Louise Reynolds’ drawings on wood board reference a multitude of issues, ranging from social inequalities and political misdeeds to conspiracy theories and tabloid gossip.
Her unique form of magical realism takes inspiration from trending news topics, blending razor-sharp social commentary with dreamlike imagery and art-historical motifs. The evocative titles of her works often reference specific news stories, but the artist intentionally obscures the original narrative, which may only be deduced by the most media-savvy among us.
The exhibition’s title, Once Bitten, Twice Shy, refers to the erosion of truth and trust in a populace who has grown jaded from being manipulated, misinformed and misled by those in power.
Reynolds reflects on the arbitrary way in which stories trickle through our collective consciousness: trashy clickbait coexists with serious world events – and may even receive greater attention. These works reference the bewildering oversaturation of our media landscape, in which meaning must be pieced together from fragments and truth is often obscured by a constant barrage of information.