
Caitlyn Coman-Sargent is a multi-disciplinary artist from Dubbo, currently based in Sydney, Australia. She explores both personal and collective memories and histories from growing up in country New South Wales. Through painting and poetry, she examines the burden of nostalgia that she feels towards her hometown through her playful depictions of the Australian suburban landscape and her experiences of growing up in a regional Australia. Drawing on tropes from the Australian and Suburban Gothic the artist uses paint to explore the kitschness and gaudiness found in Australiana aesthetics.
Dubvegas, 2022. acrylic paint on MDF wooden panels, 130cm x 70cm, audio recording.
Dubbo, otherwise known as Dubvegas to the locals, is the home of Australia's best meat pie and New South Wales's 11th most dangerous pub, the Amaroo Hotel. The regional hub is typically known for Taronga Western Plains Zoo and the birthplace of Australian former international cricketer, Glenn McGrath. However, there are many other iconic people and places found in the town, including the Nun-launcher, otherwise known as St Brigid's Church, coining its name for the steep inclined roof, perfect for launching unsuspecting nuns. As well as The One O'clock wave, an inside joke that locals made to make fun of city-slicker blow-ins. Dubvegas is a playful tribute to the artist's hometown and the memories and histories experienced when growing up in country New South Wales.