“Life Elsewhere: Foreign Bodies and Social Landscapes”
Penelope Aitken
29 Oct → 13 Nov 2004

Penelope Aitken presents Life Elsewhere: Foreign Bodies and Social Landscapes.

The subject of these paintings is dislocation. The images are derived from photographs taken by artists in foreign countries which capture instances of surprise or wonder. Translated into paintings, they revealed states of transition and the fleeting, liminal moments when identity and difference come into focus.

Aitken’s practice is thematically driven by friendships, romantic liaisons, genealogy and cross-cultural exchange. In 2000, she undertook a three-month Australia Council Studio Residency at the National Institute of the Arts in Taipei. Having managed a similar program for several years, the experience of being on a residency was significant and influential. Four years later it has become the basis of Life Elsewhere: Foreign Bodies and Social Landscapes.