We’ve followed Perth artist Sean Morris for quite some time (we interviewed him last year, as well), as he’s tripped around the world and put his brand of magical weirdosity out into the world, loving ever bit of it we’ve seen. Be Sweet, Deadbeat will be the first time that Sean has held a solo show here in Melbourne, which, considering he has had work in a whole slew of group shows, is well and overdue! We’ve been wanting to see a collection from the man for a long, long time, and now’s our chance.
“House Of Bricks is proud to announce ‘Be Sweet, Deadbeat’ – new works by Sean Morris.
This anticipated exhibition is Morris’ first solo show in Melbourne, and comes just over a year after his last solo, ‘Killer Abs Will Kill You’ at Beach Gallery in London. The Perth-born artist spent part of the last year in the US, with group exhibitions on both coasts, but has recently returned his focus to Australia – curating ‘Let’s Go, Magic Weirdos’ in October, the biggest international group show Perth has seen in recent times. Now he heads to Melbourne, and after 4 years of exhibiting work in group exhibitions here, a solo outing is long overdue.
‘Be Sweet, Deadbeat’ is a body of work which sees Morris taking his strange and sometimes uncomfortable swamp-trash imagery to new levels. A large triptych painting on wood features lumpy, glassy eyed figures drinking, eating and groping, while riding into the void on their skeletal mounts, like some freedom-chasing bike gang from beyond the grave. These characters care only for food, flesh and moustaches – even with death right between their legs.Morris also explores new conceptual and stylistic territory with a collection of works on paper, chronicling a dream-scape bushland called The Wrong Wild. Naked, long-haired figures roam lost and intoxicated through shrubs and stalagmites, surviving on wild mushrooms and cask wine and sleeping in the backs of burned-out cars, while 3-eyed dingoes prowl nearby. There are nostalgic ideas of liberation through nature, and the blind defiance of outsider culture. There’s an expected edge of parody – with Morris always returning to the ridiculousness of human pride and group mentality – but here it is balanced by newfound elements of both sweetness and melancholy.”
This Thursday night in Collingwood is going to be pretty rad, with both Sean Morris and Antonia Trash putting on shows within striking distance of each other, you’re spoilt for shit to do.
Who: Sean Morris
What: Be Sweet, Deadbeat solo show
Where: House Of Bricks, Budd St, Collingwood
When: Show opens Thursday December 6th from 6pm til 9pm, and runs until December 16th.
Check out Sean Morris, and the Facebook event page for more info.
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