John Spiteri
26 May - 20 Jun 2011
Installation view: The House of Hair, John Spiteri solo exhibition
Installation view: The House of Hair, John Spiteri solo exhibition
John Spiteri: Army Dreamers,
2010,
oil and enamel on limnen.
2010,
oil and enamel on limnen.
John Spiteri: Fontana, 2011, oil on linen, oil on glass.
JOHN SPITERI
THE HOUSE OF HAIR
Chert is proud to present “The House of Hair”, a solo exhibition by Australian artist John Spiteri.
Born in Sydney in 1967, Spiteri has been exhibited widely in Australia, counting several presentations in private art galleries and museums. A comprehensive exhibition, curated by Bala Starr, was recently on view at the Ian Potter Museum of Art, Melbourne.
In 1995 and 2001 he attended a masters program in Associate Research at Goldsmiths College, London, while participating in several exhibitions in the UK and Europe (Vilma Gold, London; Konstatuken, Stockholm; Bart Wells Institute, London. New Contemporaries 2002, Liverpool Biennial and Barbican Curve, London; Kampnagel Halle (k3), Hamburg among others).
“The House of Hair” serves as the first solo exhibition of his works in Europe after returning to Australia in 2003.
The exhibition comprises several recent paintings and painting-compositions incorporating artist’s frames and painted glass. These develop some of the subjects the artist has been exploring in the last few years.
The particularity of these works resides in their patterns, colours and surfaces. Inspired by ancient cultures and archaeology, with a link to more recent New Age aesthetics. The semi-abstract use of motifs such as earth, water, urns and human figures follows a certain narrative intention. Passing from one painting to another, we are automatically inducted to read the development of a story, recognizing figures and situations, in an environment reminiscent of cave paintings.
The use of figuration in its very primitive form reveals a very peculiar direction, strictly connected with manual ability and creative desire, establishing a clear aesthetic distance with more sophisticated contemporary methods of production.
THE HOUSE OF HAIR
Chert is proud to present “The House of Hair”, a solo exhibition by Australian artist John Spiteri.
Born in Sydney in 1967, Spiteri has been exhibited widely in Australia, counting several presentations in private art galleries and museums. A comprehensive exhibition, curated by Bala Starr, was recently on view at the Ian Potter Museum of Art, Melbourne.
In 1995 and 2001 he attended a masters program in Associate Research at Goldsmiths College, London, while participating in several exhibitions in the UK and Europe (Vilma Gold, London; Konstatuken, Stockholm; Bart Wells Institute, London. New Contemporaries 2002, Liverpool Biennial and Barbican Curve, London; Kampnagel Halle (k3), Hamburg among others).
“The House of Hair” serves as the first solo exhibition of his works in Europe after returning to Australia in 2003.
The exhibition comprises several recent paintings and painting-compositions incorporating artist’s frames and painted glass. These develop some of the subjects the artist has been exploring in the last few years.
The particularity of these works resides in their patterns, colours and surfaces. Inspired by ancient cultures and archaeology, with a link to more recent New Age aesthetics. The semi-abstract use of motifs such as earth, water, urns and human figures follows a certain narrative intention. Passing from one painting to another, we are automatically inducted to read the development of a story, recognizing figures and situations, in an environment reminiscent of cave paintings.
The use of figuration in its very primitive form reveals a very peculiar direction, strictly connected with manual ability and creative desire, establishing a clear aesthetic distance with more sophisticated contemporary methods of production.