Philip Hughes: Painting the Ancient Land of Australia

Description

From Karinjini in the west to Fraser Island in the east, via the northern Kimberley and far southwest of Tasmania, Painting the Ancient Land of Australia follows painter Philip Hughes, palette in hand, across the length and breadth of the country. Hughes's work is defined by his breathtaking portrayals of natural landscapes and human interventions, informed and inspired by maps and aerial photographs. With a bold graphic style complemented by expressive blocks of colour, Hughes's practice seems particularly suited to the Australian landscape, as notable for its ecological nuances as it is for its stark extremes. Featuring work created over a span of three decades, a mixture of elegant sketches alongside larger painted artworks, Painting the Ancient Land of Australia presents a deeply personal exploration of a continent.

A self-taught artist, London-born Philip Hughes's work focuses on the natural environment, its structure and nuance, and on the effects of human intervention and activity. The subject of two published monographs, Hughes has been exhibiting work in group and solo exhibitions since the late 1960s and his work is held in the public collections of the National Gallery of Australia, The British Library, The British Museum, The Victoria and Albert Museum and the New York Public Library, among others.