Sydney based artist George Byrne uses his keen eye and finely tuned artistic sensbilities to spot some of the most beautiful images of art hiding in plain sight. He is able to create - through his photography, new perspectives on everyday situation and imagery that create feelings of deep satisfaction in the responder. We caught up with him in the wake of his recent exhibition at Woollahra's beautiful 'OLSEN gallery' in February.
Post Life, 2018
What inspires you?
When I spot something beautiful in the world. Good music. Good Art. Good people. Good light.
Gelson, 2018
What is your aim with your art?
Firstly to resolve why I’m drawn to what I’m drawn to visually, then produce a finished product that is as close to perfect as possible. Why do I feel compelled to do this? I have no idea.
Parking Garage, 2018
Have you got a favourite artwork or artist?
Right at this moment my art crush is Patricia Treib – look her up!
Pink Awning with Yellow, 2018
What is it that drew you to the style of art you do?
It’s a little hard to know, the path I took to get where I am was a windy one. I tried all sorts of things. There was a lot of trial and error. But looking back I can see an aesthetic through-line. I have always enjoyed composition and color. I was probably in part drawn to that by the artists I loved growing up; Mondrian, David Hockney, Richard Deibenkorn, De Kooning, Stephen Shore, Andreas Gursky…the list goes on. I also always saw photography as a creative medium no different to painting or drawing. Just another way to make marks on paper.
Desert Pit Stop, 2018
Can you explain a little bit about your process and how you take an everyday scene and turn it into something so lovely to look at? What exactly are you looking for in the spaces you shoot?
For my most recent series, I would look for ready-made vignettes of colour and form in the world around me, and then try and repurpose or reinvent them. By embracing the process of photo-assemblage or collage, these photographs have become creations as much as they are observations, hence the title; Post Truth
Bank of America #2, 2018
Would you rather: Have your own theme music when you walk or know the words to every song ever written?
I have my own theme music running through my head all day so I’d take the lyrics without question, that would be absolutely fantastic, you would be the hit at every party. I also think with the way things are going with AI and neural link having info uploaded into one’s head is not far off.
Peach Wall #2, 2018
East Hollywood, 2018
LEARN MORE ABOUT GEORGE HERE