Fred Fowler has been bringing his own brand of creative, awesome madness to galleries across the country for many years, and yet this next show may be one of the best shows yet.

Decorating the Apocalypse will show Fred in all his glory, at one of our favourite galleries in Melbourne – Backwoods Gallery.

“Decorating the Apocalypse is a playful investigation of themes related to cultural identity. Images of masks and faces function as the primary signifiers in Fowler’ work. Through sculpture, painting and printmaking, he is questioning the ‘mythologies’ or artificial constructs surrounding issues of identity. Cheap, plastic, Chinese-manufactured toys are sourced locally before being deconstructed and re-configured, to finally emerge – through the ancient process of casting – as intricate, bronze masks. Kitsch wooden ‘primitive’ masks, found in flea markets in Paris and Melbourne, are methodically vandalized, painted and re-presented as cultural artifacts of contemporary society.

Also on display at the exhibition will be a 72 page book showing selected works from 1996 – 2012 both on and off the streets.

Selected solo and joint exhibitions include Raiders of the Lost Art, A.R.T Gallery Eden, Melbourne 2001; Productivism, Fine Art Gallery of Ballarat, 2003; No Comply, Federation Square, Melbourne, 2006; Refil 7, MTV Gallery, Sydney, 2007; Bootlegger, Until Never Gallery, Melbourne, 2007; Highland Chamber, Until Never Gallery, Melbourne, 2008; The Outsiders, Kristian Pithie Gallery, Melbourne, 2009; Surface, Michael Koro Gallery, Melbourne, 2009; Space Invaders, National Gallery of Australia, 2010; Larger Than Life, The Substation, Melbourne, 2011; South of the Border, Lo Fi Gallery, Sydney, 2011; VCA Graduate Exhibition, Melbourne, 2011.

Fowler’s work is held in the National Gallery of Australia collection, as well as various private collections in Australia and overseas.”

Head over to Collingwood this Friday night to see it all – gunna be grand.

Who: Fred Fowler
What: Decorating The Apocalypse
Where: Backwoods Gallery, 25 Easey St, Collingwood, Melbourne
When: Show opens Friday 17th August from 6pm til 9pm, and runs until the 26th August.

Check out Fred Fowler as well as the Backwoods Gallery website, and the Facebook event page for more info.