Artist’s Statement
SOLO EXHIBITION “Easy Tiger"
WHEN: Wednesday 24 January - 15 February 2022
OPENING RECEPTION: Wednesday 2 February 6-8 PM
ARTIST TALK: Saturday 5 February 1-3 PM
WHERE: Community Bank Darling Square
Shop NE12, 11 Little Pier Street (Crn of Little Pier and Harbour Streets)
HAYMARKET NSW 2000
About the exhibition
'Easy Tiger'A little play on words for this celebratory show. After nearly two years of lockdowns and uncertainty, this latest show by multi-media artist Gabby Malpas celebrates the strangeness, the quirkiness, sadness and joy that we Sydneysiders and especially those in the Asian community have felt. Loosely celebrating Lunar New Year, the year of the tiger, this show incorporates sculpture, ceramics, live performance art alongside the vibrant and lavish paintings that are a trademark of this NZ Chinese artist.
Biography
I am a NZ artist who has called Sydney home since 2003 after living in the UK for 14 years. You may be familiar with my still life images: flora and fauna viewed and grown in NSW Australia with more than a hint of chinoiserie.
My work could be interpreted as purely decorative. By using allusion and symbolism, I weave stories into my work based on my experiences as trans-racial, Asian adoptee: joyful and chaotic assemblage of blooms and fruit displayed with a collection of ceramics from anywhere and everywhere but with a narrative that draws the viewer in for a second look.
The result is a collection of pictures combining unexpected elements to create strangely familiar images. There are stories to each of my works that lift them from the purely decorative into a narrative piece.Influences
Many of Gabby's images are of things she has bought, eaten and picked in Sydney: items familiar to most viewers but with a subtle twist. A joyful and chaotic assemblage of blooms and fruit displayed with a collection of ceramics from anywhere and everywhere but with a narrative that draws the viewer in for a second look.
Awards
Finalist, Mosman Art Prize 2016
Finalist, Fleurieu Food and Wine Art prize 2016
Linden Postcard Show, Melbourne Australia 2015/2016
Finalist, North Sydney Art Prize, Sydney Australia 2015
Selected to exhibit: James Kiwi Watercolour Prize, 2012, 2014, 2016
Highly commended: Westmead Hospital Art Prize 2012
Finalist: Nora Heysen Centenary Art Prize – Still life 2011
Highly commended, Watercolour: Blacktown City Art Prize: 2011 & 2012
Selected to exhibit: National Trust Harper’s Mansion Art Prize – Still life 2011
Selected to exhibit: Hornsby Art Prize 2011
Exhibitions
Exhibitions:
February 2022 - Easy Tiger At @ArtSHINE Gally at Community Bank Darling Square, Haymarket
November - Chinoiserie Reimagined - Ceramic Art @ArtSHINE Gallery
May 2020 - Painted Garden @ArtSHINE Gallery
October 2019 Culture Crash Group Exhibition
June 2018 Bloom Group Exhibition
December 2017 - Magic Garden @ArtSHINE Gallery
November 2016 - Chasing the dragon @ArtSHINE Gallery
May 2013
‘Bringing the Sydney Garden Inside’,
St Vincents Hospital
October 2012/2013
Sydney Art Expo 2012/2013,
Fox Studios, Sydney
October 2011
Sydney Art show 2011, Sydney
March 2011
‘Pictures to make you smile’
St Vincent’s Hospital,
November 2010
Art Sydney 2010,
Fox Studios, Sydney
February 2010
‘Sydney Pictures’,
Art at Home Gallery, Balmain, Sydney
October 2009
Art Sydney 2009, Fox Studios, Sydney
Oct-Dec 1997
Liberty Store Art gallery,
Regent St London
February 1992
Gabby Malpas: Christchurch Society of Art Gallery, New Zealand
Group Exhibitions
2014 November
"in the beginning"
Group Show
ArtSHINE Gallery, Chippendale
November 2011, 2012 & 2014
Balmain Art & Craft Show, Balmain, Sydney
July - Sept 2011
I’ll Bring cake:
Gordon public Library, Sydney
June 1994, 2010 & 2012
Annual Plunket art exhibition
Aigantighe Art Gallery, Timaru New Zealand
December 2002
Group Christmas show,
Pipper Graber, Dulwich, London
March 1996
‘Underwater escapade’,
Amalgam Art, Barnes London
December 1993
Amalgam Art Christmas show,
Amalgam Art, Barnes London
February 1993
‘Brush and Spitsticker’,
West Oxfordshire arts association
August 1992
Art and craft New Zealand,
Llantarnam Grange, Cwmbran Wales
August 1990 & 1991
Summer show, Anna Mei Chadwick Galleries, Parsons Green, London
July 1991
Amalgam Summer show,
Amalgam Art, Barnes London
May 1991
Southland Potter’s annual
exhibition, Winton, New Zealand
May 1990
Timaru City Art Gallery annual
exhibition, Timaru, New Zealand
Showing 1–40 of 100 artworks
Gabby Malpas
The Octopus’ Garden
