Gian Manik

In May and June 2024, Gian Manik visited Perth and was confronted by the potential threat posed by the invasive shot hole borer to Perth’s much-loved inner-city sanctuary, Hyde Park.

Sentimental about the location and in response to the announcement of the proposed removal of 126 introduced trees in the park, Gian set about capturing the park’s beauty and serenity on canvas.

Comprising 30 individual panels, the work is a compendium of the park’s history over several layers - the painting depicts flora that existed pre-settlement, in its early years of planting, its current glorious wonder and speculative future plantings as proposed by a Noongar botanist.

Gian Manik’s paintings are virtuosic in style, evocative in palette and based on deep research. He is a highly acclaimed painter, combining representation and abstraction on small and large-scale works that vibrate with emotional and compositional intensity.

Born in Perth in 1985, Gian completed a Bachelor of Fine Art (Honours) at Curtin University in 2007 before moving to Melbourne to complete a Master in Fine Art at Monash University in 2012.

Gian has presented solo exhibitions at Gertrude Glasshouse, Melbourne; Artereal, Sydney; FORM, Perth; Sutton Gallery Melbourne, and Sumer Gallery Auckland NZ. He has presented works in groups shows at Gertrude Contemporary, Melbourne; Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide; Australian Centre of Contemporary Art (ACCA), Melbourne; Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA), Sydney; and the Art Gallery of Western Australia, Perth.

Gian is represented by Sutton Gallery, Melbourne: https://suttongallery.com.au/artists/gian-manik/