When Iย first talked toย Gabrijela Iva Polic just shy of two-year ago she was fresh out of art school and was ecstaticย to be takingย part in her veryย first exhibition.ย Since thenย Gabrijela’s achievements have snowballed, culminating in her biggest milestoneย yet, aย solo exhibition at the Hughes Gallery, Sydney.
Open now and entitled In the Land of Wonderfuls, Gabrijelaย pushes the boundaries of her craft; depicting fantastical natural scenes comprised of intricate detailing and patterning, resembling microcosms and ecological patterns. “I don’t like to draw or paint things as they are. Iย inventย my own species. I suppose that is how the work can seem somewhat fantastical.ย One thing always grows from another, which is leaning on something else, thatย drips down and waters another thingย giving it life and letting it grow.”
Not easy to categorise, nor do descriptions or images do Gabrijela’s work any justice, the magic of her artย requires face to face contact. Combining the natural scenes and organismsย we have seen in her previous work with equally intricate and mesmerising machines, in this body of work the two come together to form objects, suspended in the world of herย paintings.
Carefreeย and full of colour,ย Gabrijela was keen to move away from anything too heavy. “At art school it seemed as though your work had to beย serious to be any good. For the show I shook myself out of that mentality,ย I wanted the work to be light-hearted and fun without too much concern on what thingsย meant. I just let the work take it course.”
And we think she did a fantasticย job!ย In the Land of Wonderfuls closes Sunday. For more information.