In 2013 Henry Jock Walker set off from his hometown of Adelaide and travelled clockwise in his HiAce van – a former electrician’s van affectionately named ‘Henrynetti’ – on a nine month intensive art exploration. The van, in addition to being a vessel for touring both nationally and regionally, became a compelling tool inviting: site-related exhibitions, workshops, performances and residencies. A roaming conduit for creative communication and interaction.

A much-loved automotive canvas for seven years, ‘Henrynetti’ ceased to operate in 2020. Entering its final phase as a storage unit, blanketed in a veneer of colour, sitting on his mother’s block, the van continued to safely hold an abundance of collected neoprene.

The month-long residency at STAFF ONLY has provided the opportunity to expand on an ongoing series of recent experiments by Walker. In his resulting exhibition, Dual Fuel, Walker makes use of found neoprene, alongside components of his van, carefully dissecting and assembling these raw materials, resulting in an inquisitive amalgamation of action and form.

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Henry Jock Walker is an interdisciplinary artist who lives and works on Kaurna Country.

Working across disciplines, his practice transmutes the energy of surfing and folds textiles, painting, printmaking, and performance to explore the possibilities of artmaking as a social connector. Responsive to place and available materials, Walker instigates creative encounters that are open to experimentation, process-oriented and collaborative. From car parks to galleries, be they temporary or ongoing collective endeavours, Walker has a commitment to exploring the creative potential of situations fostering inclusive environments as an artist, creative producer and mentor. Underscoring Walker’s artwork is a commitment to recycled materials, most notably the neoprene used in wetsuits.

Walker has exhibited regularly both nationally and overseas, travelling between Australia and Japan for the interactive surf and skate art project Little Penguin Cup, leading to Kintsugi Supermarket’ as part of Asia TOPA, Substation (2020). Walker is a founding member and director of performance collective The Bait Fridge. Walker is represented by the Egg and Dart Gallery, Thirroul, NSW.