It has been said that inspiration for some of the greatest works of art have been produced during a crisis, from a chance encounter or divine intervention. In some moment, the artist has latched onto something and explored greater unwritten narratives about the world at large. Bridging their mind through their medium of choice, to reach something deep in the soul of the viewing audience.
Exhibition Statement:
It has been said that inspiration for some of the greatest works of art have been produced during a crisis, from a chance encounter or divine intervention. In some moment, the artist has latched onto something and explored greater unwritten narratives about the world at large. Bridging their mind through their medium of choice, to reach something deep in the soul of the viewing audience. As for my work, it has been aptly reviewed,
‘Nah, she just paints dead flowers’.
Good Grief: Contemporary Mourning is the first solo showing of works by the artist Rebecca Kilpatrick, as she seeks to explore and engage with the dialogue on mortality associated with the Covid - 19 pandemic as well as navigating the psycho emotional obstacles for the individual participating in collective solidarity of performing rituals of memorials, in a climate of absent ‘normality’.
Re-imagining the genteel subject matter of the botanical arrangement painting still life, this exhibition draws on the concept of the memento mori paintings by composing still lifes in poison bottles, serene funeral arrangements in poisonous hues, and manipulating the structure of flowers to resemble something from colourised Gray’s Anatomy diagrams.
This body of work seeks to question the need for public civil displays, when they were widely unattended during the past 12 months - and going forward, what function do they serve to memorialise ‘the spirit of the day’ outside of a suspension of reality to harvest plants and arrange them skilfully to express our sense of duty and humanity to others.
Artist Bio:
Rebecca Kilpatrick is an emerging Brisbane (Meanjin) based artist, illustrator, and arts worker. Her current work encompasses a broad interdisciplinary practice covering relief printmaking, painting, drawing, and applied arts.
Born in Sydney and growing up in the Sutherland Shire region, Kilpatrick trained in the studio practices of printmaking and drawing (BFA) at the National Art School (Darlinghurst, NSW), before undertaking a Diploma of Graphic Design (Illustration) at Enmore Design Centre (Enmore, NSW) and several qualifications before completing a Master of Museum studies at the University of Queensland. With an academic focus on art museum education for children, during this time she was also employed in the arts, working for art material merchants and for several museums facilitating engagement and learning.
Investigating the illustrative qualities of nature and gesture, Kilpatrick's work utilises her training in fine art practices and knowledge of colour to create dynamic works referencing quintessential motifs of Australiana. Her research-based practice is informed by the social history of the collective consciousness of Australian nostalgia but seeks to question the consequences that also it represents carried forth into the present day.
Artworks from the artist have shown throughout Australia, as well internationally in USA and Japan. Works from this artist are also held in private collections including the National Art School (NSW) and GOMA (QLD).
Exhibition Statement:
It has been said that inspiration for some of the greatest works of art have been produced during a crisis, from a chance encounter or divine intervention. In some moment, the artist has latched onto something and explored greater unwritten narratives about the world at large. Bridging their mind through their medium of choice, to reach something deep in the soul of the viewing audience. As for my work, it has been aptly reviewed,
‘Nah, she just paints dead flowers’.
Good Grief: Contemporary Mourning is the first solo showing of works by the artist Rebecca Kilpatrick, as she seeks to explore and engage with the dialogue on mortality associated with the Covid - 19 pandemic as well as navigating the psycho emotional obstacles for the individual participating in collective solidarity of performing rituals of memorials, in a climate of absent ‘normality’.
Re-imagining the genteel subject matter of the botanical arrangement painting still life, this exhibition draws on the concept of the memento mori paintings by composing still lifes in poison bottles, serene funeral arrangements in poisonous hues, and manipulating the structure of flowers to resemble something from colourised Gray’s Anatomy diagrams.
This body of work seeks to question the need for public civil displays, when they were widely unattended during the past 12 months - and going forward, what function do they serve to memorialise ‘the spirit of the day’ outside of a suspension of reality to harvest plants and arrange them skilfully to express our sense of duty and humanity to others.
Artist Bio:
Rebecca Kilpatrick is an emerging Brisbane (Meanjin) based artist, illustrator, and arts worker. Her current work encompasses a broad interdisciplinary practice covering relief printmaking, painting, drawing, and applied arts.
Born in Sydney and growing up in the Sutherland Shire region, Kilpatrick trained in the studio practices of printmaking and drawing (BFA) at the National Art School (Darlinghurst, NSW), before undertaking a Diploma of Graphic Design (Illustration) at Enmore Design Centre (Enmore, NSW) and several qualifications before completing a Master of Museum studies at the University of Queensland. With an academic focus on art museum education for children, during this time she was also employed in the arts, working for art material merchants and for several museums facilitating engagement and learning.
Investigating the illustrative qualities of nature and gesture, Kilpatrick's work utilises her training in fine art practices and knowledge of colour to create dynamic works referencing quintessential motifs of Australiana. Her research-based practice is informed by the social history of the collective consciousness of Australian nostalgia but seeks to question the consequences that also it represents carried forth into the present day.
Artworks from the artist have shown throughout Australia, as well internationally in USA and Japan. Works from this artist are also held in private collections including the National Art School (NSW) and GOMA (QLD).
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