Urban Fantasy: The Refugees
These are my entries in Fantasy and Imagination, the next exhibition that I did with the group I did the Sydney Comic Art & Drawing Exhibition with. The show ran from 17th - 24th December, at The Shop Gallery, Glebe, here in Sydney. A lot of my stuff has been comic and sci-fi based, so fantasy was a chance to try something different.
Most of the fantasy stuff I've enjoyed has been in a contemporary setting (China Mieville, Geoffrey Thorne, Neil Gaimen, and Garth Ennis' Preacher are the ones that come to mind), so I wanted to do some pieces that put fantasy figures into everyday settings.
It's been just 18 months since the first of the refugees arrived through the portals. In cities all over the world, people have started to grow accustomed to having neighbours and, increasingly, workmates who would have been the stuff of myths 2 years ago.
While most refugees are reluctant to talk about their experiences, there are rumours circling of harsh and brutal feudal societies, with appalling living conditions. No wonder, many say, that they have been so quick to train and enter the modern workforce, and, where possible, assimilate into 21st century culture.
Builders, 2015
A group of other-worldly refugees, now employed on a building site, enjoying their tea break. It is based on a photograph of builders, with animal and fantasy elements. To get a closer look at how I developed the image, have a look at this entry on my blog.
Croydon Wanderers, 2015
As they assimilate into our cultures, many off-world refugees gleefully throw themselves into sports.
The Croydon Wanderers are an amateur soccer team, composed of humans and other beings.
Their games have become popular events for both communities to meet and socialise.
The Office, 2015
While most refugees are reluctant to talk about their experiences, rumours circle of harsh and brutal feudal societies, with appalling living conditions.
For some, having a safe, quiet office job was stranger than anything in their new lives in our world.
