With a plethora of incredible artistic and creative talent located throughout the Hinterland, the Open Studios Sunshine Coast Hinterland Arts Trail, from May 19-21, offers a unique insight into some of our region’s most vibrant artists and galleries.
Award winning figurative artist David Bongiorno has been exhibiting since 2004. With a practice that includes solo and collaborative work, David has enjoyed a diverse range of artistic mediums, however he predominantly expresses his talent through drawing, painting, and wearable art.
David said his creative journey started in early childhood, where he recalled his initial fascination pouring over medical textbooks belonging to his grandfather, and being utterly mesmerised by the intricate detail contained in anatomical drawings.
David said when he was around seven years of age, he still remembers the impact of seeing the 1800’s mythological painting ‘Ajax and Cassandra’ by Solomon J Soloman, which proved a seminal moment in his life; deeply igniting his interest, imagination, and lifelong appreciation of classical art forms, and compelling him to pursue the portrayal of the human figure ever since.
“Seeing this painting made me think why anyone would bother painting anything other than the human form?
Even at such a young age, seeing the dynamic of Cassandra reaching back and the way the artist captured the beauty of the body in motion deeply resonated with me,” David explained.
Many of David’s works feature his life partner and muse Sarah, and recurrent themes throughout his work explore the inherent, and sometime fleeting, glimpse of beauty in form and motion, as well as the decorative potential of the nude.
David’s work, often evocatively, communicates personal and intimate interpretations of his life and experiences, through beautifully captured imagery that speaks to audiences at an almost instinctive level of appreciation.
“Some of my work tells a story, however a lot doesn’t. I try to celebrate the beauty of the form and try and communicate that particular element I have found to be most intriguing or beautiful. I often do this by only showing part of the figure – as this is the part that resonates the most with me.
“I hope that by trying to capture this essence of what deeply moves me, I am able to communicate it so it will also resonate with the people who view it,” said David. He said he sees his creative process as an evolving journey, and in the last couple of years he has moved away from highly detailed work towards embracing a much more expressive style, basically trying to capture the same essence of beauty and captivation but at a more immediate, intuitive level. “My practice is evolving; I feel like as soon I have the aptitude; I’m driven to keep pushing myself to become more proficient. I need to learn more, and develop more clarity with practice.
“A commonality is my life experience, and the way I express and deliver my art is a way of processing my interpretation and understanding of the world around me; what is important and meaningful to me- to be able to share that with others, in a way that resonates with them, is a profound blessing,” said David. David will be setting up space at the Old Witta School on Saturday May 20-Sunday May 21, as part of the Open Studios Sunshine Coast event. To find out more about his work head to www.davidbongiornoart.com