Simon Collins takes the old language of paint.  That which is imprecise, tactile, toxic and well, painterly and pits it against a world which is sharp, virtual, clean and new.  And sometimes he wins.

His latest exhibition "Bright Road Object" somehow reminds me of Mulholland Drive meets Jack the Ripper.  David Lynchian in an expressionist paint mode.  Claustrophobic and spooky yet quite mundane.  The point of view somehow implies a slightly sinister point of view.  As if we landed nightmarishly into a malevolent voyeuristic driver's seat.  Think stalker.  Think hit n run.

Car headlights always seem to hint at what might be suddenly brought into view.  This is a level of spookiness that you might not get with anything other than serious paint and a craftsman like Simon.

25 little glimpses into Simon's mind are here.

Five reasons that paint is great:

1. its endless possibilities; even within a limited palette and 2D format

2. its potential for directness - ie, ability to convey the essence of a studio event, record mistakes and allow for process driven concepts

3. the way it tempts you to work it just that little bit more than you should

4. its toxicity while being seductive, you so want to get closer to it than being healthy allows

5. its smell

Five people you wouldn't wanna meet in a dark alley:

1. Kyle Sandilands

2. Bunny Munroe

3. Willie Wonka

4. That guy that sells Sham Wow 

5. Ned Flanders

Five places you like to drive:

1. Pre-dawn drives to a day out bushwalking to a remote destination

2. Away on holidays

3. Any place new, (which always means out of town)

4. My Life Drawing group, a short and often traveled route that affords good reference material

5. Home from a splurge with a van full of new materials.

Five studio essentials:

besides oil paint...

1. big lounge chair

2. hanging/viewing/contemplation wall

3. PVA glue

4. compound drop saw

5. cd/mp3 player and Wayne DZ's Alternative Music Show on 2ser every Thursday.

Perfect soundtrack to your exhibition:

All for no particular reason other than I have good vivid memories coupled with listening to these favorites while painting work for this show, but I think they go well...

1. PJ Harvey - White Chalk

2. Tom Waits - Rain Dogs

3. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - No More Shall We Part

4. Beasts of Bourbon - Little Animals

5. Iggy Pop - American Ceaser


Simon Collins

Bright Road Object

19 - 29 August 2009


Iain Dawson Gallery

72a Windsor Street 

Paddington NSW 2021