Hush

Having extensively explored Europe, Asia and America, it is not surprising that travel and the exploration of culture are at the centre of Hush’s artistic philosophy. An amalgamation of international influences present themselves on his canvases, and Japanese geishas and Russian Babushka dolls feature heavily in this latest series, ‘Sirens’: the artist’s first solo exhibition in Australia.

The artist’s multinational approach to street art is connected to a new wave of street artists splattering the world over with trademark designs and identifiable subject matter.

The artist’s boldly coloured geishas can be seen in New York, San Francisco, and across Europe. The notion of ‘East meets West’ has become synonymous with the artist’s work, which goes further than the visual metaphor: in a recent interview with Parisian street artist Blek le Rat, Hush explained, “Asia was an extremely important influence on both my life both philosophically and visually. The way the East, especially the youth, adopt Western styles and cultural influences but struggle with holding onto traditional values is of interest to me and my work.”

Hush offers a delicate, more sensitive approach to the traditionally hard-hitting art form. His geishas embody the beauty of the female form; depicted nude or casually draped in vibrant, contemporary takes on the kimono. Heavy make-up adorns these geishas faces, paying homage to traditional Japanese culture. Energetic hair ornaments gracefully frame their face and scarlet-coloured lips add embellishment to otherwise monochromatic features.

These ornamental headpieces, along with the bold, design-clad robes are also a nod to the past: geishas have always worn colourful kimonos when entertaining clients. A noteworthy comparison can be made between the transformation of the Japanese geisha, and that of the street art genre.

In ancient Japanese history, the role of the geisha was born out of poverty. Adopting this role, which commonly incorporated prostitution, was a means of making money in low socio-economic groups. Today, the geisha serves the elite, and the role itself is considered well within Japanese high-society.

Street art’s transformation from the wall-bound statements to gallery works on canvas appears to have followed a similar transformative course. For Hush, graffitied streets are an ever-evolving piece of art. Artworks are tagged and painted over, a layering effect that the artist has emulated in the backgrounds of his works on canvas. The artist told Blek le Rat, “I love the transient way in which work on the street evolves and usually looks more at home the longer it settles, gets going over, degrades and fades. I try to create all these actions and mistakes in the studio.”

By reinterpreting the ever-changing colours and degradation of city walls in his backgrounds, the artist aligns his work with the streets, resulting in a rare form of street art imbued with permanence.

- Flora Southey