Project Space exhibition 

Denise Honan & Eva Stimson Clark

Ridiculous

March 1st – 23rd, 2024

Ridiculous is the second collaborative exhibition bringing together the work of Denise Honan and Eva Stimson Clark, artists working on Euro-Yuroke land and the land of the Yalukit Willam people. Both have an ongoing creative practice grounded in engaging with discarded materiality presented as transformed paradigms. Conversations between the artists about art is more often than not around the importance of play and experimentation. Handling materials is vital for inspiration and these materials have equal agency in the course of process.

For Ridiculous Honan has created a body of work using eclectic found objects sourced from renovation dumpsters, beach detritus and nature strip hard rubbish piles all located within a 2km radius of the artist’s home. A sensitive curation employs an idiosyncratic pairing of objects that are successfully embellished with boldly coloured, enamel gloss paint . The resultant assemblage of objects de trouve reveals a wild beauty that conveys a unique sense of gravitas.

The structural system of weaving random strips of carton card forms the basis for Stimson Clark’s collage weaves. These materials are sourced from her personal consumption and long abandoned craft projects. The supermarket and haberdashery substitute as art supply stores, resulting in a myriad of found colour. With this series for Ridiculous, there is an added overlay of monochromatic pattern hopscotching across the grid. The placement and suturing of these pieces informs the haphazard scribble of thread lines on the reverse side.

The studio can be the enchanted portal where the worthless can be repurposed and the overlooked becomes noticed. Abstraction is not just an opportunity for observation and thought, but also for finding delight. Creatively playing with everyday detritus exposes hidden treasures of the whimsical, the uncertain and the ridiculous.

Image details: D. Honan Visage 2024, (left) / E. Stimson Clark Like the flower to the butterfly 2004, (right)