“For me, the draw of the city is the numbers, and how we occupy them en masse, and the materials we use to do it – reflective glass, wrought iron, gritty bricks, cement. You’re capturing all these materials using the one material. “That’s the challenge for me – I love texture and I love surface and I love depth, and you can achieve all of those beautiful elements by using pretty much the same stick of charcoal.”
This collaboration between the complex drawings and the simplicity of her chosen medium characterises Miriam’s work and is at the heart of her artistic practice. “It’s the simple medium creating the complex subject; it’s the black and it’s the white; and it’s the small insignificant thing creating the larger, in-your-face, empowering thing,” she says. Ironically, as Miriam’s completed project rolled out earlier this year, COVID-19 lockdowns resulted in deserted city streets across the world, adding an element of surrealism to the drawings that had been created long before the pandemic. “It was just unbelievable that I had just managed to capture… the present-day New York,” says Miriam. “It was surreal. I had removed all those figures off the street. “A positive aspect of it is that none of us can travel there, but I’m bringing it to you anyway. You will be in New York. I wanted to recreate it for people who may not ordinarily get an opportunity to see it for themselves.” The seed of the project was planted many years ago when Miriam visited New York – although she didn’t realise it at the time. Pounding the pavements every day, she instinctively took a large collection of photos that would later become her inspiration for the project. Having travelled extensively and lived in several countries, Miriam now calls Australia home, having chosen the historical Queensland gold mining town of Gympie to settle in with her family. She continues to work on future projects from her home studio and says her sights are set on another city – but she’s not ready to reveal which one. One thing she can guarantee, however, is that her work will always be accessible to everyone. “Other people are key to the work I create; it’s really important to me that the work I create relates to others,” she says. “I can meet people who have never walked inside an art gallery or never stopped and looked at a painting, but a black and white city of some place they recognise will immediately get a response. “I love being able to reach that. For me, it really is about an inclusive audience.” See Miriam Innes’ work at Noosa Regional Gallery until January 23. noosaregionalgallery.com.au
Over 45 artists on permanent display with a different featured artist each month...
December: Around The World
January: Kendall
February: Wayne Malkin
MONTVILLE ART GALLERY Open 7 days at 138 Main Street, Montville QLD 4560
www.montvilleartgallery.com.au
07 5442 9211 SALTMAGAZINE.COM.AU
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