the aqua room series... ("Serial Still Life I", 2006 - photomedia painting - diptych on canvas, 180cm sq).

After a long stream of occasional glimpses; snippets of information; and virtual viewing of assorted images on screen here is the first opportunity to experience, in the flesh (so to speak), a substantial collection of Clay Bodvin's new photomedia work.the aqua room series... ("Serial Still Life I", 2006 - photomedia painting - diptych on canvas, 180cm sq).

After a long stream of occasional glimpses; snippets of information; and virtual viewing of assorted images on screen here is the first opportunity to experience, in the flesh (so to speak), a substantial collection of Clay Bodvin's new photomedia work.

For two months, from May 5 thru to July 2 06, the artist will present over 30 new works in the Street Gallery at Lopdell House Gallery, Titirangi, New Zealand. Several other new pieces can also be seen in a concurrent show at EA Gallery, 3a/47 High St, City. These two projects are the culmination of the better part of 7 years investigation and development for the artist.

Bodvin admits his art practise is informed by an appreciation of post-modern critical thinking. And the work does indeed stem from a conceptual artistic foundation celebrating fragmentation and the ironic, nostalgic refashioning of art-historical conventions and contemporary cultural artefacts.

Thus, Clay's choice of contemporary creative media (where images are transformed into their essential fragments of pixel and colour) is entirely appropriate and fortuitous. The use of digital photomedia not only facilitates but enhances his re-composition of subject matter and extensive manipulation of the image surface.

A large range of these virtual rooms and interiors are shown as 170mm sq images on paper. With a selected few given unexpected impact at 500mm sq, on paper (some placed in the Gallery Ghop). Other work - self-portraits; an animation-strip assemblage; an overdrawn, marouflage panel; and large-ish works on canvas offering stylistic and compositional variations on some of the rooms and interiors - show the artist's range and versatility.

The traditional artist's screen is cleverly used to confront the viewer with an unusual situation - another (life-size) room inside the gallery. But the liquid Sitting Room Screen is not a room to physically enter, rather just to scrutinise and peer into. A prime example of the use of the capabilities of inkjet printing technologies to create dramatic and unusual art.

A new creative direction for the artist is also shown, publicly, for the first time via an 1800mm sq diptych on loose canvas. This Serial Still Life piece refers to the resurgence of a painting/composition style known for the repetition of patterns, grids and colour swatches.

Bodvin's work new work coincides with the opening of the 2006 Adams Portraiture Awards exhibition (in the main gallery) - Friday, May 5. For further information contact

Lopdell House Gallery +649 817 8087
mailto:lopdell@lopdell.org.nz
www.lopdell.org.nz

418 Titirangi Road, Titirangi, Waitakere City

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS - The exceptional quality of the printed images and canvas finishing comes from the skills and expertise of Kevin Church at Opticmix Ltd. Bespoke commercial and fine art digital printing; great problem solving abilities; personalised attention to detail; and quality hand finishing is available at -

Opticmix - +649 817 8087
mailto:kevin@opticmix.co.nz
www.opticmix.co.nz