unconfirmed
An exhibition with Timo Nest at M16 in Canberra was a great success. The Canberra Contemporary Arts Space NEWS page had this to say:
ELUSIVE EXCLUSIVE (1.10.08)
While everyone at M16 seemed to be RAVING about how well Gary's paintings and Timo's photographs work together its also really important to remember that they are both artists whose individual practices are in a current state of intense ascension. In other words they're goin' off ! In fact its safe to say that this exhibition, which explores ideas of "limitless space" is a milestone for both of them and not simply because they are occupying the same gallery. There are a number of show stopping works in Unconfirmed as Gary and Timo demonstrate an incredible mastery over their media while producing works of breath taking beauty. Phew ... At M16 Artspace until 12 OctoberCornered: Gary Smith and Timo Nest at M16 Artspace, Photo David Broker
Artist Statement
‘unconfirmed’ is an exhibition of two artists who are primarily concerned with the resonance of space. There is an important distinction here between place and space—place, refers to location, to recognizable instances of the world, whereas space, is not so stable, rather it is an intersection of mobile elements that are ambiguous and sometimes conflicting… (Michel de Certeau 1984)
Nest and Smith, through their different mediums, dissolve the artificial separation between the viewer and the work. Their processes explore and distill atmosphere, space, and time to suggest place, while denying the viewer any literal references. Rather the viewer is invited to interrogate the images in a different way—to find their own connections through memory, emotion, immersion. Each image speaks through—rather than to the viewer, and draws us deeper within, to source.