“For more than a decade, I have sought to discover new ways to apply my experimental ethos to engage audiences and push the boundaries of my art,” says Mark Niehus. Also a published poet and filmmaker and with a keen interest in Surrealism, Niehus uses his visual arts practice to cultivate an interplay between the conscious and unconscious mind, and transcend the mundane. “I place value on spontaneous, automatic or subconscious creation; I write and draw instinctively, until the narrative appears,” he says. Across moving image, ink drawing, painting, urban projections, street art murals and installations, the Adelaide-based artist invents worlds and personae through which themes of individuality, resilience, and marginal relationships are played out. Niehus most recently presented a solo exhibition titled Backbone at Newmarch Gallery in Prospect, South Australia, consisting of paintings, illustrations, and projections. The artist was also selected as a finalist in the 2021 Newmarch Portrait prize, where his artwork received an honourable mention.
Featured Image: Mark Niehus, Propaganda For Toys, 2022. Acrylic on board, 93 x 122cm. Courtesy: the artist.