Opening Saturday 14 April, 3-5pm

This new exhibition of oil paintings and mixed media works feature Stephen’s iconic luminous flowers presented with an exciting stylistic shift. This highly original body of work, evolved from the Modernist tradition, is reminiscent of analytic and synthetic Cubism. 

The inspiration for Best case scenario was formed through the artist’s observation of the mass disposal and disregard of possessions during the clean up that followed the Queensland floods of 2011. Stephen was literally inspired to shatter the imagery particular to his work and re-form his perception of flowers. 

In paintings such as Modern Rose, Nothling has retained a partial degree of realism, recognising an abstractness existing between the lightness of the petals and the formation of the shadows. He visually disassembles the image through the picture plane. 'This painting is homage to a hundred years ago and exemplifies my appreciation of the beginnings of Modern Art which strangely is now so old. Even contemporary art dates so quickly. It seems to me that most of the world only wants to exist in the now and the now is so disposable. What is modern? This painting is a paradox.' (Stephen Nothling, 2012). 

Best case scenario combines a level of realistic illusion with emotive colour to evoke personal conditions and concerns. The paintings also recall many references that have inspired Stephen over the past 20 years.

Stephen Nothling is represented in the National Gallery of Australia, Art Gallery of NSW, Queensland Art Gallery, Parliament House collection, Queensland University of Technology, Macquarie University, BHP Billiton and many other private collections.