Filthy the Bear

Sunshine Coast National Art Prize 2024 - Finalist

_{[Image courtesy of the artist]}

Artist Statement

Contemporary pop culture has always served as a sort of lens through which I have experienced life. The mythology of ages past has helped humanity understand and define its place in the world. The cartoons, comics, books, tv shows and movies of my childhood have afforded me a measure of understanding and hope. Childhood is a time rife with contrasts; good/bad, right/wrong, yes/no, with little room for the grey areas that become more obvious as we age and many people feel a real nostalgia for this, but is it healthy? Does showing children characters like Superman and He-Man, characters with few of the darker aspects often found in ancient mythological characters, really teach them how to be well adjusted members of society, or does it just set them up with unrealistic standards that are unattainable, which then leads to a level of self loathing? I try to explore questions like this through my paintings which I hope shine a light on the pitfalls of looking back on the past with rose coloured glasses.