Sir Joh Hestop
Gerwyn Davies
- Sitter: Gerwyn Davies
- Medium: Archival inkjet print
- Dimensions: 120 x 120 cm
- Representation: Jan Murphy Gallery
About the artist
Gerwyn Davies is a photographic artist and costume maker currently based in Sydney Australia where is undertaking his PhD examining the intersection of camp aesthetics, concealment and performance in photographic self-portraiture at the UNSW. Born in Ipswich, Gerwyn completed his undergraduate studies at the QCA, and has been a member of academic staff lecturing at both Griffith University and UNSW teaching across photomedia. Gerwyn has been a finalist in a number of art prizes. Gerwyn has been the recipient of funding from Australia Council for the Arts, Arts Queensland, NAVA as well as being commissioned for public work by ArtBank and the Qld Performing Arts Centre. Gerwyn was the recipient of the inaugural Australia Council residency and grant to the Kyoto Arts Centre (Japan) in 2018. His work is held in public collections including the Gold Coast City Gallery/ Home of the Arts, Redlands Gallery, Museum of Brisbane, Artbank and the Queensland Centre for Photography.
About the sitter
In an age of endless self-imaging, this work is part of a wider practice that aims to explore the boundless new potentials for performing and framing the self that emerge on the stage of the digital image. Using readymade and everyday materials, an inventory of characters is assembled through costume that simultaneously conceal, transform and abstract the body. These “self-portraits” draw attention toward the vibrant surfaces and spectacular material excess of their artificial second skins. Sir Joh Heslop is part of a series of parodic reimaginings of Queensland iconography that was developed from a residency with the Museum of Brisbane in 2018.
