Theatre of the Street - Christopher McVinish

Overview

In Christopher McVinish’s latest exhibition, Theatre of the Street, the artist explores the mysteries of our contemporary existence; hidden in everyday moments we often miss.

McVinish’s realistic paintings depict a moment of tension or curiosity between people and their environment. When constructing the images, the artist first photographs places and people, waking up early in new cities to search through alleyways, country towns and empty spaces. None of the paintings McVinish creates are recreations of original photographs, but rather a combination of places, people and stories. For McVinish, it’s about capturing the ambiance — something outside one's own experience.

McVinish has been greatly influenced by the work of American street photographers, focusing on swirling tonal skies and buildings that aren't immediately inviting. His work has been described as conceptually portraying a moment between breakthrough and breakdown. Explore his work at Flinders Street Gallery until June 13.