Brad Novak aka New Blood Pop - Exhibition -'Begin Again'
Sat 18th Nov to Wed 29th Nov 2023
Venue: CR Exhibit Space, 24 Wharf Road, Coromandel Town, NZ
For more than 15 years Brad Novak (aka New Blood Pop) has been placing meaningful quotes into his paintings. Through well-known sayings, or self-composed phrases, he is commenting on the trials and tribulations of living life whilst growing into your own skin.
There are several quotes that have profound meaning (to him personally) that he still utilises to this day. None more so than ‘Begin Again’ which comes from the oeuvre of a celebrated American poet:
“You may do this, I tell you, it is permitted.
Begin again the story of your life.”- Jane Hirshfield
This quote references Novak’s pivotal exposure to the creative world after a visit to the Tate Modern in London whilst on his OE at the turn of the century. That lightning-strike-type-event sparked his desire to become an artist… from that day onwards he was creatively and intentionally ‘beginning again’ so to speak.
There is also a connection to the perennial challenge of creating. Each time an artist faces an empty canvas, or board, they must choose to begin again. And more generally, each day we wake up we are quite literally recommencing our lives.
Philosophically, Novak believes we have more power than we realise. And that even in each small moment of our lives we have the power to choose a new path. But he is the first to acknowledge that this is often easier said than done!
Novak’s latest solo show - Begin Again - is a culmination of him choosing repeatedly to start, to persevere, to find meaning in the work… and he ‘never’ plans to stop.
