ROCKIN' THE SUBURBS

THURS 9 NOV - SUN 26 NOV 2017

Official opening: Friday 10 November, 6-8pm
Beer at opening sponsored by Murray's Craft Brewing Co.

A gallery-curated exhibition that brings together 5 artists whose work comments on life today in the Australian suburbs. Through the mediums of painting, drawing and ceramic installation. Please join us for the offical opening and visit the gallery again during our MEET THE ARTIST sessions.

MEET THE ARTIST sessions
Ellie Kaufmann Friday 10 November 11am - 1pm
Peter Lankas Saturday 11 November 11am - 2pm
Jo Shand Saturday 11 November, 2-4pm
Peter Lankas Saturday 18 November 2-4pm
Peter Lankas Saturday 25 November 1-4pm
Nadia Aurisch Sunday 26 November 11am - 2pm

Exhibiting artists: Nadia Aurisch, Ellie Kaufmann, Peter Lankas, Jo Shand, Dane Tobias

WE NOW OFFER ART MONEY

Newcastle Herald art columnist John Barnes said of the exhibition

"Rockin’ the Suburbs at Gallery 139 combines the work of five local artists in a fresh examination of life in Australian suburbia which, since architect Robin Boyd’s 1960 book, The Australian Ugliness has been more often critiqued than celebrated. Once again the service stations, neon signage and franchised imagery of Peter Lankas’ shopping centres provide the background for Ellie Kaufman’s backyard settings of caravans, long necks and old-school ink where polka dotted, teen beauties besport themselves on supercar bonnets with lascivious intent.

In a series of confidently painted works Jo Shand records a nocturnal excursion around the fringes where lights are dim and dogs appear from the silent darkness while Dane Tobias takes us inside these suburban houses with a series of small drawings in marker pen whose playful combination of colour and line challenge the accepted perception of suburban banality. Nadia Aurisch concentrates on the repetitive regularity of outer city life with the uniform greyness of her grids of simplified ceramic houses broken by the inclusion of a small number of coloured pieces whose careful placement activates the whole work."

Ellie Kauffmann

Jo Shand Wickham Warehouse 2017 acrylic on board 28 x 35cm (left)
Jo Shand HQ ute, king of backstreet donuts 2017 acrylic on board 28 x 35cm (right)