Intrigued by the beauty of quieter moments in everyday life, Dane Lovett’s new suite of ambitious paintings magnify the unremarkable routinely passed by, through spotlighting shy flowers, ferns and wild plants.

Echoing art historic traditions of still-life and landscape painting, Lovett’s idiosyncratic and highly technical approach to painting takes on new meaning through restrictive palettes that play with positive and negative space. Although most recently applying his paint to aluminum and wood, for this exhibition Lovett returns to large-scale canvas formats that create an all-encompassing experience.

The title of the exhibition, Cool Water, variously references the sensorial triggers one has with the revitalising, healing and sometimes bracing e"ect of cold water. Plunging into the ocean on a hot day, the sensation of a cold drink running down your throat, or the iconic late 80’s Davido cologne, described as having the fresh fragrant notes of sea water, lavender, mint, rosemary, and coriander but with a reputation of being used in cloying amounts.

Created from snap shots collected on walks around Lovett’s home during the long COVID lock downs, Cool Water celebrates unassuming scenes of wild and domesticated flora, scaled as such to embrace the viewer in the gentle caresses of leaves, petals and fern fronds.