From 12 – 28 August, Gemma Cuneo, recent Honours graduate from the Sydney College of the Arts, will be transforming the Japan Foundation Gallery into a temporary dwelling place for her contemporary version of the obakemono, spirit-possessed creatures or monsters, evoked from their hidden worlds with an imperative warning for us all. They are a new breed that surround and haunt our routines, intangible, ever-present yet easily dismissed.

Cuneo in her first solo exhibition cleverly adopts the prevalent quirks and issues that blight society by personifying them into modern obakemono that haunt us today. Her creations serve as stark reminders of the imperfect world we live in, and physically demonstrate before us the ramifications of daily human activity on the environment and ourselves.

The centrepiece, the Pokémori,is an amalgamation of the words ‘pocket’ and ‘mori’ (Japanese for ‘forest’), literally meaning ‘pocket forest’. It is an obakemono that embodies the schizophrenic attitude humans have towards the natural world. Another three smaller obakemono will also be making an appearance during the exhibition, each with their own concern and message for today’s inhabitants.

Cuneo herself will be available to meet the public on Saturday 22 August from 11am – 4pm at the Japan Foundation Gallery.

Urban Ghosts is the last instalment of the Facetnate! exhibition series for 2009, a new artist program designed to support emerging artists. Other finalists include Pip & Pop and Andrea Innocent who have already exhibited in earlier months.

Gemma Cuneo (NSW)

Sydney-based Gemma Cuneo grew up with the love of nature, videogames and drawing.

A visit to Japan in 2007 introduced her to the obakemono, inspiring a range of works that explore mysterious themes of mythology. In 2008, Gemma designed the book cover of the Sydney College of the Arts Degree Show catalogue, and completed her Honours in B. Visual Arts (Sculpture).