ON EXHIBITION @ The Centre Beaudesert
LANDSKINS
DR PAULA PAYNE 2 APRIL - 4 JUNE 2022
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Narratives of contemporary times and important issues concerning climate change continue to infuse Paula Payne's works. This series of large-scale paintings responds to research about the Anthropocene, including climate change, changes in ancient geological environments and geographical sites of environmental degradation.
"As an artist, I listen to and trace events through history right back to geological time, and into contemporary times. Explorations and representations through painted landscape-influenced imagery are presented in gallery and environmental situations. Atemporality, a philosophy of history that has a built-in expiration date, can be viewed in painting, music, theatre, and dance, at this time and can be described as a super hybridity or elements all mixed together. |
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The concept of atemporality draws from all periods of history, creating a mixture that does not define a simple inquiry as it stretches across many time periods and places. In this context, I feel that painting can expand to draw upon many genres and styles that connect yesterday and today and may define or influence tomorrow. I feel that paradox and painting become complicit through an ongoing process of searching for new ways to represent and interpret imagery.
"I am not a scientist and, as an artist, I engage the current environmental problem on a level of intellectual and sensory responses to information. This includes engaging metaphor to imply the presence of the Anthropocene, and the metaphysics of space often envisioned as semi-abstract and abstract and sublime form. I view landscape and the environment as the spaces and systems that human lives depend upon. As a contemporary artist, my responses to landscape include considering sites of economic and political debate - endangered species, weather events, macro, and micro views - but I position no human figures in the landscape. I maintain this approach to painting landscapes devoid of figurative presence that has brought an understanding to how paintings operate on the viewer, especially when attempting to achieve an immersive response. It is the viewer who becomes the anthropomorphic or human form in the viewing process of the immersive painted installation." More info Dr Paula Payne |
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**Definition - The Anthropocene is best described as a geological epoch [age, period of time], and a marker that delineates a section of time in which human activities have impacted dramatically on the earth’s ecosystems. Post World-War II (1939 -1945) and the industrial revolution (1760-1840) were great accelerators of damage to the atmosphere and biosphere, and dramatic shifts in the environment were identified in the 1950s.
Also on show is Water Worlds exhibition by Nadine Schmoll.
TWO PERSPECTIVES ART MASTERCLASS
Nadine and Paula will also be facilitating two immersive masterclasses on 14 May 2022 at The Centre Beaudesert. Bookings essential as places are limited. More info and tickets
ESCAPE IN THE SCENIC RIM This exhibition and masterclass also feature in the Escape in the Scenic Rim festival in May.