Exhibition Opening: Borrow Tomorrow by Luke Chiswell

Tonight was the opening night of Luke Chiswell's solo exhibition, Borrow Tomorrow. The exhibition is being held at the Nishi Gallery NewActon, ACT from 7 April to 7 May 2017.

That Feeling I've Forgotten.

I first came across Chiswell's art with his sculpture, Hold Your Head Up, at an earlier exhibition, Shake It Up. 

Hold Your Head Up.

Chiswell's work calls to me to look at it and then to take another closer look at it. Maybe it is the familiar materials juxtaposed with familiar memories that create something new. 

Tonight the gallery was abuzz with discussions about the artworks, Chiswell's techniques and the artistic influences upon his work. Viewers were wishing that they had the wall space to hang his large artwork Today is Tomorrow, 160 x 210. 

In the exhibition Borrow Tomorrow Chiswell uses materials from his home town of Collector, NSW. The materials are very familiar to me having grown up on the bush fringes of Canberra and the family hobby farm near Bredbo, NSW. 

Squiggy Gumtree and Me.

Chiswell has incorporated natural materials of; wood, yellow box ash, Collector dirt and rocks with acrylics, muslin and epoxy to create very interesting abstract artworks. Some of the artworks are very raw, earthy and industrially dark whereas others defy gravity. 

Rite time. Rite Place.

I wonder if Chiswell has ever been influenced by some of my favourite artists;  René Magritte, Salvador Dali, Anselm Kiefer, Mark Rothko and Rosalie Gascoigne. 
(I spoke to Luke Chiswell the day after opening night and he said that one of his influences was Christo, the artist who wraps objects and landscapes.)

However, I believe that Chiswell's work is new and exciting, it is an "exploration of objects with space, abstracting perception and scale." (Exhibition catalogue). 

Sunset At Night Shepherds Delight.

Chiswell's works call to be touched, if only you were allowed, they are textural. You can see how Chiswell's fingers have glided through the paint and Collector dirt (see That Feeling I've Forgotten). 

Please make sure that you visit the Nishi Gallery in NewActon to see Luke Chiswell's fabulous artworks. I will be keeping my ear to the ground and eyes on social media looking for his next exhibition. 

To see more about Luke Chiswell see his Facebook page.