Lily Platts

Free and For Sale

March 10, 2022

'The more I looked, the more I enjoyed the incidental compositions that were taken when trying to sell unwanted or unused items. They were dynamic and straight to the point, but I was fascinated by the life that the furniture led and the way that it told a story of the people behind the lense.'

This exhibition explores themes of the everyday interactions we have with objects. Consisting of a series of paintings, these works further my fascination with colour, shape and most importantly composition. After hours scrolling through facebook marketplace in the hopes that something would catch my eye, I became fascinated with the way I use this platform and my need to consume. I was drawn to the objects in these images; chairs, tables and any other random possessions that were going at a cheap price. The more I looked, the more I enjoyed the incidental compositions that were taken when trying to sell unwanted or unused items. They were dynamic and straight to the point, but I was fascinated by the life that the furniture led and the way that it told a story of the people behind the lense.


In previous work, I have been drawn to the way that chairs give a sense of the people that use them.  The way a chair is moved or pushed unconsciously forms a very natural composition that evokes the conversations that were had at a particular moment in time. This interest is further explored in this body of work  as I endeavour to capture these random compositions. Some images have been cropped haphazardly and others styled with every houseplant known to man. This gives me a sense of their value and of the life they have lived.  The contrast between the era of some objects and the platform they are displayed on is jarring, like  scrolling through a vintage household revived by modern technology. This is reflected whilst painting, as the initial source material works as a reference point that can  be changed, adapted and painted over as the work progresses and takes on new life.

LILY PLATTS, HIGH GLASS TABLE WITH CHAIRS, 2021, ACRYLIC ON CANVAS, 120 X 90CM

LILY PLATTS, LARGE ANTIQUE STYLE MIRROR, 2021, ACRYLIC ON CANVAS, 60 X 60CM

LILY PLATTS, ORIGINAL ORANGE HANIMEX DESK LAMP, 2021, ACRYLIC ON CANVAS, 76 X 76CM

LILY PLATTS, TASMANIAN OAK DINING CHAIRS, 2021, ACRYLIC ON CANVAS, 51 X 51CM

LILY PLATTS, VINTAGE MID CENTURY CERAMIC BASE LAMP BRONZE/BEIGE COLOURS ORIGINAL MATCHING SHADE, 2021, ACRYLIC ON CANVAS, 61 X 61CM

LILY PLATTS, VINTAGE RECLINER ARMCHAIR, 2021, ACRYLIC ON BOARD, 90 X 90CM

LILY PLATTS, WINDSOR STYLE HOOPED BACK DINING CHAIRS, 2021, ACRYLIC ON CANVAS, 152 X 101CM

Artist bio

Lily‌ ‌Platts‌ ‌is‌ ‌an‌ ‌artist‌ ‌based‌ between ‌Canberra and Bombala.‌ Growing‌ ‌up‌ in‌ rural ‌NSW. Platts‌ is fascinated with the everyday world around her and draws inspiration from rituals and interactions that are often overlooked in our daily lives.

Platts has exhibited in various group and solo shows, and was recently the recipient of the 2020 Brett Whiteley Travelling Art Scholarship from the Art Gallery of NSW after graduating with Honours from RMIT, Melbourne.

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