Solo exhibition by Barry Cleavin; a provocative, often satirical exhibition of digital prints from the last 12 years.
Barry Cleavin
1 July to 1 August, 2015
Preview: 29 June 6pm
Challenging, provocative, controversial, The Endless Newscape presents several series of works by Barry Cleavin from the past 12 years, often highly political, with biting satire in both the imagery and wordplay of the titles. The exhibition is an evolution from the 24 Hr News Feed exhibition of Cleavin’s unique inkjet prints in 2013, curated by Peter Vangioni of the Christchurch Art Gallery.
Vangioni observes that Cleavin’s inkjet prints highlight the skill with which New Zealand’s master printmaker responds to world events, mostly reducing the world to absurdity as in that form he found it was manageable. ‘Cleavin’s work provides an alternative and refreshing viewpoint on the craziness and absurdity of the world, as viewed through the mass media’s wave of white noise. Constantly washing over us, it is the 24-hour news feed.’
Given a computer by his son for his 60th birthday, Barry Cleavin took some time to open the box, but then the genie was out. He uses his own drawings, previous etchings and images, photographs, illustrations from books and catalogues, and scanned images, especially the banal, morphing and layering with digital trickery to create new meanings and highlight absurdities. These limited edition inkjet prints are now regarded as a significant, dynamic and collectible part of his body of work, sitting alongside the traditional printmaking which has long since earned Cleavin international acclaim. Although his work is much sought after here and overseas, Barry Cleavin adheres to the printmaking tradition of accessible dissemination of ideas.