G Kustom Kuhl, Composition No. 316 [Transform 274], 2021. Mixed media on paper, 56 x 76cm. Courtesy: the artist
FELIXE LAING
Curator, Sanderson Contemporary Art, Auckland
G Kustom Kuhl delves into the philosophies and mixed media practices developed by the Dada and Surrealist artists, offering a continuation of this enduring practice of observing and reflecting upon contemporary times. In Composition No.316 (Transform 274), symbols, stencilled patterns and found imagery and materials are layered, reflecting a composition of the artist’s thoughts, a description of the subconscious mind.
AMBER CRESWELL BELL
Creative Director, Michael Reid Northern Beaches, Sydney
This is such a striking work. The artist uses the device of the bold, hovering black and white illusion-like square to immediately draw in the eye of the viewer. The work then slowly reveals itself eliciting curiosity in its hidden secrets by way of its layered mixed media, text and symbology. It asks many questions of the viewer, which is very engaging. The composition is really successful with a beautiful balance achieved between minutiae of detail and negative space.
JOHN STAFFORD
Director, Onespace Gallery, Brisbane
Composition No. 316 (Transform 274) floats provocatively between our emotional and intellectual frameworks. It teases both our rational conscious mind and our dreamlike unconscious state. It asks us to reconcile our need for order with our passion for chaos and escape. Its moody tones and juxtapositions of mist and maze frame our ability to decode the text and numbers. It is an encoded landscape that seeks emotional direction in a time-travelling universe. Kuhl paints this geometric landscape in a mystical setting and invites us to engage in transcendental speculation.