Immerse yourself in the natural world on Saturday March 9 when the Manning Regional Art Gallery launches three outstanding exhibitions with a focus on nature.
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Internationally renowned local artist Peter Schouten AM will launch Into the Wild - Exploring the Past, which explores his specialisation in rebuilding images of fossil species. This specialisation is known as paleontological reconstruction and works will be drawn from three of Peter's publications - A Gap in Nature, Astonishing Animals and End of the Megafauna.
Peter is a wildlife artist, author, natural history illustrator and paleontological illustrator who has been living and working in Bobin, Manning Valley for 16 years.
Now on his 14th book, Peter has published some of Australia’s most outstanding wildlife publications. His work features in books such as Gliding Mammals of the World, Prehistoric Animals of Australia, A Gap in Nature, Astonishing Animals, Possums of the World, Tree Kangaroos: A Curious Natural History, Feathered Dinosaurs: the Origin of Birds and, strangely enough, the Encyclopedia of Asian Food.
Schouten has co-written books with Dr Tim Flannery and Stephen Jackson as well as producing the book Megafauna which was a collaboration with Dr Ross MacPhee. Peter’s works are featured in the collections of the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, the Natural History Museum in New York, the Naturalis Museum in Holland and in David Attenborough’s private collection.
Two artists, Angela Tay and Jennifer Catt, have combined forces, producing complementary bodies of work which explore saltwater and freshwater spaces in the landscape and the intriguing relationship humans have with these environments.
In Paradise of Waters, Jennifer Catt's paintings explore dual themes - firstly, the fundamental contradiction between our perceived 'love of the Australian bush' yet our enthusiasm being its destruction, and secondly, the artistic perennial pursuit of 'chasing the light'. It is the light that creates the reflections, the shimmering surfaces of lagoons, farm dams, ponds and seas. It is the light that creates for her the mystical aspect of the landscape.
Angela Tay’s Movement and Impermanence uses observations of inter-tidal communities as an intriguing metaphor for a wider world issue of population movements and displacement.
“Body movements and gesturing are integral to my work processes. These body movements are linked to my formal training in both traditional Chinese brush works and Taiji exercise where energy is expressed from the sole of my feet through my body and limbs," Angela says.
"I explore these strategies through the lens of video art and installation performance with improvised choreography and Chinese calligraphy to structure my compositions. My particular interest is lines and movements that are ephemeral or traceable, and how this relate to my art practice.”
The three exhibitions will launch at 2pm on Saturday March 9 at the Manning Regional Art Gallery, including a special performance by Angela Tay at 3pm. Entry is free and everyone is welcome to attend.
To see more information on the many exciting events and exhibitions at the Gallery visit the website, manningregionalartgallery.com.au.
