Exhibition History
Ewan McDougall | It's Life, Jim
EXHIBITION OPENING Sunday 19th May 2013 - 4PM
Closing Sunday 16th June
Media Release
The theme of this exhibition of recent paintings is after the immortal line uttered by Spock in the Devil in the Dark [season 1 episode 26] of Star Trek.
My painting is not universally understood, or approved of.
Indeed the line "Its art Jim, but not as we adore it" might well
apply. I have no art school diploma and I work as spontaneously and
freely as possible, with very little reference to the
observable world. I paint crude, vibrant mindscapes based on my
own, at times, manic life history. I am not interested in the
'Light' of McCahon but only in my own 'Bright'.
The work is populated by primitive figures, hybrid creatures and art brut animals of the imagination. There are recurring motifs of Aotearoa -freezing works, cabbage trees, North Otago plesiosaur fossils, rugby post talismen, my Dad in his tin helmet from El Alamein, and bingeing Carisbrook party animals. But these are not crafted by considered plein air effort or portraiture. They pour out as part of the partially conscious, wild conglomerate.
There are also rendered in jarring colour: genetically-engineered men with extra heads for good luck, the Crawlin' Kingsnake, Somali pirate ships, crashing Icarus figures, crucified women having a fag, the ruthlessly invading Xalataii, St. Sebastian run through with syringes, and occasionally, braying dunnys.
Fortunately, I have coterie of avid collectors and wonderful galleries throughout New Zealand and in London and New York, so we are presently keeping the Klingons at bay. Download Press Release (pdf)
Timaru Herald article (15/05/2013)
Ewan McDougall Exhibition Opening:
Exhibition Gallery
