Voyager

Tim Storrier’s stamina for meticulous detail within his two-dimensional works has allowed his vision to be amplified within a sculptural realm. Storrier offers Voyager, which shares the title of his most recent body of work that debuted at Phillip Bacon Galleries in August 2022.

This is the first moment within the artist’s three-dimensional exploration that we see the outlines of flesh, although still obscured, a distinct outline of a nose and lips are present pushing through the face covering. When the face is masked, it immediately creates intrigue and a sense of mystery, allowing the work to be inserted into the interior landscape of one’s dreams and become universally relatable. Storrier’s enduring fascination for objects gives credence to the present work. A funnel, mug and satchel are slung over the torso while a shotgun, sword, suitcase and water camel are precariously affixed to the bulging pack on the figures back. A jerry can is carried in a gloved hand whilst a crumpled piece of paper is clutched in the other; all of which are cast in exceptional detail. The voyager is prepared, but for what? The collection of objects humorously alludes to the identity of the figure and permits a narrative to emerge in the absence of a face.

The idea of nostalgia is one that encompasses Storrier’s oeuvre. He references Stand Easy: After the defeat of Japan 1945 and a particular sketch entitled Raider – Two Studies by Ivor Hele (1912-93), one of Australia’s official war artists during the 1940s and 50s. As a child, Storrier was enamoured by these works and would copy them time and time again to finesse his understanding of the human form, although he notes he was never really any good at; how the times have changed. These childhood memories of war time sketches provide the foundation to the sculpture, acting as an anchor for his exploration into the relationships between oneself and the objects that surround them.

Clementine Retallack, BA, Sydney 2022