In 2019, a book of Bossley’s sketches One Year Drawn was published — ruminations on 10 sketchbooks that came from a 12-month trip through Europe. In 2020, almost 200 sketchbooks were exhibited at Objectspace, displayed in such a way that visitors could spend time leafing through them and exploring the contents in depth. The inchoate ideas from these sketchbooks have often been developed into paintings — some of which were exhibited at Tim Melville gallery in 2021.

The artist likes to paint in series, as this allows them to develop an idea in different ways over time. The paintings in Disquiet are selected from three different series that Bossley has painted over the last five years: Burdens, Two Degrees No Way Out, and Gabrielle Fury.

Burdens, painted in 2019 after a trip to Brazil, suggests the terrible weight being imposed on the people, of them being fearfully crushed by corruption and the hatred they feel for the nefarious governing regimes; glowing spirits being slowly extinguished.

Two Degrees No Way Out, 2022–24, is a series that recognises the impact of global warming and the potential destruction of human endeavour. Once we reach two degrees will there be a way out for humanity?

Gabrielle Fury, 2023, is a series responding to the flagellation of Te Ika-a-Māui the North Island by Cyclone Gabrielle. The paintings suggest splits in our lives: physical, financial and emotional. Some also suggest the idea of ‘cleave,’ a contronym, or a word having two opposite meanings: to split apart and to weld together; out of destruction the healing process may begin.

Opening on Saturday 6th of April at 2 pm, the three series of paintings will be on display for a week at 55 Mackelvie Street, Ponsonby, Auckland. The exhibition concludes with an artist talk by Jeremy Hansen on Saturday 20th April at 11 am.