By Any Means

Scieppan Gallery in Darlinghurst, Sydney, will soon host By Any Means, the latest exhibition by multidisciplinary artist Dominic Willkom, running from December 7 to December 20, 2024. Born in 1989 in Sydney, Willkom’s journey from the corporate world to full-time artistry is marked by resilience and creativity. With a primary focus on creating vibrant paintings using oils, acrylics, and pastels on canvas, he has recently expanded his practice to include sculpture and installation. His unique style blends technical skill with playful, story-like images inspired by cartoons, anime and graphic art.

Willkom shares that the title By Any Means reflects his journey to becoming an artist: “As a young boy, I always knew I wanted to make art, but the road to get here has been long, filled with ups, downs, roadblocks, and detours. The title is a nod to that child’s dream and the mindset I had to adopt—no matter what it takes, ‘by any means necessary.’” The exhibition is rooted in his life experiences, with his emotions and states of mind often dictating the stories he tells visually. Each piece, though unique, reflects a consistent theme that binds the collection together.

As a Filipino Australian, much of his work is seen through a Southeast Asian cultural lens with influences ranging from Vincent Van Gogh to contemporaries such as David Choe. He is particularly inspired by anime filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki, who is able to tell emotionally heavy stories in a way that is easy to digest for both adults and children. Willkom aims to infuse a similar depth and accessibility into his own work, sharing stories through his art in a way that is both thought-provoking and visually compelling.

Before fully embracing his path as a full-time artist, Willkom spent over a decade working in a corporate environment before stepping away to look after his mental health. He was later presented with an opportunity to pursue art through a joint venture with friends in the crypto and NFT space. While finding great success, the pull to traditional art was too strong to ignore.

After receiving a grant from the Blacktown City Creative Arts Fund, Willkom now works out of Monster Mouse Studios in Marrickville. With access to new resources and a larger work space, he has made remarkable and rapid progress and is determined to continually grow in his practice and expand the limits of his creative work.

In the last month alone, Willkom’s work has been showcased in multiple group exhibitions, including PRESSED by Arthouse Selective in Melbourne, Australia and he has recently been recognized as a finalist in the 2024 Blacktown City Art Prize for the second year in a row. By Any Means will be Willkom’s first solo exhibition, offering viewers the chance to experience works that combine playful abstraction with thoughtful introspection and evoking emotional resonance.