tighter than a drum? What’s it like to know that your chances of enjoying a long life are extremely low? How does it feel to look across the plains at the bottom of the Hindu Kush and know that you’re at the bleak end of a proud culture? Why do they have the most phallic-looking buildings?”

Three of Australia’s most original photographic artists – Benbow, Douglas and Elder – combine to capture layers of life through wonderfully observant images.

For more information please contact Bronwyn the Somedays Gallery manager bronwyn@somedays.net.au

Kerryn Benbow

Mark Elder

Last days for Frank

Come in and check out Frank Fable’s latest masterpieces – up until Monday! Plus some happy snaps of the show are right here, for your viewing pleasure. There are still a few works for sale better be quick though.

24 June – 26July

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Opening 6 pm Wednesday 27 May and ends 23 June.

“The appeal was instant; she could juice, peel, slice, open cans, sharpen knives, cook tuna mornay, make the beds, vacuum the floors and even polish the silver wear!”

I have always loved the design, icons and advertisements of the 1950s, being a keen collector of anything from this era. As such, I have explored the life of the housewife at this time, although a little tongue-in-cheek I must confess.

I wanted to experiment with a range of media, so I collected old objects such as tins, aprons, saucepans, hats and one incredibly upright vacuum! I dressed up my mum as the beautiful housewife and photographed her in a delicious cocktail of kitsch and totally derelict settings. This then progressed to the movie making with the drought inspired song “Singing in the rain”, reinforcing the 50s ideal of the stiff upper lip.

It might all seem swell at first, but as we look more closely at this dame’s life, we see it ain’t all peachy in this ‘ideal society’ where all women do is work – well domestic work that is…

Here are some happy snaps from the opening night!

Convergence is a powerful, expressive portrayal of dynamic energies, passing, converging, pulling away. Sensed in the moment, unobscured by thoughts of past or future. Expressed through tactile, sensuous, sculptural texture, rich layers of vivid or subtle colour, light and shadow playing on the ensuing peaks
and crevasses.
Maria Lizunova draws inspiration from the impermanence, the change that is the fabric of life, from nature, clouds, light, shadows, everchanging colours and textures of the sea and sky. Her signature is the finesse of detail at first unnoticed in the bold, sweeping textures, beckoning the viewer to take a closer look.
Lizunova is an artist, silversmith, art director and graphic designer. She was born and raised in Moscow, Russia and has lived and worked in five countries over the last 15 years, finally making Sydney home. Lizunova’s work is a constant experimentation, fuelled by joy, humour, curiousity, spirituality and disregard of the status quo. She leaves it up to the viewer to interpret the meaning or lack thereof in her work.
Convergence is Lizunova’s first commercial exhibition.

Fore more information, see Maria Lizunova’s website: www.marializunova.com

‘Everyday at Somedays’

Ashley Scott, Lena Obergfell and Julie Vulcan

Three Sydney based artists excavating the extraordinary in the ordinary.

These conceptual artists unpack their artistic journey’s to find meaning in the everyday. You can expect snoring suitcases, undelivered junk mail and private notes in public places.

Opens 6pm Wednesday 1^st April continues until April 27^th

Hidden Gems

Amelia Soegijono and Markus Van Driel

Opens Wednesday 4^th March continues until March 30

After considerable study and artistic practice internationally Amelia Soegijono and Markus Van Driel have landed in Sydney with their first photographic exhibition ‘Hidden Gems’. This talented duo present individual series of photographs for exhibition at Somedays Gallery.

Van Driel’s striking images have a hint of nostalgia for the 1950’s woman with a contemporary twist. Van Driel has captured passion in these portraits while creating a sexy avante grade aesthetic.

Amelia Soegijono’s highly emotive and storytelling imagery are heavily influenced by her love of dance and fine art. This series is particularly concerned with the four elements and an exploration of movement, nature and narrative.

Together these artists present an incredible and formidable first exhibition at Somedays Gallery. These are two photo media artists you won’t want to miss.