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Caroline Zilinsky's paintings freeze pivotal moments in our culture's history, encouraging us to reflect upon our times, whether it's the absurdity, the horror or the humour.
At the risk of being labelled a conspiracy theorist, she's attracted to the dilemmas brought on by the internet era and shines a light on the things that trouble most of us: our loss of privacy, shortened attention, a heightened focus on appearance,  a growing indifference to human suffering and the increasing power assumed by tech giants.
Her paintings often depict a political or social narrative and although she accepts some are too confronting to hang above the sofa, there's something about the levity in her use of line, colour and form which invites us to venture into the darker corners of our culture, causing us to linger and question.
Caroline is also well known for her portraiture and landscape painting. She won the Portia Geach Memorial Award portraiture prize in 2020 (the same year she won the Evelyn Chapman award) and has been a finalist in many others including the Archibald and Darling portrait prizes.
This interview took place at the mid-career survey show of Caroline's work 'Exquisite Cadaver' at the University of Newcastle Gallery. Curated by Gillean Shaw, it was a collection of 40 stunning works spanning over 2 decades. The interview was also filmed and I'll be posting a video, including footage from the exhibition and Caroline's studio, on the TWP YouTube channel in the coming weeks.
Feature photo:  Phillip Antonio Lemos

Caroline Zilinsky on Instagram
Caroline Zilinsky at Nanda\Hobbs
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Loading Dock interview
My AGNSW Artists in Conversation interview with Caroline
Ceal Floyer

'Kubla Khan'2022oil on linen107 x 106.7 cm

'Exquisite Corpse'2024Oil on linen

'For Whom the Bell Tolls' 2023oil on linen138 x 138cm

'Faceless The Congressional Hearing of Mark Zuckerberg' 2020oil on linen122 x 122cm

'Man of Few Words'2020Ink on AGNSW archive manila folder30 x 21cm (paper size), 60 x 47cm (framed size)

'Somewhere Over the Rainbow' 2023Oil on linen112 x 122cm

'Plastic Fantastic', 2023oil on linen56 x 62cm

'Refract Back', 2023Oil on linen112 x122 cm

'Too Long; Didn't Read (Universal Declaration of Human Rights)'2023Oil, Oil Stick and Digital Configuration on Canvas97 x 87cm

'Me and Ellie', 2004-2005oil on linen 71 x 454.5cm'My Brother Adrian' oil on linen72.5 x 54cm