SELF-TRAINED artist Brendan Lewis will reflect on the bamboozling pace of change in his debut solo exhibition, Hurt.

The Notre Dame graduate says it’s not just the over-50s that are feeling alienated by technology’s grasp on society.

“Our generation have a profound melancholic longing for aspects of our childhood,” he says.

“Because of the technological revolution, most of those things we grew up with have become obsolete and we’re now challenged to communicate and interact with each other in ways no one has before.

• A portrait from Hurt.

“I think that has a massive emotional impact on how we communicate about our feelings”.

Hurt will feature “figurative portraiture” (the study of human form and expression), poetry and installation.

Lewis is self-taught, so his style is idiosyncratic, but it’s gone down well with other artists and Joe public, and he was recently included in the 25 under 25 Fremantle council art exhibition.

“My work is predominantly watercolour, but also involves several mixed-media works, including poetry and installation,” he says.

“The main theme of the exhibition is to investigate the emotions associated with painful experiences, as well as how these emotions come forth and how we choose to express them”.

• Artist Brendan Lewis (right).

Lewis says some of the portraits in Hurt contain a surreptitious nod to graffiti art.

“To my understanding, the essence of graffiti isn’t to be exhibited in a formal setting, however, it’s important to reference in my work as it’s rooted in interpersonal communication and expression,” he says.

If you are interested in having a sneak peek of Lewis’ work before the exhibition, one of his portraits is in the Acai Brothers Superfood Bar on High Street.

Hurt is at Moores contemporary art gallery, Henry Street, from January 5-21.

by WILSON BELL