Nevin Hirik: Morphing at Gadfly Gallery

Nevin Hirik Morphing at Gadfly Gallery
The paintings of Nevin Hirik, and the prints of G. W. Bot, which go on exhibition together at Gadfly Gallery from April 29, do not, at once, seem to have very much in common . Indeed, nor do the artists themselves:

Nevin Hirik is a successful young artist based in Melbourne, who emigrated from Turkey 13 years ago, and was the only artist to sell out at the last Sydney Art Fair, despite this being only her fourth solo exhibition.

G. W. Bot lives quietly in Canberra, while her works are held in important public collection worldwide. She was voted as one of 'Australia's 50 Most Collectable Artists' in a nationwide survey earlier this year *.

However both have created a collection of works around their fascination with Morpheus, the Greek mythological God of Dreams, who made human shapes appear to dreamers.

In 'Morphine', Hirik's quirky, angular figures are profiled against the velvety darkness of night. Tough, young and vivacious they seem like metaphors for the artist herself, who emphatically states: "My work is my philosophy, it is my life , it is me - it is my experiences, passion and desires".

Morphine is, of course, a powerful, habit -forming narcotic, and Hirik does admit to "seeing art as a bit of a drug; It stirs your emotions and stimulates your senses" she says.

Here is an artist who literally kisses her works goodbye as