Homely
Cool Change Contemporary, 31 October — 21 November 2020
Cool Change Contemporary, 31 October — 21 November 2020
Homely delves into the intriguing space between waking and dreaming, pondering notions of transformation within the intimate space of the bedroom. Exploring domestic spaces and the subconscious, Homely takes the form of a disquieting diorama. Central to this mis-en-scene is a 1940’s vintage dresser, reworked with tall cabriole legs, ink stain and a ghostly copy in silk organza hanging back to back. Accompanying the dresser are small ‘ritualistic’ objects fabricated from a range of materials, including found objects, ceramics, synthetic hair, feathers and textiles. Freud’s use of the phrase ‘unheimlich’, translating as ‘unhomely’, has strong associations with the domestic, and it is from this term the exhibition title is derived. Edited to Homely the works in this exhibition further interrogate notions of (feminine) beauty, the ‘gaze’, and paradoxical experiences of comfort/and terror within the home. These observations seem even more pertinent post-COVID lockdown, and numerous communities worldwide (and within Australia) continue to be subject to varying degrees of isolation within the home. The domestic space is where our best and worst experiences often unfold. Now more than ever it is the place where nightmares, pleasures and mundanity meet.
Catalogue essay HERE