Lucy Barker: Lifestyles of the Neither Rich Nor Famous. In the Art Factory

Lucy Barker, ‘Somewhere the Sun is Rising’ 2011 (detail), Polypropylene chair webbing on wooden frame, 120w x 90h x 8 cm

This major exhibition is a study in nostalgia and 1950s everyday life. Barker takes the iconic outdoor folding chair and vibrantly brings to life everything it has come to represent: family life, holidays, and summer barbecues with friends, sunshine, sprinklers, lazy backyards and post-war optimism.

 ‘On a basic level it is the bright colours and unusual colour combinations of the webbing that appeals. On a deeper level, the webbing conjures a range of feelings and memories to a wide range of people,’ she said.

 Inspired by the folding chairs cross hatch of colourful webbing, Barker weaves luminous landscapes spread across two levels of the Maitland Regional Art Gallery. The main work is a huge 2m-high x 6m-wide sunrise titled ‘There’s never been a better time’. Woven from vibrant vintage chair webbing it invites us to “seize the day” at the same time as celebrate the past.