Origin Born in Canberra, A.C.T.
Studied in Ballarat, Victoria.
Moved to Melbourne in 1993.
Now lives and works in Northcote, Melbourne.
Education
1991- 1996 Bachelor of Fine Arts (Painting)
Ballarat University
2001 Graduate Diploma of Education (Fine Art)
Melbourne University.
Solo Exhibitions
1997 'Surface Tension' Metro Gallery, Nth. Melbourne.
2000 'Simbolos Sagrados' Hogan Gallery, Collingwood.
2003 'Face-Up' Kick gallery, Northcote.
2004 'Dogmatika' Kick Gallery, Northcote.
2005 'Northcote Stories' Kick Gallery, Northcote.
2007 ‘Theatre of You & Me’ Kick Gallery, Northcote.
2008 ‘Batmania – Tales from a cold Melbourne studio.
Group Exhibitions
1993 Mural Project Ballarat Eureka Museum.
1995 'Emerging Rural Artists' State Library of Victoria.
1996 'Highly Strung' Ararat Gallery.
1996 'New Student Work' Contemporary Art Fair, Melbourne.
1997 'New Visions' Ballarat Fine Art Gallery.
1997 'Figures and Form' Mair St. Gallery, Ballarat.
1998 'Journey & Myth' Mair St. Gallery, Ballarat.
1998 'Re-View' Eltham Art Space.
1999 'Three' Eltham Art Space.
2002 'Inner Sense' Kick Gallery, Northcote.
2003-2008 ‘Kick Artists’ annual showcase exhibitions.
Prizes
1996 David Pratt Drawing Prize
1999 Warrandyte Youth Arts Award
Tim Vagg : A Background
Tim Vagg has made himself known in Melbourne and surrounds as a unique and dynamic artist and
musician, involving himself in creative projects as broad ranging as music festivals, film, theatre,
and comedy, but he is best known for his highly personal and successful exhibitions of his paintings.
Tim is also a qualified teacher and has shared his skills and knowledge with both secondary and
primary aged children.
Tim’s emotive work has found a home onto the walls of art collectors both nationally and abroad, and
has enjoyed the success of the last four of his solo shows being completely sold out.
Tim paints in a lyrical, gestural and narrative style that has a wide appeal to both young and old alike,
and part of the reason for this appeal is that the artist finds a way to make his narratives both universal
and personal at the same time. Tim’s work has been described as whimsical, sophisticated, naive,
childlike and emotive, also perhaps suggestive of the figurative work of Australian artists, Joy Hester
or Charles Blackman.
Some of Tim’s earlier work explored a more hard graphic street style, inspired by Melbourne’s strong
graffiti and stenciling art scenes. More recently however, Tim has been inspired by an appreciation of
the folk art painting of Mexico and it's celebration of colour, pattern and the everyday.
The artist continues his exploration and development towards a personal kind of 'Urban Folk Art'
language, that acts as a kind of narrative to express the simplicity and beauty of various reflective
emotional states.
Tim is currently working in the Australian Film and TV industry lending his skills and
vision to the Art Departments on HBO’s “THE PACIFIC” filmed here in
Melbourne at Melbourne Central City Studios, Docklands and on “CARLA CAMETTI P.D.”
for SBS Television, 6 Episode Crime Drama Series and “Saved” a telemovie for SBS.
Batmania - Tales from a cold Melbourne studio is Tim Vagg's fifth solo exhibition at Kick Gallery and represents his continued development of a personalised style of 'urban art.' As in his most recent exhibitions, Northcote Stories (2005) and The Theatre of You & Me (2007), Tim's vibrant 'stage-like' compositions are host to a cast of whimsical characters born out of the artists's dreams and inner world. Evoking a sense of chils-like innocence and inviting us to recall the wonder and awe of being read stories as children, Tim's pictures also incorporate insightful commentary on human emotions and the external world.
Tim's thoughtful and sophisticated visual language allows us to explore an inner innocence and at times recognize an ever-present menace through the symbol of of bats that cut into his playful scenery. Through this representation of a duality of life's experiences we are offered an escape from the bluntness and banality that often creeps into modern life while still being conscious of the challenges and difficulties of existence and the everyday.
"As a child I was fascinated with dioramas and used to make my own little villages out of cardboard boxes and act out little plays, as if they were a mini-theatre...these paintings are kind of snapshots of these dream dramas and act as a kind of notebook of the everchanging characters that inhabit my internal enotional theatre."
"I think, the bats in my paintings are used to contrast the sense of innocence in the naive and colourful ornamentation and decoration of the backgrounds, and evoke a sense of the darker parts of the heart, infusing into the works a menacing quality."
The prevalence and the symbolism of the bats represent universal themes but also have relevance to the artist' sense of place and identity, living in the multi-cultural metropolis of Melbourne.
"The bat embodies a kind of emotional power or feeling that is very Melbourne to me. They are foreigners but have made their home here. i have come to love them, their eerie gliding across our backyards at night has always been a mysterious yet reassuring to me."
While the symbolism and subtle messages are evident in Tim's new work, many viewers will be focused primarily on the artists rich and decorative use of paint and his creation of this world of unique people and places.
Tim draws influence from numerous Art styles, including Street Art and Naive Art, as well as, the plano-graphic compositions and decorative ornamentation of Mexican, Latin-American and Romanian folk art styles. Tim also quotes influences as diverse as, Australian artists; Joy Hester, Andrew Sibley, Reg Mombassa and Michael Leunig, to the Austrian symbolist painter, Gustave Klimt, Brazilian graffitti artists, Os Gemeos, to Americans, Andy Kehoe and photographer Diane Arbus, to British painter and filmmaker, Dave Mc Kean.
Compiled by Jake Hoerner, Director Kick Gallery 239 High St. Northcote 3070.
Timmie!!! I am good brotha! I am in Palma de mallorca in Spain drinki Sangria a crushing scooters all most down a fuckin cliff!!! As long as it could give you a good laugh and I amstill alive it;s ok!
yep the thingy is right..although i was cooking in the kitchen:dutch potatoes and cauliflower.. i didnt ring you yesterday i thought you may be recovering too much! it was a fun hopesttparty..see you on thursday for los amates mexicana?! x
Come to my new exhibition,"HIDE". Opening 7-9 pm Thurs May 29. Runs May 28 - June 14. Kick Gallery 239 High st. Northcote Vic.Aus. Open wed- fri 12-8pm sat 12- 5pm
Happy Birthday, you disco dumpling! I shall be in town in a few days... I hope to catch up with you. May your year be filled with creative abundance and positive prosperity. XXXOOO
Timmmmmyyyy!!! Single life is fuckin' awesome, but God bless the ladies anyway! Miss you,the kidz and the land of downunder. Thinkin' to take a trip to Europe yet?
no/yes/no its a lego and shufti mixedup mash up and they became cats in space..they have their own television show in Russia and they have asked me to be their manager! misty is a bit upset as she really wanted a career in showbusiness too..we are working on her profile and background at the moment!
