27. Hamish Fleming

27. Hamish Fleming

Title: Nightwalk
Prize Status: Young Artist (u25) Prize Winner
Category: Under 25
Dimensions (cm): 61h x 61w x 4d
Medium: Oil, Acrylic And Aerosol Paint On Canvas

Statement:

A piece rich in detail and depicts a standard Adelaide Park Lands’ bin at night. Situated just off the footpath at the edge of the illuminated concrete, the bin is rendered in high detail, contrasting the looser elements present in the areas further from the light. Bins such as this dot the Adelaide Park Lands present an opportunity to observe the conflicting relationship between nature and infrastructure. The items scattered at the base of the bin – cigarette butts, soy fish and leaves, further reflect this somewhat immiscible relationship. The image darkens harshly into the background, to the point where shadows take on an eerie, almost murky quality. Forms are not so easily distinguished between shadow, tree or silhouette in the dark. This stark darkness draws the eye further into the shadow, unsettling the viewer with a disorientating lack of clarity. Whilst possibly not the most flattering reflection of the Adelaide Park Lands, “Nightwalk” presents a blatantly honest observation of the environment, inviting viewers to consider beyond the space’s more pleasant elements and into the aspects that require improvement.