Gab Bates, ‘Developer Catcher’ (based on a traditional Voodoo ‘Devil Catcher’), W65cmxD65cmxH80cm, foraged & anointed sticks, bones, beads, coins, Inner West soil, cocain and the spittle of an angry young female artist at a council meeting.
Gab Bates, ‘House Protection Amulets’, W75cmxD25cmxH45cm, foraged and anointed timber, bones, beads, fur, candles/wax, nails and the tears of disenfranchised Gen Ys.
Gab Bates,‘Tree Protection Amulet’, W65cmxD65cmxH80cm, foraged burned tree branch, bones, twie, beads and the blood/sweat/tears of community activists
Gab Bates, ‘Camperdown Spell Map’, H2.5mxW1.8m, foraged sticks, bones, seedpods, twine, horse hair and corpse water
Gab Bates, ‘Neighbourhood Protection Net’, 45cmx60cm, acrylic on board
Gab Bates, ‘Spell drawings’, smoke and charcoal on A3 water colour paper
Gab Bates, ‘Urban Aspirations’, 90cmx 60cm, acrylic on board
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Gab Bates, ‘Skull House’, 60cmx45cm, acrylic on board
Gab Bates, ‘Urban Skeletons’, 60cmx45cm, acrylic on board
Gab Bates, ‘Designer Ghetto’, 120cmx60cm, acrylic on board
“My new work ‘Voodoo City’ is a creative response to the enormous changes presently occurring in Sydney. Initially conceived to raise awareness about the impact of corrupt urban development on Inner West neighbourhoods, the work draws attention to the plight of heritage homes, trees, small businesses and art spaces. Home-spun amulets, talismans, spell-drawings, painted incantations and documented rituals use the language of Wicca and Voodoo to tell a story of grass roots empowerment and intervention. Materials and images that embody the ‘spirits’ of domestic animals, plants and objects are combined with mapping and assemblage techniques to explore the primal attachment we have to ‘home’ and to underline the critical importance that marginal narratives play in the creation of ‘place’. Gabrielle Bates, September, 2016For further information contact gabrielle.bates@live.com.au”
