A World Apart

Overview

Arc One Gallery are kicking off 2014 with a bang, hosting the work of seven prominent Australian artists in this impressive new group exhibition. From the end of January till the start of March, you may stumble across some local greats such as Julie Rrap, Anne Zahalka, Peter Callas, Pat Brassington, Peter Daverington, or Rose Farrell and George Parkin; and though there's no solid theme to the show, it seems each work may well end up subtly complementing the next.

Though renowned in different mediums and styles, each artist Arc One represents seem enthralled in an exploration of different kinds of dissonance. Whether that be a conflict of cultures as in Peter Callas' work Japanese Uncle Sam, or a convergence of styles as in Anne Zahalka's photographic appropriation of Jan Van Eyck's Arnolfini Portrait, The Marriage of Convenience (pictured above). In fact, a tension between the new and old seems to be a recurring theme exhibited especially in Peter Daverington's cheekily titled oil painting Miniature Self Portrait #Selfie. With all this in mind, the show's title seems somehow spot on — exploring the differences and divides in our shared histories these artists are all in some way trying to unite these things which at first seem a world apart.