Joshua Petherick & Lewis Fidock
Photo: courtesy of the artists
Joshua Petherick
Australia born 1979
Lewis Fidock
Australia born 1988
Level 2
NGV International
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PROJECT
Illustrating the cyclical nature of life, these oversized leaves exhibit signs of ruin and decay. Their lifeless texture and detachment from soil and water evoke an unnatural representation of nature’s vital energy source. This juxtaposition prompts us to reflect on the ephemerality of matter and the inevitability of transformation over time. The natural decay of leaves plays a crucial role in the regeneration of life. As leaves decompose, they release carbon and enrich the soil’s structure and water-holding capacity. This process of decay ultimately nourishes trees and plants, supporting their future growth and vitality. In turn this supports insect and animal life, including that of humans. The work suggests that in nature there are no true endings.
ABOUT
Working predominantly between sculpture and installation, Lewis Fidock and Joshua Petherick’s collaborative practice engages in strategies of artifice to consider relationships between objects and time, the organic and synthetic, past and future. In parallel to their solo practices, their duo exhibitions include Make a Wish!, Asbestos, Melbourne, 2023; Otr, Robert Heald Gallery, Wellington, 2021; and Weevils in the Flour, Gertrude Contemporary, Melbourne, 2020. Major exhibitions include Future Eaters, MUMA, 2017; and the TarraWarra Biennale, TarraWarra Museum of Art, 2016; with forthcoming 2024 exhibitions in Milan and Tokyo.
Courtesy of the artists. Proposed acquisition, Victorian Foundation for Living Australian Artists
Courtesy of the artists and 1301SW, Melbourne