Reveling in the idea of wasted youth, Australian artist Anthony Lister brings a punk rock approach to abstract painting. In his latest body of work for his upcoming solo show, “Unslung Heroes,” held simultaneously at Lazarides‘ The Outsiders Newcastle and London locations, Lister paints figures with a 19th-century Bohemian flare, channeling the hipsters of past centuries in his exploration of partying, vice and disillusionment. Originally a street artist, Lister brings a spontaneous approach to his canvases, combining spray paint with charcoal, acrylic and oils. The new paintings delve deeper into his previous line of interest in subverting the superhero, speaking to a generation of mixed values and misguiding role models. “The characters in ‘Unslung Heroes’ are the products of those bad role models,” Lister described. “Also this whole show is about people without super-powers who influence us. Super-heroes are just people in costumes after all.” Take a look at some of the works in “Unslung Heroes” below.
