New Work Friday #91

Julian Meagher, The king of good times. Oil on linen, 150x180cms.

Julian Meagher, Harry [Paotia Wahnesi], 2011. Oil on linen, 60x60cms.

Julian Meagher, King of Saxony, 2011. Oil on linen, 60x60cms.

Julian Meagher, Original Strength, 2011. Oil on linen, 76x112cms.

“Examples of ancient traditions within the framework of contemporary culture provide the basis of Julian Meagher’s ongoing investigation into masculinity; it’s rituals, it’s boundaries, it’s icons. Visceral tattooed surfaces, Chinese Ming vases, symbolic still lifes and naturalist studies all allude to the implications and intricacies of male culture. The work in this exhibition oscillates between binaries; a balance is played out between positive and negative space, and where there are elements of the foreign and exotic, there are bold trophies of Australiana. The treatment of each component within this body of work presents paintings that synthesise density of content and layers of meaning, which Meagher balances with a thoughtful and clinical presentation. As Norman Mailer points out, masculinity is not something given, but something gained, and it is through Meagher’s work that these “small battles” that are undertaken, and won, along the way are given their due reward. In 2009 he was the recipient of the New Work Grant from the Australia Council of the Arts as well as being selected into Artbank and also saw him hung as a finalist in the Doug Moran Portrait Prize, Salon des Refuses for the third time, Metro 5 Art Prize, Blake Prize for Religious Art and the RBS Emerging Artist Prize. In 2010 he was again a finalist in the Salon des Refuses as well as the Metro Art Prize, and exhibited work in both the Melbourne Art Fair as well as the Contemporary Art Fair in Shanghai, China. This year he is showing at Miami Scope Art Fair with Chalk Horse Gallery.” – Julian Meaghre

Got new work you’d like to share? Send images 550x550k in size bit no larger than 350k each to: the art life at hot mail dot com.