HAMILTON.- Award-winning Papamoa-based artist Alex Miln announced two upcoming exhibitions in New Zealand, which will showcase his unique 3D sculptural art pieces, which combine a clever play on form, function and medium with a dash of satire.

From 12 August - 14 September, Alex will be showcasing his ‘Signs Fiction’ exhibition at the Soul Gallery in Hamilton. The works within the exhibition question how Americana popular culture has seeped into New Zealand and helped to shape Kiwiana pop culture.

Alex says, “Kiwiana didn’t develop in isolation, it was inspired by American popular culture, which has slowly infiltrated our society. While we have our own perceptions about our own iconic imagery, the works that I’ve created ask us to put aside our own perceptions and look under the rug to uncover the full story, even if it reveals an inconvenient truth. With my works, my aim is to shine a light at the issues and topics that people often wish to ignore, helping to encourage a debate regarding the origins and myths that exist behind our popular culture in New Zealand.’

Alex’s complex and provocative pieces, which are constructed with plywood and aluminium, are painted with up to 13 layers of paint to create the illusion of an aged patina. Topics that feature heavily in his retro-inspired works include politics, religion, and his take on Americana. Common subjects depicted within his works include American diners and motels, automobile references, and churches.

The Signs Fiction exhibition contains 13 striking works created by Alex, all of which have been cleverly created within a tight budget.

Alex said, “Given that funds were limited, it restricted our ability to use neons, so instead we used paint to create our own iconic imagery.” Pieces within the exhibition include: Siesta Motel, Masonic Hotel, Milburn’s Meat, Paramount, Comet, Mr. Whippy, Urban Valhalla, 4 Square, Watt Up, Tip-Top, Gaytime, Bushells, and Marmite.

Alex’s second upcoming exhibition, which follows hot on the heels of Signs Fiction, is ‘Full Circle 12 Years of The Miles’, which will be held at Tauranga Art Gallery from 19 August - mid October. For this exhibition, Alex was only able to submit once piece, so he chose to submit 'Left Right Out', which questions persistent conceptions around what Democracy is and isn’t, largely due to perceptions gained from social media.