Paul Sloan, The End, 2023. Gouache on watercolour paper, 55 x 76cm. Courtesy: the artist and Hugo Michell Gallery, Adelaide.

Paul Sloan’s The Gleaners takes its name from Jean-Francois Millet’s controversial 1857 painting. Sloan—a veteran gleaner of scenes himself—presents a collection of images spring loaded with meaning, which reflect on how we look back in order to look forward.

Frankenstein’s monster is imagined within social media. Protest placards of 1960s counterculture morph with self-help slogans. A classical bust recalls an ancient oracle. A turtle carries a soldier’s helmet on its back, alluding to the collateral damage of war. A black cat strides forward purposefully, in defiance of the message painted on its side.

In The Gleaners, Sloan reflects on the cyclical tropes and techniques we use to navigate impending crisis. Rich with the symbolism and seductive graphic impact that are the hallmark of his work, Sloan’s beguiling images provide poetic and prophetic insights for our time.

Follow this artist