Hunter Street's newest art gallery, Blackstone Gallery will extend the exhibition As We All Play Parts of Tomorrow by artist Justin Lees, based on strong sales and positive public reception.
Lees' show is a body of work that is reminiscent of abstract expressionism from New York in the 1970s. Many of the mixed-media pieces are big, with lots of colour.
"I started the project mid last year," Lees says. "The majority was done this April, except two large pieces and then these smaller ones in the back of the gallery. I just had them laying around the studio so I reworked a bit."
There are more than 30 pieces in the show - Lees has already sold 12.
Lees' show is a body of work that is reminiscent of abstract expressionism from New York in the 1970s.
Within the exhibition there is a mini exhibition, a room labelled Nimrod. Each abstract painting here is dedicated to a different title of a song from the chart-topping 1997 Green Day album of the same name.
The '90s music theme is strong, as the title of the exhibition itself came from the lyrics of A Blind Melon song, Change.
"The success of As We All Play Parts of Tomorrow has been unprecedented, particularly considering the current public health crisis," gallery manager Marguerite Tierney says. "It's been a really tough time for the local arts scene. Exhibitions have been postponed, artists have been without income and gallery owners are still struggling to stay operational. "
Tierney says, "There was a lot of anticipation about Lees' exhibition, it was a year in development, then postponed as we responded to the initial Covid-19 shutdown, and finally open to the public. The success of the exhibition affirms to me that people need art and culture now more than ever."
The exhibition will run through July 11 (open 11am- 3pm Wednesday to Saturday).
