INLANDISH: Stephen Eastaugh

JOIN US & STEPHEN @ THE OPENING
OCTOBER 13 @ 6PM, ALL WELCOME

Short St Gallery present Inlandish an incredible and unique take on the planet we live on by Stephen Eastaugh.

Stephen Eastaugh, 'The idea that we are part of the landscape seems pretty clear to me as I do feel connected to the earth. I respectfully walk over it every day and then I make art.

The title of this exhibition - INLANDISH refers to this concept that places us all definitely in the landscape and not separate nor above it. I am continually fascinated by the diverse environments I find myself in and subsequently I create art from the locations I observe as well as the assorted outlandish ideas gathered on my travels as I engage with landscapes nearby, faraway and imagined.

While on the road I do not pray nor offer gifts to particular bits of land or any gods but I do relish spending time in places which are potent and familiar. I equally enjoy exploring longitudes and latitudes that are totally unknown. I have walked over frozen seas to remote, frigid Antarctic islands and I have stomped about steaming neon mega cities that buzz and exude too much activity. All landscapes I applaud and acknowledge for what they are. Perhaps my numerous sojourns across the world could be seen as one long pilgrimage. Not in a religious manner but as a way of personally acknowledging feelings of being grounded to whichever place I happen to be. The phrase - “I am here now” I do not chant but I do often contemplate this emotive thought which simply helps me locate myself in this dizzy ever changing world.

I thank Short St. Gallery for once again presenting a small fragment of my personal, pedestrian passions created while on my artistic pilgrimage.

INLANDISH is a panoramic series presenting abstract notions of trekking with numerous pairs of legs both above and below the landscape. Strolling along, under, in, out, up, down and all over textured, mixed-media lands. One day I may stroll right off the map and be consumed by the land or am I already?

HUMAN GAGS show bizarre views reflecting on the human inability to operate peacefully on our pretty little blue planet. I imagine aliens in a distant galaxy justifiably making bad jokes about how pathetic, greedy, violent and stupid we seem to be. I picture aliens sitting at a bar many light years from Broome drinking fluorescent orange toxic cocktails while laughing, screaming and swapping interstellar xenophobic jokes.  

WANDERLUST (BLOODY AUSTRALIAN LANDSCAPE) depicts a simple horizon line between day and night or north and south with meandering pindan dirt roads leading the eye to explore and to move over this cartographic abstraction. Perhaps this work tracks the routes I have taken or planned future pathways.

WANDER WHERE WE ARE presents more legs floating in a cumulus cloud-scape. Walking on air or standing and ready to drift away. I believe that all things move all the time, even when they seem very still. I often wander about that.'

Short St Gallery invites you to join Stephen to open the exhibition on October 13 @ 6pm, all welcome