The complexity and contradiction of today’s society interests the Ashburton-based artist known as Bobby Kurb. Kurb combs through its metaphorical alleyways, deploying colour and material to poke beneath the veneer of modern life that obscures the darker realities of our current moment. The disruptive political impulse of much street art and graffiti, and the wry liveliness of pop art is evident in this recent body of work.

Kurb’s practice is characterised by an enthusiastic embrace of a variety of media. Comments on present global issues are declared in liberally splashed paint, eccentric characters and incisive critique. It is often said that art holds up a mirror to society. By analogy, this exhibition takes a walk in a funhouse hall of mirrors that reflect images distorted through the filter of contemporary media. They echo some aspects of our world that the forces that shape it would rather remain hidden, but also provide solace and hope in unbounded creativity.

Main image: Bobby Kurb, Epiphany I, 2025, acrylic on canvas. Image courtesy of the artist.

Left Image: Bobby Kurb, Blue Plastic People, 2025, 3d printed plastic, automotive spray pant. Image courtesy of the artist.