Brain Explosion by Ewan McDougall

Ewan McDougall's exhibition Brain Explosions is on its way. Working with oil paint applied with brush, fingers, knife and at times direct from the tube, Ewan's sense of humour is evident in every painting and the palette is always visually demanding. His colourful male characters ride over social categorisation with joyful abandon and embrace the sheer wonder of being human, alive in a world sometimes ridiculous, often heart breaking but always scattered with moments that make us smile.

In the words of the artist:
'I prize colour, rawness, immediacy, and a good belly laugh.'
'I was an academic teaching Politics at Otago in the 1970s, but I was also a rock n roll drummer who spent many nights in pubs and I worked summers in Freezing Works.
I surfed with mates in Kakanui and on Otepoti's cold, powerful waves. I travelled wildly.
My paintings reflect the rollercoaster 'party animal' life which I led over 25 years.
In the body of the works and in the titles - they often use working class language, colloquialisms, rock lyrics and language colourful enough to match my palette.

There was manic excitement, but also brain explosions along the way, and I am a painter today because I put down the drugs and picked up a paintbrush in 1988.
After 36 years I'm grateful I still have my own creative 'brain explosions' and they are here now for you in the wonderful Railway Street Gallery.
A special thanks and love to my darling, the writer Sarah McDougall, without whom none of this happens.'

Ewan has works in public collections including: The University of Otago Auckland Centre Collection, The Dunedin Public Hospital Collection, The Selwyn Hall O.U. Collection, The Sir James Wallace Collection, The Centre of Contemporary Art Collection, The Aigantighe Gallery Collection, The Eastern Southland Gallery Collection and The Forrester Gallery Collection.

This is another show not to be missed with an Artists talk on Sunday March 17th at 2pm. All welcome.
Opening Event Sat 16th March 3-5pm
Exhibition Wed 13th March - Sat 6th April 2024.