Art, Life, Love, Death, Immortality and a Respectable Haircut… An apt title not only for this series of work, but also to describe Rehgan De Mather as an artist. Rehgan was selected as the fortyfivedownstairs Artist in Residence for 2017, creating this body of work during his four-month residency at the gallery. As the exhibition title suggests, Rehgan’s innovative creative practice shifts between chaos and order. From collage, to spray paint, to found objects, the diverse, bold and bright media in which Rehgan works is expertly crafted into a wild, yet cohesive exhibition.
Travel, fatherhood, life in general: these aspects of his life inspire Rehgan’s practice, ultimately contributing to a distinct personal iconography which is certainly reflected in this new series. The colour, humour and honesty of Rehgan’s work is a refreshing antidote to the mundanities of everyday life, seeking to question and challenge, but also allowing pure indulgence and enjoyment in the world he creates.
Briar Holt, Gallery Manager fortyfivedownstairs, 2017.
#artlife
Acrylic, spray enamel and oil stick on cotton t-shirt worn while painting, mounted and sealed on birch board.
60cm x 60cm, 2017.
Dead Sun
Acrylic, spray enamel, oil stick and collage on cotton t-shirt worn while painting, mounted and sealed on birch board.
30cm x 30cm, 2017.
A Respectable Haircut
Acrylic and spray enamel on cotton t-shirt, mounted and sealed on birch board.
30cm x 30cm, 2017.
Off With Her Head [All My Sins Remembered]
Acrylic, spray enamel, charcoal, paint lid and collage on paper mounted on canvas adhered to birch board,
195cm x 84cm, 2017.
All of the Above (A list of [almost] everything...)
Acrylic, spray enamel, oil stick and charcoal on canvas.
210cm x 420cm, 2017.
Art, Life, Love, Death, Immortality and a Respectable Haircut...
Acrylic, spray enamel, oil stick, plastic skulls, wooden shelves, blades, paint brushes, feathers, spray caps and collage on canvas,
225cm x 195cm, 2017.
Bebe on Board
Acrylic, spray enamel, frame and collage on road sign mounted on marine ply.
63cm x 63cm, 2017.
Butterfly Effect
Spray enamel and blades on fabric sealed over canvas.
30cm x 30cm, 2017.
Calavera (ii)
Acrylic, spray enamel, oil stick and collage on canvas.
30cm x 30cm, 2017.
Calavera (iii)
Spray enamel monotype print on birch board.
30cm x 30cm, 2017.
Calavera (iV)
Spray enamel on fabric mounted and sealed over birch board.
30cm x 30cm, 2017.
In the House of Flies [Change]
Acrylic, spray enamel, oil stick, charcoal, paint skins and paint lids on canvas.
115cm x 195cm, 2017.
Conflict and Consumption: Reprise
Acrylic, spray enamel, oil stick, charcoal, graphite and collage on canvas.
140cm x 140cm, 2017.
Dancing Skeleton (ii) [The Keeper of Future Memories]
Acrylic, spray enamel and collage on canvas.
120cm x 120cm, 2017.
Dancing Skeleton (i)
Acrylic, spray enamel, oil stick and collage on canvas.
30cm x 30cm, 2017.
Self-portrait as Self-doubt (diptych)
Acrylic, spray enamel, oil stick and collage on canvas and marine ply.
90cm x 120cm, 2017.
[DIOS] Mother is God
Acrylic, spray enamel and tin heart on canvas.
140cm x 140cm, 2017.
Flailing Appendages
Acrylic, spray enamel and charcoal on canvas.
90cm x 60cm, 2017.
Hail to the Thieves
Acrylic, spray enamel and oil stick on cotton t-shirt worn while painting, mounted and sealed on birch board.
30cm x 30cm, 2017.
Hold Your Fall
Acrylic, spray enamel, oil stick and collage on marine ply.
90cm x 90cm, 2017.
Hyper: Reprise
Acrylic and spray enamel on canvas.
90cm x 90cm, 2017.
Ice Axe
Acrylic, spray enamel and oil stick on canvas.
90cm x 60cm, 2017.
A Little Devil
Acrylic, spray enamel, frame and collage on canvas.
30cm x 30cm, 2017.
Living in the Shadow of a Dead Sun
Acrylic, spray enamel, oil stick and collage on canvas,
101cm x 198cm, 2017.
Living the Suburban Dream
Acrylic, spray enamel and collage on canvas mounted on birch board,
55cm x 224cm, 2017.
Madre [Uber]
Acrylic and spray enamel on canvas.
30cm x 30cm, 2017.
Mars [Skull Top]
Acrylic, spray enamel, plastic skull top and lego on canvas.
30cm x 30cm, 2017.
Most Middle Aged Kings Get Their Hair Cut Off
Acrylic, spray enamel, plastic skull and blades on birch board.
20cm x 30cm x 30cm, 2017.
My Empire of Dirt [The Great Australian Dream]
Acrylic, spray enamel, oil stick, metal frame and sign, and collage on canvas.
140cm x 140cm, 2017.
Here
Acrylic, spray enamel, paint lid and collage on canvas.
30cm x 30cm, 2017.
Off With Their Heads
Acrylic, spray enamel, oil stick, paint lid and collage on canvas.
200cm x 145cm, 2017.
Primary Concern [Skull Top]
Acrylic, spray enamel, oil stick, plastic skull top and collage on birch board.
30cm x 30cm, 2017.
Cut Off [Ramble]
Acrylic, spray enamel, plastic skull top, blade and collage on birch board.
60cm x 60cm, 2017.
For/Four [Ramble]
Acrylic, spray enamel, feather and blade on birch board.
30cm x 30cm, 2017.
Four [Ramble]
Acrylic, spray enamel, plastic skull top, marine ply and collage on birch board.
60cm x 60cm, 2017.
Off Cut [Ramble]
Acrylic, spray enamel, paint lid, marine play and collage on birch board.
60cm x 60cm, 2017.
U Makes Four [Ramble]
Acrylic, spray enamel, paint lid and collage on birch board.
60cm x 60cm, 2017.
Revolution: Reprise
Acrylic, spray enamel, plastic skull, paint lids, feathers on marine ply.
75cm x 30cm x 30cm, 2017.
Slow and Steady
Acrylic and spray enamel on plastic turtle.
20cm x 30cm x 40cm, 2017.
Headspace
Acrylic, spray enamel, oil stick and feathers on marine ply.
30cm x 30cm, 2017.
Teething (i)
Acrylic, paint skin and collage on canvas.
30cm x 30cm, 2017.
Teething (ii) [Skull Top]
Acrylic, spray enamel, oil stick, plastic skull top and collage on canvas.
30cm x 30cm, 2017.
Teething (iii)
Acrylic, spray enamel, and collage on marine ply.
30cm x 30cm, 2017.
The Girl Who Climbed a Mountain
Acrylic, spray enamel, oil stick, charcoal and collage on canvas.
120cm x 120cm, 2017.
Versus on Verses (ii)
Spray enamel, spray caps and collage on birch board.
5cm x 30cm x 30cm, 2017.
Versus on Verses (i)
Acrylic, spray enamel and oil stick on canvas.
110cm x 165cm, 2017.
