We love work with a difference, and this one grabbed us instantly. With an intriguing take on the ancient art of puppetry, injecting it with a modern dose of creative and urbanity, Gemma Lark brings us the opening of her new solo show at Oh Really Gallery, [Strings Attached].

“A twisted tango into the world of knotted heart-strings, counterpoints and co-dependency, [Strings Attached] is a solo exhibition of the latest works by Sydney born, Melbourne based, visual storyteller, Gemma Lark.

Playing with the duality and inherent fragility of the relationship between puppet and puppeteer, [Strings Attached] invites the audience into the sometimes sweet, often sordid, reality of a critter caught between the roles of creator and the characters created. Without the puppeteer the puppet is rendered a lifeless doll, without the puppet the puppeteer is….

Drawing from her background in theatre design and puppetry, Gemma Lark’s sculptures and paintings are laced with the tattered nostalgia of a Grimm style fairytale; syrupy and poetic, whilst revelling in the bleakness that sits just below the last layer of varnish.”

Who: Gemma Lark
What: [Strings Attached] solo exhibition
Where: Oh Really Gallery, 55 Enmore Road, Newtown
When: Show opens Thursday 28th April, 6pm til 9pm, and runs til 9th May.

Check out Gemma’s amazing website here, and the Oh Really gallery website can be found here.