EXHIBITION: SHIP OF FOOLS (BILL BROWN)
BY AMELIA GROOM
Opening this week at Wilson Street Gallery is a new vibrant and whimsical series of paintings from local artist Bill Brown. Brown has been a practicing artist since the 1960s and studied for several years at the National Art School, where he now teaches. He’s had over 20 solo exhibitions throughout his career, and his work is held by all major Australian public art collections. Newtown residents might recognise the modest man in the hat, often seen walking briskly from home to his studio in the old Newtown School of Arts, where he is also caretaker. He has depicted himself throughout the Ship of Fools series in various ways, always with his signiture hat. He says the body of work is inspired by the 15th century tale of a vessel laden with fools sailing for utopia ‘ a fool’s paradise: ‘I was reading a book by Jeanette Winterson,’ he says, ‘and I was struck by her reference to the legend, Ship of Fools: a mediaeval conceit. Lunatics/saints sailing after that which cannot be found. There was a real resonance with my life and with the madness happening in the world today.’
Bill Brown: The Ship of Fools
Wilson Street Gallery
30-34 Wilson Street, Newtown
March 29 ‘ April 30
Wed’Sun 11am’6pm
9516 3144 or www.wilsonstreetgallery.com.au
