- This event has passed.
Primal
30 April, 2019 - 18 May, 2019
Janice Gobey
Primal
30 April – 18 May 2019
hours:
Tuesday – Friday 11am to 5pm,
Saturday 11am – 3pm
admission: Free
Alternating between being beautiful and disturbing…
In a world besieged by economic uncertainty, environmental degradation, diminishing resources and inequality, the rising anger is palpable. And in response, perhaps, to the disharmony we as a global people live in, the world’s transcendental harmony is depleting.
These are times of political, social and environmental instability. So much is changing and shifting. As we see movements like #metoo and other changes, there has also been the rise of toxic masculinity. Janice Gobey grew up in a dysfunctional family, when there was chaos and instability at home, she turned to her stuffed animals and pets for comfort, this led to a life-long love of animals and furry things. In this body of work, Gobey has juxtaposed childhood memories with her current fears. Alternating between being beautiful and disturbing, the work weaves between realism and more abstract mark making.
Exploring a rich fantasy world, Gobey often paints from her imagination, creating spaces that only exist in her mind. Like traces from a crime scene, the viewer can piece together clues and create their own narrative.
“In a world that is increasingly disconnected and alienating, I am interested in connecting with the viewer, giving them the opportunity to sense the emotions of the human and animal subjects in my paintings, to feel the tactile qualities of fur and drapery.”
Janice Gobey is a Melbourne-based artist. She holds a Masters and a Post Graduate Diploma in Visual Arts from the Victorian College of the Arts, as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Sociology from the University of South Africa.
Janice was selected as a finalist for the Sunshine Coast Art Prize as well as the Toyota Community Spirit Sculpture Prize. She has completed a number of international artist residencies including:
Leipzig International Artist Program, Germany
London Summer Intensive, collaborative residency between The Slade and Camden Arts Centre
Summer Painting Intensive at the School of Visual Arts, New York
Point B, New York
Takt, Berlin
Janice has exhibited her work in Melbourne, Johannesburg, London, Berlin, Leipzig and New York. She has held several solo exhibitions at fortyfivedownstairs, Rubicon ARI, Alternating Current Art Space, and was selected as one of the artists for the Linden New Art Innovators program. She has also exhibited in a number of curated exhibitions such as The f Word at Ararat Rural Gallery, Fixation at the Town Hall Gallery and the f Generation at George Paton Gallery.