Sunday, June 02, 2013

UNTETHERED LANDSCAPE

 
Untethered Landscape Oil on linen 50 x 50 cm

UNTETHER: release or free from a tether: [Oxford Dictionary]

Regular readers will know that I have previously written about my thoughts on untethering notions of l'andscape' from being Earth bound. Probably my most succinct description of this was the short statement I wrote for the Australian art blog/site The Art Life's New Work Friday:

I am interested in untethering notions of landscape from being Earth-bound. In an age where modern cosmological research is revealing more of the vast and intimate distances of the universe, new perspectives become apparent. Exciting postulations that we may live in a multiverse also propel ideas of perspective, both literal and metaphoric, into other realms where the ability to ‘see’ multi perspectives, even simultaneously, is possible and demanded. In my recent paintings I continue my visual exploration of close and far distances, and perspective in deliberately ambiguous ‘landscapes’ which are both familiar and not.

A couple of 'untethering landscape' previous posts are:
UNTETHERING LANDSCAPE REVOLUTIONARY
TO GROK LANDSCAPE

So to my painting
Untethered Landscape above.

Untethered Landscape is both playful and serious. I was inspired by another of my recent paintings called Hope [below]. Hope is a much larger painting. In a sense it takes on a more serious tone, especially because I imagined a post-apocalyptic time, where Earthly landscape was shattered and scattered, thus suggesting a forced and dramatic untethering and separation, ultimately demanding new perspectives. But all is not lost...hence the title Hope! I previously wrote:

In the painting I have nine remnants of 'landscape', with one obviously issuing forth new life. Yes, my tree...the tree-of-life, the tree-of-knowledge lives on in a post apocalyptic 'landscape'! With life and knowledge there is hope...and with hope there is life and knowledge.


Hope Oil on linen 80 x 140 cm
 
In Untethered Landscape I have painted what seems like one remnant of landscape floating in space. As in Hope, a single tree, my much loved age-old transcultural/religious tree-of-life, offers hope...of life... of course! The whimsically painted blue balls linked by ribbon-like lines suggest an act of freeing...of untethering...like a balloon let go.  
 
Whilst a literal scattering of landscape can be imagined, I am more interested in releasing/untethering notions of what 'landscape' is, from Earth bound horizons, to fully grasp the new perspectives offered by cosmological research and discovery. In freeing ourselves to imagine and experience new perspectives we can truly begin to vision and understand cosmic ones. By doing so we may view ourselves differently, we may see new ways of dealing with pressing global issues...we may fully grasp that Earth is our home, and the Universe is our environment.
 
Of course Untethered Landscape may also be an image of something or someone leaving 'landscape'. The blue balls could be some kind of space ship, weaving its way across the sky into unknown horizons. Or, again it could be a metaphor, for a change in humanity's perspective...and notions of what 'landscape' is.
 
Love ambiguity!
 
COSMIC ADDRESS
My next exhibition:
15-10-13 to 27-10-13 at Graydon Gallery, Brisbane.
I am really excited about this show. Shall keep you posted!
 
Cheers,
Kathryn

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