Review: Drill Hall Gallery uncovers material nature of our natural environment in new exhibition

Material Nature and Jacqueline Stojanović: Units review
By Sasha Grishin, Region Media

A century ago, the idea of landscape art involved the artist observing nature from the ‘outside’ and recording it on canvas or a sheet of paper with differing degrees of literalness. Sometimes it was with cartographic precision, on other occasions, conveying personal turmoil or romantic dreams.

By the early 20th century, artists increasingly realised they were part of the nature they explored in their art. Mimetic aims quickly gave way to an exploration of a collaboration with nature, recording states of being and the materiality of nature.

The Material Nature exhibition at ANU Drill Hall Gallery brings together the work of eight artists working in Australia who respond to the natural environment in very personal and non-literal ways. The artists selected all have quite a high public profile, but have never been brought together in the same exhibition – until now. They are Ros Auld, Manini Gumana, Jahnne Pasco-White, John Peart, Ana Pollak, Annika Romeyn, Savanhdary Vongpoothorn and Garawan Wanambi.

Read the full review here