Twenty Three
484 Presents
2023

Jacob Baglin’s recent paintings continue to exude a wonderful sense of place, building on his previous exhibition at Four Eight Four, which focused on a narrow strip of coastal vegetation, running between Pt. Nepean Road and Port Phillip Bay – now his discerning eye has turned to the urban landscape of Northcote, paying particular attention to the built environment in the vicinity of the High Street and Separation Street intersection.

Besides Jacob’s fascination with the way these built and fabricated structures have evolved and weathered, the abiding, over-riding concern is always with the possibilities of oil paint – and what can be achieved by pushing, coaxing and cajoling the materials into their essential forms and configurations.

To be present with these paintings, enables us to sense the artist's enthralling contest and “conversation” with both subject matter and materials, enabling the viewer to appreciate Jacob’s articulate brushwork, tonal shifts and richly textured surfaces – in turn granting us a deeper understanding of a complex landscape, which we might otherwise take for granted. 

BILL HAY