Don’t groan! TIME • RONE is the most profound exhibition to be held at The Art Gallery of Western Australia (AGWA) in the last twenty years. Woke haters, like Dispatch’s own misguided Sam Beard, have dominated critical discourse, but if the opening weekend is any indicator, Rone’s latest exhibition is a popular success. Walking into the show is like falling into a dreamscape; only exceeded by closing one’s eyes and letting oneself be dazzled by the lights behind one’s eyelids. In TIME • RONE, art and history embrace in a tantalizing tango. You don’t just visit this exhibition, you are embraced by it—and boy, what a tight embrace it is!
        Tyrone Wright, the enigmatic street artist known on the mean streets of inner city Melbourne as Rone, has once again cast his magic, this time within the historic walls of AGWA’s Centenary Galleries. Imagine a random scene from any old hardboiled noir film: rooms draped in cobwebs and curtains that have seen better days, messy offices, desks with old fashioned writing materials. It’s as if Miss Havisham herself had been in charge of the interior design. But let’s be clear, these aren’t just rooms, they are artistic portals: gaping holes in which to be sucked, tight cavities in which to be embraced, sentimental sockets in which to be stuffed—a strange mid-century Australian void for the viewer to dump their own interpretation into.
        Now, let me address the heart and soul of this exhibition: Rone’s signature murals of sexy-yet-lonesome ladies. As we know, women are important. So is equality. Rone takes care to depict women as the protagonists of the exhibition. The female image is not simply decoration, but instead acts as a kind of graceful ornamentation: melancholy women—free of any male gaze—are the foundation of the exhibition’s mystical elegance. Each room showcases the hauntingly beautiful face of a sad looking girl who seems to follow you with her eyes, like an upset Mona Lisa. And I ought not forget to mention the soundscape! Composed by the wizard Nick Batterham, it is a haunting symphony that envelops you as you wander through. Every so often, you hear a train, which makes you wonder if you’re about to catch a ride to yesteryear. It creates a numbing sensation in the mind, coddling you into blissful stasis.
        Walking into this exhibition, I couldn’t help but feel like I was stepping onto a set of "Stranger Things"—minus the Demogorgon. The beauty of decay is on full display here. Rone’s obsession with impermanence is palpable; you can almost feel the make-believe history seeping out of the peeling wallpaper. It’s like being in a forgotten love letter to a bygone era that never existed. A fictional past for a misunderstood present.
        Speaking of bygone eras, let’s delve into some personal anecdotes. I remember the first time I saw one of Rone’s murals—it was love at first sight. His depiction of female faces against urban decay struck a chord with me, a reminder that beautiful women often pass through the most unexpected places. Fast forward to now, standing amidst his creations at AGWA, I felt that same sense of awe. The old typing pools, sewing rooms, and office spaces filled with vintage knick-knacks transported me back to other times in my life, simpler times when our roles in life were more defined. The woke art world Left might have you believe these were conservative times, but Rone presents them as the "good old days". AGWA has finally moved away from contemporary art exhibitions focusing on minorities and the culturally diverse, to daringly highlighting the profound work of a middle aged white man painting pictures of models. It is a brave move for the gallery, and marks an important moment in Colin Walker’s creative vision.
        What truly sets TIME • RONE apart is its multisensory nature. It is not just about what you see; it’s about what you hear, feel, and even smell. The scent of old books, the creak of antique furniture, and the dimming lights all conspire to make you a part of the art. And don’t get me started on the immersive dinners and the Rone-inspired bar. Picture this: sipping on a cocktail while surrounded by art that whispers stories of the past. It is an opportunity to contemplate how we got to where we are today, where we went wrong, and how returning to the mindset of the past might be fruitful for our future.
        If you’re in Perth or planning to visit, do yourself a favour and grab a ticket to this exhibition. It is not just an art show; it is a deep odyssey through time that will leave you spellbound. And who knows? You might just find yourself lost in a daydream, pondering the elusive nature of beauty and the inevitability of decay—much like the art itself. So, step into TIME • RONE and let yourself be swallowed up by the past, present, and future all at once. It is an experience that is sure to be timeless.

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Images by Rift Photography.