Local gay artist John Knapp will exhibit later this month at the Incinerator Arts Complex in Moonee Ponds.

Titled appropriately Recent Works, Knapp uses this latest series of paintings to explore tribes and subcultures within community groups.

His stated aim is to capture the "tragically beautiful and the beautifully tragic" in the world around us.

 "With the clusters within our communities, is there such a thing as a majority any more?" says Knapp. "Realistically, we are all part of a minority group. I am trying to understand others through their self-portrayal and hopefully, this in turn will educate others."

Knapp's first solo exhibition was in Brisbane in 2000. Titled Fragments of Class that show featured large acrylic works using painted layers of black and white images and vibrant primary colours. He has since exhibited in Sydney and Melbourne (Jackman Gallery, St Kilda) using a variety of mixed media.

As he explains, "I've taken hundreds of individual pieces of opulent wallpaper and woven them, before covering with shellac to give them the aged look of richly woven, historic tapestries".

Incinerator Arts Complex
180 Holmes Road, Moonee Ponds
June 25 - July 13
Details: 8325 1750
www.johnknapp.com.au