Strobe

Sydney, 2010

Inspired by the vivid colours and pulsating symphony of electronic light displays, 'Strobe' is a retrospective glimpse at the warm summer nights of 2009, paying homage to the people, places and memories that define this era.

The body of work was created during a five-month artist residency at Newington Armory in Homebush, where a former military complex has been transformed into a cultural hub supporting artistic talent, community engagement and local heritage.

Studio space
Newington Armory

Newington Armory Artist Residency

Before its creative reinvention, Newington Armory served as a Royal Australian Navy armaments depot on the Parramatta River. Since opening its doors to artists, the estate has hosted residencies for hundreds of creatives from countries around the world, working across disciplines from painting to sculpture to sound.

Kevin undertook his residency in 2010, living on-site for the duration and working from a converted depot building, trading the isolation of a typical studio practice for one shaped by the estate's unusual history and surrounds. It was here that the raw materials of 'Strobe' first took form.

Antonio
2010
Acrylic, chalk pastel and Indian ink on plywood
135 x 110 cm

'Strobe' was exhibited at China Heights Gallery, a premier destination for Australian contemporary art and design. Established in 2004 as an independent, artist-run hub, the iconic third-floor space bridges fine art and subculture, acting as a launchpad for emerging and established talent alike.

Curated with a distinct, cross-disciplinary vision, the gallery captures the raw, collaborative energy of Sydney's creative underground while maintaining a prominent presence on the international stage.

Opening Night
China Heights Gallery, Sydney

Magic Karp
2010
Acrylic, chalk pastel and Indian ink on plywood
135 x 110 cm

Custom perspex framing
China Heights Gallery, Sydney

Learning How To Listen

"My painting style is heavily based on intuition and feeling. I never have a pre-planned aim or destination. I rely on my gut instinct and what feels right to lead me to the final composition.

I find myself saying, 'It wants me to go here', 'I need to push it up here', or 'It needs to be heavier over there'. My painting approach feels like I'm coaxing or wrestling the figure from the surface.

I really like the fact that I don't know what my images will end up as. There's always something new to discover at the end of the process."

— Kevin Tran

Exploration Of Space
2010
Acrylic, chalk pastel and Indian ink on plywood
135 x 110 cm

Exploration Of Space
Cake Wines, Pinot Noir

Cake Wines Collaboration

Cake Wines selected 'Exploration Of Space' to feature on the label of their Adelaide Hills Pinot Noir. The piece captured the winery's mission to bridge the gap between contemporary art and wine culture, with Tran's intricate, illustrative style transforming the bottle into a collectible piece of art.

Debuting as part of a major launch curated by Zé Studio alongside other prominent Australian creatives, the label helped solidify Cake Wines' reputation for replacing traditional, stuffy wine labels with vibrant local talent, laying the groundwork for their annual Archi-Bottle Prize.

Artists: Left to right
Mark Whalen (Kill Pixie), Beci Orpin, Kevin Tran, Hollie Martin

But I Can’t Shuffle In These Shoes
2010
Acrylic, chalk pastel, and Indian ink on cotton rag paper
64 x 84 cm

Rafiki, Baboon Of The Moon
2010
Acrylic, chalk pastel and Indian ink on plywood
82 x 104 cm

Kaleidoscope
2010
Acrylic, chalk pastel and Indian ink on plywood
135 x 110 cm

Shooting Stars
2010
Acrylic, chalk pastel and Indian ink on plywood
102 x 104 cm

Credits & Thank You

China Heights Gallery
Newington Armoury Artist Residency

Artist feature
International Contemporary Masters — Volume 5

International Contemporary Masters
Volume 5

The International Contemporary Masters series is a long-running, curated art anthology published by World Wide Art Books to showcase exceptional global talent. Launched in 2006 by curator Despina Tunberg, each large-format hardcover volume serves as a comprehensive visual encyclopedia of 21st-century art, cutting across geographical boundaries. Kevin's work was featured in Volume 5.

Presenting diverse disciplines, from painting and sculpture to photography, alongside artist statements and biographies, the limited-edition series functions as an international reference for collectors, galleries and art institutions.