Paddington Stories

Michael Reid Northern Beaches is delighted to welcome back one of the stars in our stable of represented artists, Emily Gordon, who returns to Newport with Paddington Stories. This dazzling new body of work builds on the creative triumph of her previous solo show, which similarly traced the distinctive topography and historic character of the titular inner-city enclave and was shown to great acclaim at our flagship Eora/Sydney gallery last year.

“I spent much of 2024 exploring the stepped maze of streets and alleys that traverse and connect the many pockets of Paddington,” says Gordon, who was raised in Oakland, California, and now divides her time between inner-city Sydney and Gunning, NSW. “My base is the city, and while I had a general familiarity with the area, I was looking to delve into a more intimate understanding.”

In Paddington Stories, Gordon beautifully captures the eclectic jumble of Victorian rooftops and gelato-toned terraces that spill over the suburb’s slopes. Bathed in golden light and the shadows of fronds and flowering trees, Gordon’s elegant house facades, quiet backstreets and beautifully rendered architectural details are interspersed with glittering Sydney Harbour glimpses.

“For my previous show, The Paddington Project, I was hunting for expansive moments of revelation that would translate into larger-scale compositions,” says the artist. “Along the way, I catalogued moments of sunshine, humour, colour and form – snapshots better suited to the smaller board sizes I work with most often: windows into my adventures on foot, an outsider taking notes on my journeys.”

This visual archive informs Paddington Stories, a series that distils moments of delight and intrigue from her city walks. “The architecture and flora will look familiar to locals, but each work tells a story that might take an unexpected twist,” she says. “Rhythm and light, atmospherics and drama remain central preoccupations.”

To discuss works from Paddington Stories or sign up for first access to future releases from Emily Gordon, please email sophienolan@michaelreid.com.au