Artist’s life in the frame
ARTS Works reveal Salo’s emotion and talent
A NEW exhibition at Metropolis Gallery will display the diverse works of contemporary Geelong artist Steve Salo.
Steve Salo: Recent Paintings conveys his artistic talents and strong interests in portraiture and landscape.
The exhibition of 14 paintings includes expressive portrait works reflecting the human presence, as well as landscapes inspired by an artist residency on the Mornington Peninsula.
“I’m venturing further down the rabbit hole in my exploration of paint and portraiture,” Salo said.
“While I love realist painting, I keep being pulled towards challenging myself to express the depths of human emotion in new ways.
“I feel very lucky to have Metropolis director Robert Avitabile always encouraging me to explore and push my work.
“He’s as excited as I am to exhibit what this experimentation has produced.”
Salo finds inspiration in “the old masters’ aesthetics and techniques”, which he uses to communicate the modern human condition.
“Most of the portraits evolved over months, I contemplate and return to them, and stop when I feel I’ve captured something I want to portray,” he said.
“The blobist paintings take ages to dry, so that’s another factor, I have the time to carefully consider the strokes and the emotions they capture.
“The works explore mood, light, gentleness, pain, brooding emotion.”
Scenic landscapes from Salo’s time on the Mornington Peninsula will also be on show.
“The works in this show are of Cape Schanck, London Bridge and Sorrento, and reflect the connection to place I felt because I was absorbed in it for two weeks . . . I’m inspired by both sides of the bay,” he said.
Salo’s profile continues to grow, with paintings shortlisted in multiple prestigious prizes.
This week it was announced his painting Historia — Self Portrait would be included in the Salon des Refusés exhibition, which exhibits selected artworks entered into the Archibald Prize that were not chosen for display in the official exhibition, in Sydney from today to July 29. Salo’s work was also included in 2016.
“I’m thrilled to be selected for the Salon des Refusés. It’s an honour to have my painting hanging with the works of so many artists I’ve long admired . . . these are things I used to dream of,” Salo said.
He said Historia — Self Portrait “encapsulates my many years of painting and accumulated history as an artist, with each layer of blobs and clumps of oil paint representing different emotions, experiences, knowledge, sorrow and joy”. Steve Salo: Recent Paintings will be exhibited at Metropolis Gallery, 64 Ryrie St, from Friday to June 10.