SPACE 1 : BRUCE KIRKMAN

Exhibition dates. 29 Oct - 10 Nov, 2024
Opening Reception : Thursday 31 Oct 2024, 6:00 - 8.30pm

This series of paintings is a study of Mount Emu Creek, a river in Western Victoria stained by the memory of the massacre of indigenous inhabitants, the Tanbeere Gundidj clan, in 1839. The incident, now called The Murdering Gully Massacre, was one of many such occurrences in the early years of the white settlement of Australia. In recent decades, many academics and writers have been researching and giving voice to these secrets, but still many Australians remain unaware of the extent of this violent past.

These paintings focus on the river, the reeds and the ageing river red gums that I imagine as quiet custodians whose presence bear witness to the horrors that happened along this river.

Bruce has transitioned from a successful career in architecture to the world of figurative oil painting. His focus has shifted from bricks and mortar to the intricate elements of color, tone, light, and pictorial structure. Through his art, he delves into the depths of revealing the unseen narratives concealed within a human countenance, the walls of a room that have silently observed countless human stories, or the way emotions seep into an impartial natural vista. His work is a reflection of his fascination with the lasting impact of human interactions and history on our lives and surroundings.