‘Bated Breath’ implies a sense of anxiety or suspense for an occurrence which may be anticipated but not necessarily understood in advance. Hopkins use of this idiom to overarch his latest body of work relates to the range of unfamiliar, unexplained and mystical phenomena depicted, and their common ability to evoke liminal states of consciousness.
Hopkins has produced a suite of paintings that depict the incongruous dual meanings of ‘breath’; its calm sense and conversely its erratic, huffing and snorting. In connection with his paintings, Hopkins has also produced a number of sound recordings involving vocal loops, processed breath, and various musical sounds.
Gallery 9
Until December 22, 2012
Sydney
Clown on pipe, 2012, acrylic and oil on canvas, 84 x 91cm
Courtesy the artist and Gallery 9, Sydney
