Australian emerging artist Joi Murugavell will unveil her first solo exhibition in seven years in Sydney from 29 April until 2 May 2022. The exhibition, presented by art advisor Sarah Birtles, will be held at Peach Black Gallery in Chippendale.  Titled Finding Mikey, the exhibition features 13 new works by the artist, including five ‘double-mattress-sized’ paintings, five collaged ‘toy paintings’ and a large-scale installation work that capture the spontaneity and humour of life.

Sarah Birtles, who represents the artist in Australia, says Murugavell has gained a strong following in Asia in recent years, exhibiting at major art fairs including ART021 Shanghai, KIAF Korea and Art Taiwan and presenting work with galleries in Taiwan, Korea and China.

Collage features strongly across the vibrant series of paintings by Murugavell whose works weave together stories collected from personal experiences ranging from phrases and symbols, to song lyrics, cartoons and childhood toys, which collectively invite deep contemplation and examination. The installation, featuring two figures; Mikey and Marisol Escobar, is inspired by Marisol’s Dinner Date, 1963, and extends the narrative of the paintings into three dimensional space.