Meditations on abstracted depictions of the Australian landscape
How do artists aim to explore something so vast, powerful, and often misunderstood as what naturally occurs in our landscape? As a radical tonic to the noise of the everyday, the restraint of minimal and abstracted representation grants us a moment to slow down. A sweep of paint or flick of ink can hold meaning, suggesting hidden stories within the composition, while the nuances and perspectives of the work of art shift with each new viewpoint.
Reading a work from a distance can bring logic to its depiction, while moving closer brings attention to its materiality and the flatness of the surface upon which it is created, revealing the process and hand of the artist. A work of art that is not immediately recognisable or easily interpreted is often reliant on its title for confirmation of its subject matter or theme - like a plant growing in secrecy, a work can hold quiet depths only visible to those who take the time to look closely.
In abstracted depictions of landscape, we are urged to delve deeper into the spirit of the artists, and what they saw that sparked their choice to turn towards abstraction. Was Mark Schaller a witness to the red flames of the bushfire, or is he imagining the vivid new growth that comes after the fire flattens the land?
|
Through the shedding of banalities and the familiarity of recognisable representation, our attention is brought to the material qualities of the work, shapes of light in our surroundings, and the effects of its presence. A moment of moderation beckons for engagement with its contents, and each artist creates their own pictorial form of story telling that needs decoding. In this space we as viewers are invited to reflect and project our own experiences into the scribbles, lines, and washes of colour.
Imogen Ziemek is an emerging curator currently completing her graduate studies at the University of Melbourne.
Madeleine Goodwolf 'Where the sky ends (diptych)'
Want to learn more about collecting art with confidence?
Join our weekly newsletter for expert insights, market highlights, and stories that help you collect with clarity and joy.
