James Reka’s mind is filled with imagery. His fastidious approach to life and the way he views everyday objects in the most surrealist of ways has solidified him as a tastemaker in Australian art. Currently based in Berlin, Reka’s new exhibition Scarlet marks his first Australian solo exhibition in four years.
Scarlet is as much as a representation of Reka’s roots as it is an exploration of the world. The series of works that make up the exhibition tell a story of a transforming Berlin. Stories of a youthful generation of Berliners seeking musical culture, hedonism, and contentment in a post-war dystopia are represented by the use of a female silhouette trudging through a series of melancholic colourings and flourishes of symbolism. Scarlet also sees the debut of Reka’s his first sculptural piece, bringing his assessment of Berlin to a new medium for the artist.
Scarlet is showing at Backwoods Gallery in Collingwood from Friday March 23 until April 8.
- Photography supplied by: Backwoods Gallery