ReDot Fine Art Gallery is honoured to host the first solo retrospective exhibition of works by Adelaide based artist David Kelly. In an unusual departure from our regular Indigenous program, we will showcase a collection of stunning landscapes from the period 2008-2013, capturing some of the most inspiring landscapes of Western Australia plus some delicious renditions of Aboriginal country and culture from the Kimberley’s, where the artist recently spent time collaborating with Gija artists of the Warmun Aboriginal Art Centre.

As in the world of Indigenous art, David’s work has always been concerned with the telling of a story, of the connection with country, his home. Beyond a physical representation to a layering of emotions, memories and visual elements that encapsulates significant experiences and places of his life. Inevitably, time blends these influences into a uniquely individual journey through cultures, environments and encounters of great diversity. Though sometimes disparate in their nature, there exists a commonality of interpretation that brings these stories together through visual art.

‘Layers of Time’ follows his walks through Australian native bush country that surrounds his home studio. It stops to observe the ubiquitous eucalyptus trees and listen to cracking twigs in the dry summer. It looks up at shedding bark and rejuvenating new growth. It feels the cold and damp of winter with its muffled squelch and heavy shadows.

This exhibition shares time with the Gija people of Western Australia’s Kimberley, seeing their place through the eyes of a newcomer imbued with the stories of Ngarranggarni. Avian views of the Ord River twisting serpentine through the North West echo memories of Lake Eyre and the isolation of life in a remote mining town. The visual qualities of all these remembered places and times are inextricable from the emotions that still accompany them.

No single painted image is a direct representation of a physical entity, they are each an amalgam of all the human senses that we use to record experience. In practical terms, these works are composed of multiple layers, evolving over several months in most cases. The elemental processes of growth, decay, weathering and erosion are emulated by the repeated application and removal of various paints and materials. Bringing together collected works that span a period of years allows for the observation of both development and continuity. There is the opportunity to hear different stories that are linked by a consistent voice, or perhaps the same stories in a voice that has evolved with maturity.

The exhibition will be attended by the artist as he adds a special touch to proceedings and shares his thoughts and aspirations for his work.

Image: © David Kelly, ReDot Fine Art Gallery