A recent summer residency in Albi, Southern France, has allowed British/French artist Galina Munroe the freedom to take a step back from the academic reasoning that has framed her early work. Instead, 'Orville' presents an earnest yet playful exploration of the formal principles of painting, uninhibited by the need for rigid concept. Having said that, the notion of creation vs. destruction is one conceptual trope that remains evident in her distinctive compositions, often constructed from a framework of collaged, repurposed canvas.
Although her process is organic, Munroe's paintings tend to have a somewhat architectural bent. Curious about “the notion of in-between-ness”, her often top-heavy compositions are buttressed by spindly beams connecting the ground to the sky and framing the negative space within. In other works, neatly collaged strips of raw-edged canvas make for a geometric framework that contrasts strikingly with Munroe’s painterly surfaces and whimsical palette.
“I don’t apply restrictions to my painting. I let it ebb and flow. I embrace weakness and misunderstandings during the process and I tell myself it’s going to be ok, enjoy the ride and the painting will get where it needs to be when I’m ready to get it there” - Galina Munroe
Munroe's time spent painting in Albi has brought a textural richness to this body of work; the interplay of raw canvas, glossy enamels and thick, grainy oils lend the paintings a sense of rusticity, history and romance.
Galina Munroe's academic resume includes a fine art baccalaureate in France from 2008-2011, then from 2011-2014 at Beaux Art academie in France, followed by a Masters degree at Central Saint Martins in London from 2014-2016.
PIERMARQ* is thrilled to present Munroe's first Australian solo exhibition, Orville.
Galina Munroe | Orville
22 August - 8 September 2019
Opening: Thursday 22 August, 6-8pm
