An unlikely combination of images from two islands — Sicily and Australia — will celebrate street art created by Alice Springs-based artist, Chips Mackinolty, to open at Alice Springs artist-run gallery, Watch This Space (WTS), on the 12th of October.

“It’s an exhibition of contradictions and puzzles reflecting my work over a couple of years in the 1100-year old Vucciria markets in Palermo, as well as here in Alice since I moved here a year ago,” said Mackinolty.

“The work from the markets reflects the area I lived in—a densely populated part of the old city—as opposed to animal life here in the Red Centre.

“Including at least one rabbit.

“And the contradictions don’t stop there: when I started street art back in 1969 the walls were our gallery. It was only in the following decades that art galleries and museums started showing this work in Australia.

“So it’s been fun this time around taking art from the street into two galleries—here and in Palermo—and putting the work on canvas which is a far cry from the paper and glue that are the raw materials for street walls.”

Mackinolty has been producing work for street and gallery walls since he was fourteen and has participated in over 250 group and solo shows touring in Australia and internationally since the 1970s. His work is held in major international, national and state/territory art galleries and museums as well as private collections.

After the WTS exhibition, the show will travel to Palermo, the capital of Sicily.

OPENING

6pm, Friday 12th October

ARTIST TALK

10am, Saturday 13th October

EXHIBITION

10 - 27 October 2018