Within the suburbs of Australia the spare room is at once everywhere and yet nowhere in particular.
Existing within the familiarity of our home, the spare room houses the items we never use but can’t seem to part with. Inexplicably, these objects appear to multiply within this neglected place of limbo.
What happens then, when I empty out this spare room and ask it to speak for itself? When I want to gently conjure up that which lies beneath its surfaces? How do I trace something I cannot see?
Knocking is a way of asking and knocking on the walls gave me various answers. The truth or otherwise of these responses cannot be measured, however. Knowledge of what exists beneath was also available to me via a person who builds these kinds of walls, so knows them well. It all helped me in my task.
To give thanks to the ladder that enabled me in my work, I felt a portrait was in order. Here the weight of my body brought its image to the surface.
In its third iteration, Spare Room at Five Walls is a translation of the initial performance-drawing that still exists, somewhere.
Simone Nelson, 2018
Exhibition Details:
Opening Friday, August 10th, 6-9pm
Exhibition Run August 8 – 25th
Arcade Project Space
suite 2, level 1 / 119 Hopkins St Footscray
open wed-sat 12-5pm