Seldom is the retrospective employed in a manner that aids the artist’s continuing development. Stud Flight is an analysis of an artist whose research is praxis; it is a study of changing contexts, disciplines, and situations.
Past Exhibition
Wenerei 27 Noema -
Paraire 20 Tīhema
Wednesday 27 November -
Friday 20 December
2013
Image: Mike Hewson, Stud Flight, 2013.
The oxymoronic, and frankly cheeky, nature of the exhibition's subtitle—a retrospective of new work—is not lost on anyone. There are, however, a number of factors at work, which interrogate and defuse this strange proposition. The first of these is Hewson’s career trajectory that has taken him from the studio, into public space, and then into the gallery. Note the order of the second and third parts of the equation, a reversal of the usual lineage of an emerging artist. Secondly, Hewson's practice is characterised by a prolific output across extremely varied media. And most of this output, or at least the work that has garnered the most attention, has been produced outside of, and without a studio. Finally, these public art projects are often of grand scale and evidence incredible ambition.
This retrospective then, is an opportunity to appraise the work Hewson has created over the last three years, but reimagined and recreated inside the gallery, as if the artist had a second chance to experiment. Usually celebratory occasions, the element of self-reflectivity is subordinated by a more nostalgic sense of self-reflection in most retrospectives.
Image: Mike Hewson, Front Door (Blue Oyster), 2013, edition of 250.
Image: Mike Hewson, Stud Flight, Installation View, 2013. Left to Right:
Toss and Blank Board, Studio Series, Indian ink on paper, 2010.
Studio Accessories, Studio Series, Indian ink on paper, 2010.
Empty Couches, Studio Series, Indian ink on paper
Sketch 6, 2010, Indian ink on paper, 2010.
Sketch Studies for Vision Of The View, Indian ink on paper, 2010.
Sketch 8, (partial view), Indian ink on paper mounted on gib wall board (extracted from the artist’s studio), 2010.
Image: Mike Hewson, Stud Flight, Installation View, 2013. Left to Right:
Reading the Wall, 2010, resin on digital print, edition 1 of 3
Andy's Room (partial view), resin on digital print, 2010, edition 1 of 3
The Forerunners (partial view), resin on digital print, 2010, edition 1 of 3
Deconstruction (reconstructed) (partial view), digital print on adhesive vinyl, 2013.
Image: Mike Hewson, Stud Flight, Installation View, 2013.
Image: Mike Hewson, Norwich Building, digital print on backlit vinyl, framing timber, 2013.
Image: Mike Hewson, Stud Flight, Installation View, 2013.
Image: Mike Hewson, O, digital print on adhesive vinyl installed on monoflex, mechanical scales, 2013.
Image: Mike Hewson, Norwich Building, digital print on backlit vinyl, framing timber, 2013.
Image: Mike Hewson, Front Door (Blue Oyster), 2013, edition of 250.
Image: Mike Hewson, Stud Flight, Installation View, 2013. Left to Right:
Toss and Blank Board, Studio Series, Indian ink on paper, 2010.
Studio Accessories, Studio Series, Indian ink on paper, 2010.
Empty Couches, Studio Series, Indian ink on paper
Sketch 6, 2010, Indian ink on paper, 2010.
Sketch Studies for Vision Of The View, Indian ink on paper, 2010.
Sketch 8, (partial view), Indian ink on paper mounted on gib wall board (extracted from the artist’s studio), 2010.
Image: Mike Hewson, Stud Flight, Installation View, 2013. Left to Right:
Reading the Wall, 2010, resin on digital print, edition 1 of 3
Andy's Room (partial view), resin on digital print, 2010, edition 1 of 3
The Forerunners (partial view), resin on digital print, 2010, edition 1 of 3
Deconstruction (reconstructed) (partial view), digital print on adhesive vinyl, 2013.
Image: Mike Hewson, Stud Flight, Installation View, 2013.
Image: Mike Hewson, Norwich Building, digital print on backlit vinyl, framing timber, 2013.
Image: Mike Hewson, Stud Flight, Installation View, 2013.
Image: Mike Hewson, O, digital print on adhesive vinyl installed on monoflex, mechanical scales, 2013.
Image: Mike Hewson, Norwich Building, digital print on backlit vinyl, framing timber, 2013.
Mike Hewson
Mike Hewson completed a Bachelor of Engineering in 2007 at the University of Canterbury and lives and works between Christchurch, Sydney and Port Headland, Australia. Hewson’s work has been shown in a number of group and solo exhibitions, and his most recent collaboration was shown on the façade of the MCA, Sydney in 2013. He has recently been accepted into the Columbia University MFA programme.