Kylie Duncan Art

Articles

In "An elemental life" Kylie Duncan has produced a series of fine abstract works. Using a largely muted palette of colours, the artist has created works which attempt to-in her own words-discover the meeting point between nature and industry.
The two dimensional pieces use acrylic as their basis, and are embellished with everything from corrugated plastic to sand. There is a personal language to the abstraction with several repeated motifs, notably the cross and the thin mirrored strip. In some of the works such as Element series XI, references to landforms can be readily discerned-specifically the otago landscape from which the artist draws inspiration.
Over the past few years Duncan has gone from atonal works to bold colours and has now stripped these colours back to a softened palette, with only occasional flashes of fiery red. The purity-or lack-of colour in these pieces has allowed the elements of form within the works to come to the fore.
The works are strong yet meditative and bear repeated viewing. For pure abstraction they pack a surprising punch, notably with the sombre Element X and gentler pieces like element XV.

James Dignan, ODT, October 29th 2009

Industry and nature elements in art
GALLERY De Novo is set to host local artist Kylie Duncan’s second ever exhibition. An Elemental Life, which is Duncan’s first exhibition in five years, opens at 5:30pm on October 23 and will run until November 5. Duncan is excited about the exhibition, which will include more than 15 paintings. “My work has evolved so much in the time I’ve been tampering away while I’ve had children. I’ve been looking forward to this for such a long time. It’s taken me a year to do these works. I Just thought it was time to get back out there so I put my mind to it and planned an exhibition. I’ve always painted, right through school, it’s always been a hobby and it’s only been in the last seven or eight years that I’ve been showing them.” Duncan describes her works as abstracts, merging industrial themes with nature, and said she was passionate about texture. She uses a wide variety of materials such as plaster, woven bamboo, paper, textiles, sand and a variety of metals including copper and stainless steel. The busy mother of three said while there were glimpses of her old style in the exhibition much of her work has evolved over time.
The Star, October 15, 2009