Last month I was invited to Andrea Jenkins' exhibition, Comings & Goings, at fortyfivedownstairs. Jenkins' oil paintings disconcert the viewer by depicting familiar locations in Melbourne with unexpected twists. The likes of Flinders Street Station, Parliament and the Royal Arcade are eerily desolate, inhabited only by Harlequinesque figures, melancholy musicians and mythical creatures. Jenkins imbues each work with a sense of wistfulness and theatricality, slightly reminiscent of Watteau. However, instead of Watteau's pastoral settings, Jenkins explores the dark and subterranean underworld of modern Melbourne for her ethereal characters.
If you know of an artist who has been inspired by the city of Melbourne, please let me know. I would also love to hear what you think of Jenkins' works!
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