Marcus Brightmore Exhibit @ Dust Temple

By Niall Roeder…

Currumbin’s Dust Temple is a creative alliance. The art gallery, creative agency, retailer and café, all rolled in one artistic space, has been described by collective magazine as an “up-and-coming incubator for the arts and culture scene on the Gold Coast”. Right on.

Hinge, the art gallery component of Dust Temple, is currently showing an exhibition from Brazilian artist Marcus Brightmore, as well as holding life drawing classes and slam poetry nights. This joint has their hipster game on point.

Brightmore’s exhibition, Heads, is a collection of psychedelic portraits of famous heads, the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Marilyn Monroe & Mona Lisa. His unique style and colour choice derives from his strange ability to find loud colours in subtle places, “I have this weird sense that I can see colour and shape from the simplest of things”, Brightmore explains, “especially when its in black and white”.

After seeing his works, you’ll understand his 6^th colour sense theory. His Steve Jobs has cheekbones highlighted with fluoro pinks and sunset yellows, and his Marilyn Munroe sports a blended turquoise complexion. And somehow he makes it all work.

He started painting people after his mate requested a portrait and since focussed on his take on famous heads. “My style is a result of everything I saw in my life. I had studied art in the past during my bachelor in photography and I still doing it”, says the Gold Coast based artist, “I just love to paint…it’s what I do best”.

Pop in for a coffee, check out the exhibition and if you see Marcus there, say G’day.

Treat yourself to something special while you’re at it. QT Gold Coast is just down the road and the place to stay on the Goldy.