MAINspace
Good Thing
From the Collection of Karina Harris + Neil Hobbs
Unlike many collectors investment and décor are not the primary concerns for Harris and Hobbs. Although there are many works that would cause the average investor to salivate and ample potential for decoration Harris and Hobbs use their collection differently. They collect because they love art and having visited their home it becomes clear that art enhances their lifestyle by providing a harmonious blend of comfort, beauty and stimulation. As we look at elements of their collection in the gallery, however, it is important to remember that the atmosphere of the home cannot be reproduced. Toni Bailey and David Broker have selected a number of works that represent some of the more adventurous works Harris and Hobbs have collected. They are works by artists we know that we may not have seen before and as such there are a number of surprises. These are the works that artists sell to private collectors and are often the works that we, the general populace, will rarely see. In the original context of the collection, however, each piece is part of an environment Harris and Hobbs have created with art work, a highly refined sense of design, space and light that might serve as a metaphor for the role that art and culture can play in society at large. That is when it is appreciated and supported.
MIDDLEspace
The Game
The Game involves a repetitious ritual of violence that is both robotic and primitive. It brings together key characters and iconic images from a range of literary, cinematic and historical contexts and engages with the darker potentialities of humanity for conflict and war.