Leo Cussen

30 November 2005 - 12 December 2005

The work of Leo Cussen has been exhibited widely - from the National Gallery of Australia to the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Liège, Belgium. His work is a complex manifestation of conscious and subconscious expression. It is fresh and spontaneous but at the same time considered and deliberate. He is an artist of immense artistic energy who has an instinctive ability to capture the essence of his subjects.

Cussen draws much of his inspiration from Hollywood, Broadway musicals, Fred Astaire, and the Marx Brothers. He also has a fascination with Dr Who. His attraction to these subjects is borne from a longstanding interest in film and with aspects of popular culture. Cussen works almost exclusively in pastels. Using a workbook containing numerous movie stills and advertising bills as a source, he rigorously works and reworks his subject matter. In doing so he produces series of works that are in some instances investigational and in others highly resolved reinterpretations that contain the most insightful and delightful of nuances. His drawing of the tardis from the Dr Who series, with its accompanying text, "Dr Who a universe near you", is a witty example.

Leo Cussen shares a studio with a number of other artists. The studio, together with a gallery, operates as Arts Project Australia. This organisation is unique. It is dedicated to fostering the individual expression of artists with an intellectual disability. It encourages and promotes individual creative expression but, most importantly, does so within a broader spectrum of contemporary arts practice.

The studio at Arts Project Australia is a motivating and inspirational place. It is rich in energy. It is a place where individuality is respected and creativity nurtured.

Alongside Leo Cussen's exhibition is a selected survey of work by 32 other artists who currently share the studio. It is a testimony to great creativity and to the role of Arts Project Australia.

One of Leo Cussen's favourite subjects, and one that features in some of his works in this exhibition, is the 1942 Hollywood musical Holiday Inn. The unique atmosphere of the studio and the positive spirit it generates in others seems to resonate in the words of Irving Berlin in his song from the movie.

"If you're burdened down with trouble
If your nerves are wearing thin
Pack your load down the road
And come to Holiday Inn"

David Hurlston
Curator, Australian Art Exhibitions
National Gallery of Victoria

Australian Galleries
35 Derby Street
Collingwood VIC 3066
Gallery Hours: Mon-Sat 10am-6pm & Sun 12pm-5pm
Tel. (03) 9417 4303