We invite you to view a suite of work by Sydney (Gadigal) based artist Mook (aka Mark) Simpson at a new gallery space in Sydney, 50 Buckingham St. The gallery situated in Surry Hills near Central Station, provides much needed exhibiting space for independent artists.

This exhibition extends and develops Mook’s practice of taking well known iconic Australian impressionist paintings and tripping up their traditional readingby inserting humorous images of creatures and characters. These meticulously crafted interventions merge and blend into familiar scenes creating contemporary, pretty unsettling, narratives.

Mook’s monsters capture surreal versions of Australia’s greatest anxieties: invasive species, poisonous creatures, dress codes and unchecked male aggression. The intersection of these fantastical creatures with famous and familiar work invites viewers to appreciate the fluidity of our memories, especially when they encounter the original work again. Simpson’s work sits well with contemporary thinking critiquing colonial national myth making.

“My paintings aim to reimagine history and challenge our perceptions of both "how things used to be" and "how things are." The late 19th-century Heidelberg School era is known for its strong nationalistic sentiment and romanticised view of the Australian bush and way of life.”

Two centrepiece works in the exhibition, Pretty Unsettling, are large vinyl canvas paintings sourced from construction hoardings in the streets of Sydney.

After returning with his family to live back in Sydney, Simpson was called on and completed a large mural in Los Angeles' Skid Row.

Back again in Sydney he noticed building site developments often featured 'historic imagery' on their hoardings, which felt strangely empty to him. The need to fill a void - and bring some of his studio practice to the streets - he began nocturnal ‘en-plein-air’ painting. This led to a run-in with the law, arrest and a court appearance. Mook apologised and explained the positive intention of the interventions to the sitting magistrate … and got the charges dismissed. Subsequently Simpson forged friendly relationships with the City of Sydney Council and several building sites, retrieving an original piece and receiving new images on which to work.

Like his paintings, these humorous mural interventions take aim at something more critical. In this case the city's recent past and its ongoing violent transformation through development.

The exhibition, Pretty Unsettling, also contains small sculptures of Simpson’s creatures, which work as companions to the paintings. 

Simpson spent 20 years as a creative director in Sydney's animation scene and an additional five in Los Angeles working on virtual reality projects. Returning to Sydney in 2020, Simpson redirected his creative energy towards painting. He has exhibited in numerous group exhibitions and was a finalist in both the Adelaide Parklands Art Prize, 2023 and Maritime Art Prize, Mission to Seafarers, Melbourne, 2023.

Mook acknowledges the traditional Indigenous custodians of the land on which all this business is happening. He also extends his gratitude to the magistrate who advised him to 'get permission next time' which he is definitely doing.  Additionally, he pays humble respect to the original artists whose work he is painting over.

VIEW THE EXHIBITION AND CONTACT HERE: 

http://damienmintonpresents.com/#/mook-aka-mark-simpson-pretty-unsettling-26-june-6-july-2024/