Aldo Bellemo, "A Heavy Suitcase"
(no 4, acrylic on board, 61 x 91 cm, $1,500)
​
A girl hurries past a church, straining under the weight of her suitcase. A statue seems to be communicating with the girl and pointing the way. Bellemo’s limited colour palette and energetic, abbreviated brushwork increase the emotional intensity of the silent exchange between the figures.

A keen eye would recognise the bluestone façade of Wesley Church and the familiar bronze silhouette of John Wesley in the Londsdale street forecourt. The building in the background is the Princess Mary Club, which, for many years offered accommodation and refuge for women. It was also the first port of call for many country girls who came to Melbourne for work or study. Bellemo reimagined the building in its former glory, with pristine walls and glazed windows. He created a lasting monument to an important Melburnian landmark, no longer in its original use and condemned to demolition.

Aldo Bellemo’s exhibition continues until September 17.
​View the exhibition at our website, http://www.quadrantgallery.com.au/aldo-bellemo.html

Closing this week: 

Tony Jackson: Carnival of Dreams

On View until Saturday, 20 August.

Tony Jackson's Carnival of Dreams is an innovative fusion of traditional photography with cutting-edge digital art. An impetus behind the new body of work is Tony Jackson’s continuous exploration of dark and alternate realities with his sense of wonder.

Tony Jackson wrote in his exhibition statement: “I am attracted to my dreamscapes of phantom lives existing in dramatic and emotional worlds. Dolls, effigies and carved figures have a carnival freak show appeal that is curious and melancholic, always inviting questions.

“In this story, dreamscapes tell of a surreal carnival, becoming an entity made of a mix of fun and crazy characters. These images give a vantage point to see and explore the freak show that is often played in our dreams. Here I commence with the gathering of players and those rushing to be a part of the Carnival, a hint of the Carnival epicentre and controls, the surreal portals that clearly exist and some of the acts.

“These images tell of a surreal carnival existing in an odd world inhabited by fun and crazy characters. I give a vantage point for us to ponder and explore the freak show that is often played out in our dreams.

“These images are a source to tap into our own dreamscape journeys and which started in childhood. These resonate and echo throughout our lives – mine is immersed in the layers of these images, exploring the curious and leaving the viewer with their own sense of wonder.”