Untitled No.12

Alex Wisman is a contemporary artist based in Brisbane. Working primarily in acrylic and spray paint, his work explores identity, self, and subculture. Colour is at the forefront of Alex's works, stemming from his years as a dedicated graffiti writer. By removing built up layers of paint from legal graffiti wall sites across Brisbane, he methodically splits the layers of paint revealing colours stamped in time. 

Alex's work today draws on 20 years of traveling and painting the world, with his work featuring in exhibitions across Australia, Singapore, and London. Alex's years spent studying psychology have also shaped his practice, as he aims to create a deep emotional engagement with his portraits - a moment to reflect, inviting the audience to feel.

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This piece is an appropriation of Vermeer’s ‘Girl with a Pearl Earring’, part of a larger body of work I have been progressing for the past year. This painting’s significance is one of intrigue and mystery, questioning whether what we see is actually what we see. The portrait's composition was created using an entirely new technique - peeling off layers of paint from legal graffiti walls and gluing them together to create a mosaic. One piece can hold 10 years of history, encompassing layers of new colours and new shapes, with other elements paying testament to graffiti and the streets.