Have A Go is an important new solo exhibition from Luke Cornish (aka ELK), one of Australia’s most lauded urban artists whose meticulous photo-realistic stencil work has earned him accolades around the globe, including being the first stencil artist ever to be selected as a finalist in the esteemed Archibald Prize.
Cornish, who originally hails from Canberra but now lives and works in Sydney, will put on display new works created off the back of his (Not) Welcome To Bondi mural, which attracted widespread media attention and public support in recent times. The depiction of heavily armed Border Patrol officers is an overt comment on Australia’s treatment of asylum seekers.
Alongside this will be works from his previous exhibition The Sea, which reflect his first-hand experiences in war-torn Syria, a region he’s visited three times in the past three years. At once captivating and heartbreaking, his images of this modern-day conflict and the widespread toll it imparts are snapshots of the ‘new normal’ that innocent civilians now face in everyday life.
Have A Go is a reminder that behind the fleeting images of warfare we see on our screens, there’s a human price being paid.
Opening night for Have A Go is Thursday 29 August from 6-9pm, with drinks supplied by Capital Brewing and live music from a local DJ.
On Saturday, 31 August, a special panel talk will be held in the Gallery from 1:00-2:00pm, followed by a Q&A with the artist. This event is free of charge to the public.
The exhibition will be open daily from 10am-6pm weekdays and 12pm-5pm on weekends until Sunday, 29 September. Admission is free and all artworks are for sale.
Have A Go is curated and presented by aMBUSH Gallery.
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