Belonging: Rohan Light
25 August – 11 September 2022

Rohan Light thematically explores the concept of ‘Belonging’ within his small-scale portraits of past football players, contained within aluminium cans. Influenced by religious iconographic portraiture, Light draws a connection between belief systems and sport. Such a sense of belonging is further symbolically contrasted through the distinct individuality of each portrait.

Rohan Light has privately practiced art for thirty-five years, recently producing small-scale hand drawn portraits of past football players, using pencil and oil pastel on paper, along with card and wood, contained within readymade aluminium cans. 

Light’s work contrasts multiple conceptual ideas. Throughout his practice Light has explored religious iconographic portraiture, intending to subtly monumentalise his subjects, whilst drawing a unique connection between belief systems and sport. This connection originates from Light’s perception of idolisation through witnessing football fans loyally supporting their favourite players and teams. By positioning each player to be viewed as a higher entity, Light challenges that sport can be associated with art, whilst also contrasting today’s modern world with spiritual belief systems. However, despite this assertion of importance, a deeper level of individual vulnerability exists within the soft expression of the facial features, emotionally characterising personal depth, further allowing a subjective connection to each portrait. 

Having moved throughout Australia his entire life, Light holds no sentimental connection towards any one place, searching for belonging within his work instead. This is symbolically explored within football’s team culture, as each player’s uniform provides a visual code of group belonging. The small-scale dimension of each work intends to provide a precious personal quality, whilst also enabling portability to re-emphasise Light’s own transience. 

Opening event: Friday 26 August, 6 – 9pm

Image: W.Mahoney, Rohan Light, 2021, oil pastel, pencil, paper, and aluminium, 9x9x2.5cm.