FEATURED WORK
Gerwyn Davies
Pineapple 2016
Inkjet print on paper
Redland Art Gallery Collection.
Acquired in 2020 with Redland Art Gallery Acquisition Funds.
Courtesy of the artist.
Combining costume making, staging and digital manipulation, Gerwyn Davies explores the endless possibilities of self-representation. Technically self-portraits, Davies’ tattooed legs and work boots juxtaposed with the glamourous costumes blend masculine and feminine, seriousness and fun. The concept of identity is fluid, moulded to fit the scene.
Drawing inspiration from Camp aesthetic, Davies’ figures are contradictory – both conspicuous and hidden in plain sight. In the series Subtropics, Davies uses iconic Australian tourist sites like the Big Pineapple (Sunshine Coast) and the Pink Poodle Motel neon sign (Gold Coast). His extravagant, impractical costumes seem at home with the overtly kitsch and constructed landscapes.