Sean Bailey makes paintings that are instinctive and process-based. Although predominantly abstract, they concern the tension between individual agency, autonomy and determinism through a process of adding and subtracting layers of paint to found images to simultaneously obscure and form meaning. Sean employs ‘direct’ mediums such as collage and other lo-fi techniques to explore ideas of painting as an expression of agency, as well as analysing processes of transformation, renewal, decay and transcendence.
Sean has had solo exhibitions at galleries including: RM, Auckland; First Draft, Sydney; and in Melbourne at Neon Parc, West Space, T.C.B., Joint Hassles and Clubs Project Space. He has participated in group exhibitions at Gambia Castle, Auckland; Special, Auckland; Amsterdam Biennial; CAST, Hobart; and in many Melbourne spaces including: Sutton Project Space, Hell Gallery, Bus Gallery, Utopian Slumps, T.C.B. and Seventh. This year Sean has exhibited in Catching Trucks at Gertrude Contemporary and New Psychedelia at University of Queensland Art Museum. As a musician Sean is known for playing in groups including Paeces, Wasted Truth, Vivian Girls, Lakes and TAX as well as running the private press label Inverted Crux. He has a BFA (2005) from the Victorian College of Arts.
Union of Opposites - installation view
Photograph: Craig Burgess
Union of Opposites - installation view
Photograph: Craig Burgess
Union of Opposites - installation view
Photograph: Craig Burgess
Union of Opposites - installation view
Photograph: Craig Burgess
Chain
acrylic polymer paint and collage on board
34 x 36 cm
Photograph: Craig Burgess
Hail
acrylic polymer paint and collage on board
31.5 x 31 cm
Photograph: Craig Burgess
To Make Things Happen II
acrylic polymer paint and collage on board
29 x 21 cm
Photograph: Craig Burgess
Untitled
acrylic polymer paint and collage on board
29.5 x 30.5 cm
(right) Sean Bailey, Untitled, 2011 (catalogue no. 13)
acrylic polymer paint and collage on board
22 x 28 cm
Photograph: Craig Burgess
Glass Gift & Global Wyrd
acrylic polymer paint and collage on glass
30 x 30 cm
(below) Sean Bailey, Global Wyrd, 2011
acrylic polymer paint and collage on cardboard
32 x 32 cm
Photograph: Craig Burgess
Frozen Apex
acrylic polymer paint and collage on glass
30 x 42 cm
Photograph: Craig Burgess
Between the Worlds
acrylic polymer paint and collage on board
31.5 x 21 cm
Photograph: Craig Burgess
Spring Torch
acrylic polymer paint and collage on cardboard
30 x 24 cm
Photograph: Craig Burgess
Living Flower
acrylic polymer paint and collage on board
21 x 28 cm
Photograph: Craig Burgess
Watery Ledge
acrylic polymer paint and collage on board
36 x 36 cm
Photograph: Craig Burgess
Waking and Sleeping & Need-Fire
acrylic polymer paint and collage on board
35 x 32 cm
(right) Sean Bailey, Need-Fire, 2011
acrylic polymer paint and collage on board
30 x 30 cm
Photograph: Craig Burgess
Blood of the Grove
acrylic polymer paint and collage on board
31 x 26 cm
Photograph: Craig Burgess
Chain
acrylic polymer paint and collage on board
34 x 36 cm
Photograph: Craig Burgess
Cold Green
acrylic polymer paint and collage on board
29 x 29 cm
Photograph: Craig Burgess
Ex
acrylic polymer paint and collage on board
29.5 x 26.5 cm
Photograph: Craig Burgess
Hidden Human
acrylic polymer paint and collage on board
34 x 26 cm
Photograph: Craig Burgess
Soma Bath
acrylic polymer paint and collage on board
36 x 36 cm
Photograph: Craig Burgess
