Geoff has a close affinity with the land, living and farming on a rural property in Gingin. His artworks explore various relationships between ‘urban romantic’ and ‘rural’ Australia, engaging with images associated with landscape.
While the former may have images of vast landscapes with kangaroos, cockatoos and huge open skies, our rural iconography presents quite a contrast.
By combining a rural iconography with references to art history/theory, Geoff’s works synthesize new ideas regarding our attitudes towards the Australian landscape. For example, the notion of ‘Pop Ecology’, which is a humorous homage to Andy Warhol’s parody of consumer desire and is underpinned by an irony that emphasizes our continued over-use and consumption of the land and our absurd illusion that things will be okay.
Geoff uses a wide range of materials to create his sculptures, from plaster to bronze. Some works draw directly from art history, such as the plaster inflatable kangaroo that sadly holds a deflating companion, echoing the famous pieta by Michelangelo. Tragic and humorous, this combination of unusual objects and materials is an exploration of specific themes that entices a response from the viewer. Presenting such images in a popular culture format will encourage his audience to draw new meanings and perhaps have a new perspective on the Australian landscape.
Geoff studied at Central TAFE, went on to do a BA at Curtin University and followed this with an Honours Degree from the VCA in Melbourne in 2004. His works can be found in the collections of Central TAFE, ARM Architects, Glick International and many private collections across Australia.
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