Kathryn Brimblecombe-Fox and Alfonso Cuaron, the director of the recently released film Gravity starring George Clooney and Sandra Bullock, share a secret. Both believe in a multiverse as opposed to a universe it seems.
In Cosmic Address, launched on Friday at New Farm’s Graydon Gallery, Kathryn juggles a spectrum of cosmic phenomena from time travel, super-earths, spacecraft, undiscovered horizons to post-apocalyptic calamities. Her collection of works, Eternity’s Breath and Galactic Horizons and Beyond for instance reflect her bold mythic vision and playfulness at times in an effective, simplified and colourful palette.
About the context for the show she explains, “Since the race to fly to to the moon began in 1957, humans have been littering the cosmos with debris which is harmful to Earth. Home and identity should not be confined to countries, nations or continents. By opening up notions of landscape that includes Space we not only see our planet differently we open up new perspectives of ourselves. And then perhaps humanity can unite in sustaining our planet.”
Kathryn paints because art is the air she breathes; a way of life essential to her identity. “I have fun painting, I love doing it.”
A passionate devotee of cosmology she may be, but she is also down to earth. As a curatorial assistant with the National Gallery in Canberra, her colleagues said, “she was a breeze to work with” and she presents as fun, determined, uber-organised and abuzz with challenging ideas.
Her working day begins with social media activities like updating and distributing her popular blog Art@Brimblecombe-Fox which has attracted much interest from international and national scientists as well as musicians, writers, dancers and philosophers. Administrative chores involve media campaigns, liaising with galleries, processing competition entries and sales.
If life doesn’t intrude, the artist spends between four to six hours in her studio. When starting a painting there’s no “pre-conceived notion” but she does have a general idea of what she wants to create.
“When I present a show”- the artist has had 35 solo and group exhibitions to date- “they are rewarding because I take stock of what I’ve done. Making art is solitary. I love having conversations with people and considering other viewpoints. As soon as people walk in the door, I can tell if they are the stayers or goers.”
After so much discussion about moon, star and solar realms I ask if there is a worldly possession she would love to own. And yes her material dream is to own a white Mercedes-Benz GLA. “The design is superb and it would ferry my paintings around.”
Cosmic Address: until the 27 October at Graydon Gallery, 29 Merthyr Rd, New Farm.