Fergus Binns, painter, was born in 1980 in Lismore, New South Wales. In 1999, he completed a degree in Design and Photography at Elwood College, Elwood and received a Bachelor of Fine Art in painting from the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA), Melbourne, in 2003. Binns has lived and worked in Melbourne and Osaka.
Binns’ paintings oscillate between play and criticality. Through the integration of iconography and a naïve style, his work explores the cultural landscape of Australia, particularly how it is remade as visual culture. In 'Work From Garage’ a solo exhibition held at the Chalk Horse Gallery, Sydney, in 2008, Binns presented a number of iconic scenes and tableaux from everyday Australian life as seen through the lenses of television and current affairs. Including Jetstar passengers in a queue, a shark attack, two kids starting a bushfire, and a six-stitcher, this series encompassed the imagery of an Australian summer tinged with a certain darkness, both paying homage to and undermining the image of Australia.
Binns has exhibited both individually and in group exhibitions. His solo shows include 'Missing Bushwalkers On Found Landscapes’ (2008) and 'The Wilderness’ (2007) at the Uplands Gallery, Prahran; 'Work From Garage’ (2008) and 'Fergus Binns’ (2007) at the Chalk Horse Gallery, Sydney; and 'Paintings’ (2004) and 'Galerie Vege’ (2003) at TCB art inc, Melbourne. Binns has also participated in the following group exhibitions: 'Problem Solving: Express Yourself’ (2009) and 'Revolving Doors: an exhibition in memory of Blair Trethowan’ (2008) at Uplands Gallery; 'Home’ (2008) at Lismore Regional Gallery; 'Man Depicting Masculinity’ (2008) at Penrith Regional Gallery; Group Show (2008) at Mori Gallery, Sydney; 'Primavera 2006’ at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney; Fallout (2002) at the VCA Gallery, Melbourne; and 'Line Up’ (2002) at Mansour Gallery, Melbourne.
In 2008 Binns won the Metro Art Award for a work entitled Mount Kosciusko with receding snow dome . In 2003 he won the Matthew Teleskivi Memorial Sculpture Prize. Binns’ work is held by Artbank and in a number of private collections.
- Writers:
- Chalk Horse Gallery
amyk
- Date written:
- 2010
- Last updated:
- 2011
