These Are a Few of My Favourite Things is a solo exhibition by Sydney-based artist Chesca Athas. Presenting a series of artworks, Chesca memorialises her favourite ‘things’ in coloured pencil, breathing life into the mundane and ordinary through her realism works on paper. With a blend of precision and relevance, Chesca captures the essence of everyday objects influenced by pop culture and contemporary trends.
In today's over commodified world, ‘things’ are often marked by commerce and consumption – but ‘things’ also carry their own significance. For Chesca some of those things include a greasy McCheese burger, a pair of worn-in tabis, and her beloved yet slightly uncanny stuffed toys. Constantly influenced by her surroundings, as well as by contemporary artists Leidy Churchman and Mathew Cerletty who similarly explore commercial tableaux and everyday items, These Are a Few of My Favourite Things is a treasure trove of random and eccentric objects, foods, and even Chesca’s cat Luca, offering audiences an insight into the artist and her practice.
Flirting with hyper-realism, Chesca instead injects a playful candour into her drawings that brim with a more painterly quality. Whilst outside of traditional art historical methods, coloured pencil drawing has, in more recent years, become widely admired. From the likes of Annie Pootoogook to CJ Hendry and Eric Yahnker, coloured pencils offer both a naivety and innocence whilst formally predicating precision and detail.
Dedicated to a medium that she is quickly becoming recognised for, These Are a Few of My Favourite Things is an extension of Chesca’s previous artistic work, whilst also establishing a new direction for the artist. After starting her BFA at COFA, she has gone on to fashion her own artistic style, showcasing her work both online and through notable collaborations with much-loved brands such as Tiffany and Co, Venroy, In the Round House and Alemais - to name a few. These Are a Few of My Favourite Things is Chesca's first exhibition.
Opening night Friday July 26th
6 - 8pm
Trading daily from 12pm - 5pm