Pictures With Deep Meaning

Pictures With Deep Meaning is an all-new solo exhibition and publication by Allan Gardner. The publication consists of (almost) every image downloaded to the artist's studio computer between the end of December 2019 and the beginning of July 2022. Presented in chronological order, the book depicts arks of research in Gardner's practice, showing the influence of different types of imagery and their contexts on the work produced. The chronology allows readers to chart the introduction of themes in the artist's work across painting, collage, sculpture, video and writing as they emerge - with particular reference points repeating and increasing in frequency in correlation to exhibitions. An example includes the imagery related to Gardner's duo exhibition with Jack Kennedy titled He Will Always Be My Son, shown in 2021 at Village.

The images in Pictures With Deep Meaning are presented without permission or any context outside of their use in the production of artworks. As a collection they represent a desire to communicate through the aesthetics of subculture, exploring the purpose of interpretation within contemporary culture. The publication and exhibition of the same name hinge on the notion that seeking objective meaning should not be the aim of interpretation, instead emphasizing interpretation as a tool for connecting with others through experience, circumstance and perspectives that help us to derive meaning.