'HEADCASE' by NANAMI COWDROY @ DISORDER GALLERY.
HEADCASE is a collection inspired by the craziness in the world over the last 2-years and a desire to escape into the playfulness, curiosity and love of nature we feel as children.
Stuck inside and unable to travel, and being bombarded with daily images of illness, waste, displacement and suffering has turned many of us into ‘headcases’. Working as an artist on your own, in a private space can sometimes only add to this sense of anguish and isolation.
I’ve really needed to break away from an overwhelming sense of adult complexity and return to the simple essence and innocence of a child’s mind. In particular the innate, inquisitive and playful love we have for animals and nature.
I wanted to celebrate their purity of spirit and how animals live in the moment, and how drawn to this we are as children. I’ve loved watching animal and nature documentaries since I was a little girl, it has always stirred my curiosity and made me feel a sense of wonder.
As part of the creative process for these pieces, I studied photos of animals for hours (birds, bees, frogs, fish) after a while you start to see unique, individual characteristics emerging in their facial and body expressions (coyness, humour, confusion, happiness, sadness, fear). I’ve tried to reflect these subtle animal expressions through the mind of a curious child.
Headcase started from the helpless and trapped feelings of the last 2 years and became a way to heal and connect with a precious and hidden child within me.
Each Headcase piece took about 2+ months to create using graphite pencils, watercolours, pen, Japanese black & white ink on fine art watercolour, 100% cotton rag paper.
WHERE : Disorder Gallery, Door 108, Corner of Stanley & Bourke Street, Darlinghurst, NSW 2010, AUSTRALIA
WHEN : April 27th through May 8th 2022