Sean McDowell

Backdown to Earth

Backdown to Earth, 2023, Installation View, @14 Langridge, Images by Christian Capurro.

Backdown to Earth is an exhibition experience at @14 Langridge, presented as a part of the 2023 Melbourne Fringe Festival. The show features a collection of new paintings and drawings that continue my ongoing exploration of fabrication techniques and the poetics of materials. The artworks are inspired by my interests in psychology, biology and microscopy - to fractal geometry, geology, neuroscience and spirituality.

Approached through lived experiences and collective narratives of trauma, disease and illness, Backdown to Earth offers a glimpse into the awe-inspiring world of micro-organisms that exist within and surround us every day. Blending together representation and abstraction, the artworks have been inspired by found microscopic images of human and plant cells. In the exhibition, you are invited to investigate our relationship to - and the complexity of the natural world - where patterns and shapes repeat themselves in a self-similar manner.

Throughout the creative process, I have used a combination of brushes and sponges, layering the artworks by applying multiple translucent glazes of paint. Offering a unique perspective on the relationship between micro and macro, the artworks depict intricate patterns, organic shapes and different line networks that use contrasting colours, depth and different textures to evoke various sensual, emotional and psychological states. Additionally, the exhibition takes inspiration from personal observations of aerial landscapes, the ocean, stained glass windows and geological diggings.

Exhibition Dates: September 26 - October 9, 2023

Preview Event: September 27, 6 - 8pm

Closing Celebration: October 8, 3 - 6pm

@14, 14 Langridge Street , Collingwood, Victoria, 3066