This exhibition/publication ‘The Agreeable Surface’ curated by Dr Tarn McLean and Dr David Akenson surrounds a discussion of artists Gilbert Hsiao, Emily Kngwarreye and John Aslanidis.  Despite the curators PhDs both based in heavily philosophical issues surrounding painting, they are, through this publication/exhibition now making a new call. They are proposing that the surface of a painting should be able to be considered without any knowledge of the heavy theoretical painting history that has come before it (although they flag if as of course important), proposing that the viewer finding themselves liking the surface of the painting is enough.

Below is a fragment of the talk/discussion that occurred at the opening. It gives a hint of the rigorous wild discussions that Tarn and David engage in.  As Tarn explains in the video and in an earlier post, these exhibitions are a result of these discussion. This exhibition is a part of a series of five exhibitions and publications called ‘Paintingontopofitself’. ‘The Agreeable Surface’  is the second exhibition/publication after ‘Painting as Palimpsest’ in 2015. If you would like a copy of this earlier publication please write to us at raygun@raygunlab.com.