© Sean O'Carroll, untitled #1

This series explores the contradictions inherent in the bellicose play of boys: beauty with violence, innocence alongside aggression.  In these images we see the man latent within the boy, and wonder about the process of a lovable, fresh, beautiful, innocent, small male becoming everything we know men to be:  powerful, dangerous, conflicted, big, aggressive...and often still beautiful.  This series raises the questions about how we - as a society - nurture our boys.

When exhibited in Melbourne in 2010, "Boys, Guns, Etc?" sparked a controversy due to the depiction of "naked" children.  Later in the year an image from "Boys, Guns, Etc?" won the $10,000 Brunswick Street Gallery Picture This competition.  In July 2011, Sean will continue his exploration into the place of boys in contemporary Australian society with a new body of work entitled 'Ritalin'.  This will be shown at the Brunswick Street Gallery in Melbourne.

Official Opening Event on Friday 6 May, 6pm-8pm