DRYLANDS
DRYLANDS
Holmes à Court Gallery Vasse Felix
Margaret River WA
This exhibition includes artwork from the Janet Holmes à Court Collection and invited artists Jo Darbyshire, Elizabeth Edmonds, Clare McFarlane, Lindsay Harris, Kate Turner and Tony Windberg. Curated by Dr Laetitia Wilson.
Drylands considers changes to the Western Australian landscape of the Wheatbelt, Southern and Great Southern regions. It features painterly observations of the land following decades of deforestation, fire regimes, the impacts of climate change, increasing salinity and loss of biodiversity. The artworks picture receding islands of trees, canola fields in full bloom and dry, lone trees and empty scarred landscapes silently mourning the loss of bio and geo-diversity. LW
"Ink and wax drawings of old paperbark trees portray the delicate balance between the natural hydrology and changing landscapes. Melaleuca preissiana or moonah are entirely dependent on accessing groundwater for their survival, and as such are restricted to the fringes of wetlands, peats and lowlands areas. Each drawing with their intricate lines following, exploring the tree shape or branch line and subtle wax overlays enhancing the depth of field like an old monochrome photograph, invites the viewer to contemplate the fragility of these species and their ecosystems as a reflection on drying climates, impacts of clearing, altered landscapes and fire regimes." EE
(Melaleuca is from the Greek words melas, meaning black, and leucos, meaning white. It refers to the black and white trunks and branches of the trees.)
Holmes à Court Gallery Vasse Felix
28 Jan - 28 April 2024