Decameron
Malcolm Smith 2020
Screen print on 300gsm paper, 100% cellulose
Artjog 2020: Resilience
Jogja National Museum
8 August – 10 October 2020
Decameron
September 19 – October 4, 2020
Newsagency Gallery, Sydney
This series of images is inspired by Boccaccio’s Decameron; a compilation of tales written in Italy during the “Black Death” plague in 1348. Like its namesake, there is nothing redemptive or hopeful in my version of the Decameron. These images provoke our fears of an invisible Other, exploit our insecurities about our bodies, and expose the fragility of both faith and science.
I started working on these images in January 2020. Initially there was no theme or plan, I just started working with images that popped into my head. As they evolved over the next few months, I was surprised firstly by how dark they were, and then later by how well they articulated my mood as Coronavirus crept closer.
I originally planned to exhibit this series at Krack in April, but the Coronavirus lockdown meant I never got a chance to print the works. When I was invited to show the work in ArtJog in August , Rudi Hermawan from Krack agreed to print the works for me while I watched via the internet from Sydney. Thanks also to Keppet, Reka and Eki for their assistance.
