I gotta do it my way
or no way at all.
-Loverboy
PIERMARQ* is pleased to present ‘Turn Me Loose’ an exhibition of new work by Australian artist Adam Lester. This is the artist’s second exhibition with PIERMARQ* in Sydney.
Investigating the relationships between people, places and objects, Lester’s work combines elements of anachronism, nostalgia and humor to create dynamic visual assemblages. Figurative and symbolic elements are complemented by a vibrant palette blending high and low culture through the lens of popular culture.
The new body of work is titled after Canadian rock band, Loverboy’s, 1980 hit single. Lester explains “ as an artist, I’m always looking to re-make the world around me…to bring a certain poetry and lightness to whatever I’m interested in at the time.” The track resonates with Lester’s style of working and his conscious effort to avoid the tendency to become overly didactic or prescriptive, bringing a sense of humor, buoyancy and revived exuberance to the seemingly banal.
The exhibition consists of 15 new works on canvas and truck tarpaulin. The subjects range from WW2 era submarines, classic jetliners and brightly coloured cargo carriers, as well as 6 new chairs inspired by Pink Floyd frontman Syd Barrett’s lesser celebrated foray into modernist furniture craftsmanship. Lester nods to Barrett’s whimsical style of psychedelia and stream of consciousness approach to creativity, pursuing unrelated subjects and chronologies in technicolor.
Lester’s work has been exhibited broadly in Australia and has been cited in prominent public & private collections internationally.
