Art has historically played a major role in socio-political commentary, while illustration was relied upon as a tool of visual clarification. Drew Bickford presents vivid, visual commentary as he transforms the grotesque into fantastical illustrations. Bickford’s fascination with the dark side of humanity results in malignant personas becoming transformed into visual conglomerations of animalistic obsession, pain and despair. A sense of monstrosity and deformity are morphed together with the all too real atrocities of true crime in the creation of malevolent entities rendered with a Renaissance like quality of draughtsmanship. 

Shirley Daborn
Penrith Regional Gallery