VISUAL ARTS REVIEW:Our Own Particular Truth

If any of the following things appeal to you: art installations, antiques, beautiful photography, imaginative digital imaging, and intriguing concepts... Then you are strongly advised to get along to Our own particular truth before it closes!

It's the latest offering from The Contextual Villains as they call themselves. From this anonymous name to the last carefully installed piece of work, the whole show gives off a very mysterious vibe. But think good mysterious- dusty antique shops, slightly scary arthouse films, classic thriller novels, and spending hours as a voyeur in a dark café somewhere in a Melbourne laneway. It’s hard to sum it all up- but its secretive, special, and lovingly crafted.

The first few frames feature the villains embarking on what appears to be an epic journey, after exiting a dwelling that has apparently become far too small- Alice in Wonderland style! This leads us on to some further images that become more abstract and challenging. There is strong symbolism of struggle and survival, presented with a combination of sculpture, photography and digital manipulation, and hand sewed mixed media pieces.. The detail will capture you in a series of trances- little bits of text here and there, interestingly placed little objects you’d miss if they weren’t interweaved so cleverly.

As we move on, we are treated to some extremely grand and beautiful old found objects.. Some include a huge cash register, a big bulky looking, yet splendid old phone, an absolutely tiny diamante-studded watch, and some wonderful old black and white photographs of a bygone era. These again are carefully combined with more images and pieces that continue to allude to an intimate story.. It’s also around this section that one of the more frightening frames is placed- where you might refrain from using your imagination to enlarge on what’s presented before you! There are also a few photo-realistic fantasy scenes, which keeps the energy jumping from one frame to the next, and ensures playfulness keeps popping up between the more somber images.