Not Literally - Solo Exhibition - Flow Space
'NOT LITERALLY' - JAZ GRADY
FLOW SPACE GALLERY - SOUTH GRAFTON - NSW AUSTRALIA
This solo show came at a busy time for me, as I also juggled a group installation show and the role of the Grafton Jacaranda Festival’s Feature Artist.
‘Not Literally’ was a compilation of works both existing and newly created for the show itself. I worked with themes of colour an a limited palette, and a dirty but clean aesthetic to get across the messages - sometimes too obviously - in my work.
The show had a level of interactivity, with a finger skateboard ramp being constructed by a friend of mine, and viewers from all ages used a selection of my painted miniature skateboard decks to ride the ramp, as well as use markers provided to vandalise the wood.
I used lighting in two elements of my show.
I kept two canvases empty on the opening night and painted them within the space, and also encouraged others to help me paint them. If I felt inspired I also drew on the walls throughout the entirety of the exhibition month.
Several community driven art pieces were created for the festival, including a large outdoor mural, a large indoor mural and an interactive piece that featured letters in a popular park. I spent many days painting all of these places, and over the festival time created an interactive space in the park and mingled with everyone - locals, kids, travellers, international guests and returning Jacaranda Festival Queens and Princesses - to engage with the piece and sign words of welcome and positivity on the installation.
One particularly special element to the 85th Festival was my use of past Queen Nanette on my 'Long Live The Jacaranda Queen' piece. Many members of her family traveled interstate to attend the Festival and see her face worn on t-shirts around town, and the purchased 30+ limited shirts for their whole family to wear.