GALLERY 1

Warriors of the lost world

Alex Gereg

Alex Gereg is painter and mixed media artist who has been exhibiting since 1997. Educated at Meadowbank TAFE and College of Fine Arts, Gereg has shown at MOP Projects, China Heights, Gallery Wren, Imperial Slacks, May Lane Street Art Projects and 151 Regent Street. For this exhibition of new work, Gereg draws upon his ongoing influences of 1970s street art and graffiti cultures, disco era graphics, science fiction mythologies, abstraction, futurism, pop art and minimalist art. Many of Gereg’s recent works are drawn from architecturally influenced street murals produced prior to the exhibition. Ultimately, Gereg aims to immerse the viewer in the realms of popular culture fantasy derived from the glittering contradictions of the 1970s – the era in which he grew up.

Del Kathryn Barton, Anna Pogossova, Beverley Veasey, Les Rice, Joan Ross curated by Nana Ohnesorge

I was on the dole and not even looking for work – just using it to bludge. I drank beer, ate junk food, and watched TV all day. I got depressed, took drugs, and hated myself – everyone else already did! I was out of control and irrational beastly forces within me were unleashed. But I now look back on this as an important but painful learning experience that has made me realise my so called freedom was deceiving. Now I’m grown up enough to admit that I actually dislike being left to my own resources for too long - who knows what I could get up to! And I’m proud to say I now have a job! The job isn’t much, but I’m part of the community and doing my bit for society, and maybe that’s what work is anyway.

Last Friday, after a hard days work, me and my mates went down to the pub. This guy we met told me he used the dole money to do his artwork. What a joke! I leapt on him and proceeded to strangle him – unfortunately my friends dragged me off. I mean, here’s someone who stays home doing nothing much! I mean, I like expressing myself too – like expressing how I hate this bludger! I’ve learnt the hard way how doing a hard day’s work – doing one’s duty – not only prevents me from becoming a degenerate, but has woken me up to what beasts lazy dole bludgers are. (I don’t mean the ones actually looking for work) But now that I have a job, and no longer take drugs, I am a healthy proud of myself human being!

In this group show, both established and emerging artists explore
human nature’s dark heart and primal instincts.
Curator Nana Ohnesorge brings together Archibald Prize winner
Del Kathryn Barton, last year’s Doug Moran National Portrait Prize winner
Leslie Rice, mid-career artists Joan Ross and Beverley Veasey with recent graduate Anna Pogossova.

image above:
Beverley Veasey, Study of a White Rhinoceros
(Cretatherium simum), 2007,
Image size: 64 x 88 cm, Courtesy: Stills Gallery, Sydney