“A Land Down Under”
John Prince Siddon
6 Aug → 4 Sept 2022

John Prince Siddon's artworks entice the viewer with an optical dynamism generated by colliding pattern design and imagery both traditional and contemporary, personal and popular. Their narratives capture a personal voice that intrigues, and a personal language that connects to the universal. Prince is continually exploring many mediums and ways of working painted surfaces, moving between 2D and 3D in medium and also in illusion. Prince depicts often confronting imagery inspired by national and global issues he watches on television, his own story as well as desert iconography and the Narrangkarni (Dreamtime).

“Just like I said, paintings bring memories back whatever young or old. When you start to paint, you’ll never stop! Many of our old people did most painting of their own on their own land, they love even the animals. Well to me, I’m doing the same, trying to piece every animal whatever where they from; East, West, South, North- trying to paint them together. Like mix them up, just like a jigsaw. I paint animals who fight each other, hate each other, and sometimes love each other."

"You know, back when I was young teen, I loved horse riding. But we were forced to work on cattle stations, as juveniles our punishment was to go to the stations and work. We used to steal back then- cars, booze, smokes, money, you name it."

“Young or old, when you start you will never stop. These are my words; these paintings are my words. Landscape, dreamtime, stories, kids’ paintings, poetry......put them all together, it’s all the same with all my painting it’s all mixed up."

"I really don’t know how to translate it into words but I can by doing art. I’m a shy person, yea. Also, all my art stories are shy, yeah anyways, life goes on, whatever.”

– John Prince Siddon

A Land Down Under is presented in partnership with Agency Projects, with support from the City of Yarra through their Annual Arts Grants.