with Allan Sko
Combining artistry with diverse experiences of love, UK-born Canberra artist John Brookes has created a thought-provoking exhibition that aims straight for the heart. If you’ve ever loved, or been loved, this exhibition is for you…
Unconditional is a mixed-media exhibition that examines love’s many forms…joyful, painful, life-affirming, at times challenging but invariably unconditional.
The images in the exhibition examine different nuances of this maddeningly complicated and yet purely simple emotion, exploring how – whilst love can summon ancient and yet ever-renewing swells of joy and happiness – it has an even deeper, self reflective, and pensive side.
A many-splendid thing, indeed.
I caught up with one of the region’s hardest-working, prolific, and community-minded artists, John Brookes, to learn all about the exhibition, what drew him to the subject, what he hopes to achieve.
John, m’good man! Great to be chatting with you once again. Of course, it’s always a good time to talk of love, but what let it fall into your artistic purview in this two-oh two-five?
I wanted to show various expressions of love, arguing that we are all different yet united by emotions.
Partners (wherever they are on the rainbow), parents and children, a First Nations person for Country, a nurse and patient, an owner for their dog, bittersweet memories of friendships lost, to name but a few.
The exhibition seeks to refamiliarise love, reclaiming its depictions in modern media.
Too often, love is portrayed as overly sentimental and unrealistically romantic (though there is always room for romance!) or focused on tragedy and heartbreak, sometimes to highlight admittedly important social issues.
True love is generally different; it takes work and commitment, but the rewards are vast.
Loss and the absence of love are also addressed – it’s all a part of the broad emotional spectrum.
What do you hope people will gain from the exhibition?
For people to honestly think about, and value, love.
Love is stifled by current trends equating love with over-dependence or inequality in a society that increasingly promotes independence. Even talking about love can lead to embarrassment and awkwardness.
We’re losing our awareness of its value and power, and the exhibition’s underlying theme examines the positives and pitfalls of opening up personal and intimate emotions to public scrutiny.
The exhibition is about the importance of allowing room for genuine feelings of love in an increasingly isolated society that interacts through social media, texts and Instagram. Love is fundamental in making us human, and we must preserve it while embracing new technologies and cultural and identity politics.
Does a philosophy underpin your art?
I see the role of the viewer and subject as equal to my own, a collaboration giving meaning to the works in the exhibition.
That’s why most subjects are real people who were encouraged to share their feelings in the artwork commentary.
In addition, I am inviting the whole community to submit works on what love means to them, feeling free to express themselves in terms of interpretation, experience and media.
This could be painting, drawing, photography, poetry, short prose, digital media, or sculpture – the choice is open (anything except for AI-generated art and works that are not original!)
These will feature on an online gallery and a large screen slideshow at the venue.
Now it’s all done, do you feel you achieved your goals with Unconditional?
I hope so, but the visitors will be the judge!
I intended for the diversity of exhibition works to reflect the multi-faceted qualities of love—in terms of media used and subjects—using photography, painting, charcoal, digital media, pencil, ink on wood, 3D installation… even felt tip!
This was also a conscious decision to move away from my ‘comfort zone’ of photography and digital art and to experiment with unfamiliar media. So, you have been warned!
Any final message for our readers?
I love you!
Love you too, John.
💗
Unconditional by John Brookes is showing from 7 February until 5 April at the Tuggeranong Arts Centre. Opening hours are Tuesday to Friday, 10am-5pm, and Saturday, 10am-4pm.
