VIEWING ROOM

LUKE CHISWELL
’COMES IN WAVES’

Jerico Contemporary is delighted to present ‘COMES IN WAVES’ our fifth exhibition with Australian artist Luke Chiswell. For his latest series, Chiswell has created a selection of paintings, screen prints, photographs and a large-scale aluminium sculpture.

Known for his work on abstracting language to its furthest point, the interplay between language, meaning and mis meaning are key themes of Chiswell’s practice. ‘COMES IN WAVES’ also sees the exploration of value disruption as well as the rejection of the linear art making process that traditionally travels from start to finish.  

In his large action paintings text moves from legible to abstract evoking an intuitive response to mark making. The use of scale and crop are crucial and phrases of interest as well as the related titles are never fully disclosed. Recurring letters are revealed in a new series of pink screen prints — though these expressions aren’t always legible. In doing so, Chiswell establishes his own vocabulary through asemic writing, reflecting the repetitive nature of language and thereby enhancing the possibilities of interpretation. The exhibition also features the artists’ largest work to date; ‘Light In The Door’ measuring over four metres wide.

‘Comes in Waves’ the large-scale aluminium sculpture explores a heavier way of ‘speaking’ through metal. In this ‘sentence sculpture’ the welding of each letter acts both as a physical and verbal reconnection of meaning.These process driven works reflect and enunciate the journey to completion rather than their destination.

IN THE STUDIO:

ARTIST BIOGRAPHY:

Luke Chiswell was born in Australia. His solo exhibitions include ‘no good, no good, good’ Jerico Contemporary, Sydney (2021), 'UNDAWAY FO', Jerico Contemporary, Sydney (2020), 'Thought It Was But It Wasn’t’, Jerico Contemporary, Sydney (2020), 'Wish It Would Last', Jerico Contemporary, Sydney (2019), 'Digging in the Dark', Tributary Gallery, Canberra (2017), 'Borrow Tomorrow', Nishi Gallery, Canberra (2017), 'So Far So Good', Thompson House, Los Angeles (2016), 'To Young To Win Too Old Too Lose', TT Gallery, Sydney (2015), 'Touch Line', Chasm Gallery, New York (2015), 'As It Goes', Nishi Gallery, Canberra (2015), 'Have a Lovely Day', Friend Gallery, Canberra (2014), 'New Work New York', Union Avenue, Brooklyn (2014), 'Straight Face', Nishi Gallery, Canberra (2014), and 'Face Facing', Canberra Contemporary Art Space, Canberra (2013). His group exhibitions include ‘Fire Fight’, Nishi' Gallery Canberra (2020). Recent residencies include Unit 1 Gallery in London (2019) and Tappan Collective in Los Angeles (2019). The artist currently lives and works between Los Angeles and New York, USA.