79 x 79cm Watercolor, gouache and pencil on Arches paper Sold
Gabby Malpas
The nine koi of longevity fell from the moon
79 x 79cm Watercolour, gouache and pencil on Arches paper Sold
Gabby Malpas
Words to live by Series “Integrity"
20 x 15cm Watercolour, gouache and pencil on Arches paper Sold
Gabby Malpas
Blue Nasturtium
45 x 33cm Watercolour, gouache, and pencil on archer paper Sold
Gabby Malpas
Iceland Poppies
28 x 23cm Watercolour, gouache and pencil on Arches paper Sold
Gabby Malpas
Forest Strawberries
30 x 25cm Watercolour, gouache and pencil on a fragment of an antique french marriage contract Sold
Gabby Malpas
Nasturtiums
31 x 31cm Watercolour, gouache and pencil on Arches paper Sold
Gabby Malpas
Storm in a teacup # 1
60 x 41cm Framed: 60 x 41cm (Framed) Watercolour and gouache on Arches paper Sold
Gabby Malpas
Storm in a teacup # 2
60 x 41cm Framed: 60 x 41cm (Framed) Watercolour and gouache on Arches paper Sold
Gabby Malpas
(Framed) Your choice 1 : poison
41.5 x 24.5cm Framed: 41.5 x 24.5cm (Framed) Watercolour and gouache on Arches paper Sold
Gabby Malpas
Your choice 2: poison
41.5 x 24.5cm Framed: 41.5 x 24.5cm (Framed) Watercolour and gouache on Arches paper Sold
Gabby Malpas
Little garden # 1 “Camelias"
15 x 11cm Framed: 15 x 11cm Watercolour and ink on canvas Sold
Gabby Malpas
Little garden # 2 “ Begonias"
15 x 11cm Framed: 15 x 11cm Watercolour and ink on canvas Sold
Gabby Malpas
Little garden # 3 “Orchids"
15 x 11cm Framed: 15 x 11cm Watercolour and ink on canvas Sold
Gabby Malpas
A fish out of water 2: love the cray cray
70 x 45cm Framed: 70 x 56cm (Framed) Watercolour and gouache on Arches paper Sold
Gabby Malpas
Garden Eden # 3
52 x 43cm Framed: 52 x 43cm (Framed) Watercolour and gouache on Arches paper Sold
Gabby Malpas
“Don’t ask me why” #1 - Siamese fighting fish series
28 x 23cm Framed: 28 x 23cm (Framed) Watercolour and gouache on Arches paper Sold
Gabby Malpas
“Don’t ask me why” #2 - Siamese fighting fish series
28 x 23cm Framed: 28 x 23cm (Framed) Watercolour and gouache on Arches paper Sold
Gabby Malpas
“Don’t ask me why” #3 - Siamese fighting fish series
21 x 16.5cm Framed: 21 x 16.5cm (Framed) Watercolour and gouache on Arches paper Sold
Gabby Malpas
“Don’t ask me why” #4 - Siamese fighting fish series
21 x 16.5cm Framed: 21 x 16.5cm (Framed) Watercolour and gouache on Arches paper Sold
Gabby Malpas
Gardens by the Bay #1 - Unframed
33 x 28cm Watercolour and gouache on Arches paper $900.00
Gabby Malpas
Rise above it: Bonkers - Framed
33 x 28cm Watercolour and gouache on Arches paper $950.00
Gabby Malpas
Rise above it: bonkers - Framed
33 x 28cm Watercolour and gouache on Arches paper $950.00
Gabby Malpas
Blue floral 1 - Unframed
28 x 21cm Watercolour and gouache on Arches paper $700.00
Gabby Malpas
Night Jungle - Unframed
28 x 29cm Watercolour and gouache on Arches paper $850.00
Gabby Malpas
Strawberry thief - Unframed
16 x 19cm Watercolour and gouache on Arches paper Sold
Gabby Malpas
Floral wreath for our times - Unframed
25 x 23cm Watercolour and gouache on Arches paper $700.00
Gabby Malpas
Staffordshire dog 2 - Unframed
22 x 13.5cm Watercolour and gouache on Arches paper Sold
Gabby Malpas
Blue floral 2 - Unframed
28 x 21cm Watercolour and gouache on Arches paper $700.00
Gabby Malpas
Strawberry thief #2- Unframed
16 x 19cm Watercolour and gouache on Arches paper Sold
Gabby Malpas
one pink robin and cranesbill Unframed
16 x 19cm Watercolour and gouache on Arches paper Sold
Gabby Malpas
Cursed gardens: datura (unframed)
27 x 19cm Framed: 45 x 36 x 2.5cm Watercolour and gouache on Arches paper $600.00
Gabby Malpas
Cursed gardens: lotus (unframed)
28 x 19cm Watercolour and gouache on Arches paper $600.00
Gabby Malpas
Electrified Eel (Dia 20-22cm)
Cobalt oxide under clear glaze Plus incised lines White stoneware, freeform bowl. $150.00
Gabby Malpas
‘Aggravated Anglerfish’ - freeform bowl. Approx diameter 21cm
Cobalt oxide under clear glaze White stoneware $150.00
Gabby Malpas
‘Freak of the deep’ (flounder) freeform bowl
23.5 x 17cm Cobalt oxide under clear glaze Plus incised lines White stoneware, $140.00
Gabby Malpas
Manic mackerel - freeform bowl.
24 x 17cm Cobalt oxide under clear glaze Plus incised lines White stoneware Sold
Gabby Malpas
Angry Anglerfish - freeform bowl, Approx diameter 23cm
Cobalt oxide under clear glaze Plus incised lines White stoneware, $150.00
Gabby Malpas
Startled fish bowl - wheel thrown bowl. Approx diameter 17cm $120.00
Cobalt oxide under clear glaze White stoneware $120.00