Tarryn Gill, ‘Dream State’, 2021. Courtesy: the artist and Gallery Sally Dan-Cuthbert, Sydney.

“Tarryn Gill draws from strange and familiar imagery – gods, monsters, the Rocky Horror Picture Show, sculptural antiquities, medieval illustration, Muppets, her family, her cat, herself – to create sculptures that coax something deep out of the brain and body. This cast of surreal characters often embody difficult, frightening or macabre feelings but they balance this darkness with a sense of joyful theatricality, costumed in sequins, beading and sheen. They create an environment rich with symbolism, held together by dream logic.

Gill’s new solo exhibition, Dream State, brings together new additions to her recent series of Limber figures – first exhibited in 2020 at Fremantle Art Centre and subsequently acquired by the Art Gallery of Western Australia.  Gills’ Limber series is inspired by callisthenics poses and meandering branches of Trembesi trees she encountered in Indonesia, powerful and feminine-coded bodies that hold space and return the viewer’s gaze. These are paired with humanoid cats and other chimeras evocative of what Carl Jung refers to as the ‘trickster’ archetype – playful, sneaky and shadowy figures of uncertain motivation. These gold and black counterparts suggest aspects of an inner self in opposition but not necessarily in conflict, arranged across space as though they are partners in a strange and compelling dance. ”

Words by Gemma Weston.

Please note: the gallery is currently closed due to Covid-19 restrictions, click here to view the exhibition online.

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