While the exhibition features the bright and eclectic paintings audiences have come to expect from Withey, there is a notable shift in his focus. Prompted by a return to study and mentorship with acclaimed contemporary Melbourne-based artist Richard Lewer, the exhibition explores animism and the relationship between humans and nature.

Through his practice, Withey is reacting and responding to his environment, creating snippets of what’s going on in his immediate world but also the wider universe. He has always been fascinated by the everyday, often making the ordinary strange and this is evident in this latest body of work. Audiences will notice the many eyes watching as you wander through the gallery. Withey is animating things by giving them eyes – the wind, the mountain and even the gallery wall – to suggest the universe is always watching us.

Pairing with Lewer as part of the Guildhouse Catapult Mentorship Program has helped Withey refine his practice. Withey’s paintings often contain a juxtaposition of scale, strong colours, and detailed patterning. Using clean lines and fine detail, Withey’s compositions are complex and explore spatial rather than pictorial or geometric techniques of representation. Withey believes the mentorship has influenced his recent work enabling him to loosen up and allow things to flow rather than being controlled all the time.

Withey was born in Birmingham England in 1986. After migrating to Australia in 2004 he studied for a Bachelor of Visual Communication (specialising in illustration) at the University of South Australia. Withey graduated in 2007 with the Design Institute of Australia’s Student of the Year award in the graphic design category but went on to carve out a career in the visual arts, mostly focused on painting.

While Withey has had a successful career, he always felt something was missing. This led him to return to study and undertake his Masters, which is when he began exploring animism. Animism is the belief that objects, sacred places, animals and natural phenomena are all spiritual beings and have a soul. This research has informed this latest body of work.

Withey is particularly interested in the view that humans are in some way removed from or superior to the natural world and the destructive effect this is having on our planet.

“I am trying to challenge my existing notions, my Western upbringing, trying to recognise that I am not better than anything else. I’m just a part of the web of life with everything else,” explains Withey. “We are weirdly special but not special at the same time.”

The interconnection between humans and the environment is central to the notion of animism. Paintings such as The awakening of the enchanted universe, encapsulate this idea.

“Children have a perception that the universe is magical and I want to portray that,” says Withey. “I want to reanimate the universe to be alive. There is a theory that the universe has created everything in it to experience itself. If we weren’t here it wouldn’t be able to do that.”

In the back area of Praxis is ‘The Blue Room’ where a number of Withey’s monograph prints are on display. The quick process of printmaking attracted him to the medium as a contrast to his paintings. There can be a lot of pressure making a large painting whereas these prints are a quick immediate response and an easy way for Withey to express his ideas.

Followers of Withey’s work will not be disappointed as Finite Bounty possesses the whimsical and humorous vibe audiences come to expect from the artist. However, his work has a newfound cohesion and focus as Withey delves deeply into animism and offers insight into the meaning of our existence.

Dan Withey: Finite Bounty is at praxis ARTSPACE until October 7.

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