Eizar Aung
North Sydney Girls High School
CONCRETE BUBBLE
Painting
Acrylic paint on plaster
Concrete Bubble examines the monotonous cycle of urban life that we live and move within. My intention in my body of work was to challenge the modern world’s glorification of constant productivity, inviting the audience to recognise the repetitive nature of their own lives. Familiar Sydney transport vehicles are represented in the globes to reinforce this concept; the arrow-shaped street sign motif conveys the one-way journey individuals undertake in their daily lives. The concrete greys of the Sydney metropolis are drenched in blues and punctuated by the ever-present safety yellow, confronting the audience with its familiar presence.
My artmaking practice has been influenced by the study and interpretation of the following artists: Trent Parke, Daisuke Samejima, Magí Puig
Marker's Commentary
The body of work Concrete Bubble is a series of five painted, sculptural forms that cleverly mimic the signage of construction zones and restricted city pathways. The three forward-pointing arrows suggest progress, yet are layered with fragmented cityscapes and elongated shadows that evoke monotony, fatigue, and the erasure of identity within daily urban life. Cool blues dominate the compositions, punctuated by vivid yellows that echo hazard signage and transport elements, injecting warmth and dynamism. Road signage becomes a metaphor for the constraints of modern life, and the sophisticated compositional choices of painted forms and negative spaces engage the audience in fleeting cinematic moments, suggesting a larger narrative beyond the immediate scenes.
Sydney’s transport system is skilfully rendered on semi-spherical forms, exaggerating the fast-paced experiences of commuting and city life. Precision in rendering architectural space, with a dramatic interplay of light and shadow, is both painterly and refined, evoking surrealist influences of de Chirico’s otherworldliness, while the structured repetition and geometry recall the ordered alienation of Jeffrey Smart. The assured approach to composition, subject matter and handling of materials reveals a highly sophisticated and cohesive series. This is heightened by the considered choices, offering a contemporary lens on urban modernity and reimagining of the concrete jungle.