{"product_id":"jean-luc-syndikas-work-hard-karaoke-hard","title":"Jean-Luc Syndikas, Work Hard, Karaoke Hard","description":"\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'San Francisco', 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 0.875rem;\"\u003eJean-Luc Syndikas\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eWork Hard, Karaoke Hard\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e2025\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eInk on Cotton Rag\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e46 x 64 cm\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e$650\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eArtist Bio:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eJean-Luc Syndikas is an Australian-born artist working across drawing, photography, and film. His work has been exhibited internationally, including group shows in Melbourne, New York, and Pingyao, China. In 2024, he presented his debut solo exhibition 'Drrty Grlz + Prrty Boyz'; at SOL Gallery, which attracted a wide and enthusiastic audience. Beyond his art, Jean-Luc curates and leads innovative life drawing experiences such as 'Top Secret Life Drawing' and 'ClassiQUEER', a cinematic, body-positive exploration of movement, identity, and form. Influenced by Surrealist art and film, his recent work investigates the theme of ‘journeys,’ crafting evocative visual narratives that invite viewers into dreamlike, introspective worlds.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eArtwork Statement:\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe piece, titled Work Hard, Karaoke Hard, is drawn from my recent solo exhibition Tsūro (Passage). It explores a day in the life of the Japanese salaryman サラリーマン, shaped by long hours, ritual, loyalty, and the nightly cycle of obligation, drinking, and karaoke. Beneath this familiar archetype sits a quieter narrative: the tension of performing masculinity and conformity while concealing parts of oneself to fit within societal expectations.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThrough staged scenes of crowded commutes, ceremonial bows, private frustration, and neon-lit karaoke rooms, the work reflects the experience of living a double life. The karaoke bar becomes a temporary refuge where identity, emotion, and desire can briefly surface. Drawing from my travels through Osaka, the piece balances humour and melancholy, using a vibrant pop palette to contrast the quiet tension beneath the character’s routine.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Nightingale Gallery","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51750545555744,"sku":null,"price":650.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0986\/5809\/1296\/files\/QueerNights05.png?v=1779952651","url":"https:\/\/nightingale-gallery.myshopify.com\/products\/jean-luc-syndikas-work-hard-karaoke-hard","provider":"Nightingale Gallery","version":"1.0","type":"link"}