Gondwana Collection
From the Opulence series, The Gondwana collection was my response to 2020 Australian bushfires and the broader issues of climate change. At the time of the fires, I was embarking on a large painting to submit to Puke Ariki Museum for their Home Work exhibition. The theme of the exhibition asked artists to consider the past in order to pass on a message to the future. My message observed the wisdom of plants and their ability to adapt and renew in the face of adverse conditions.
Starting a collection with such a large work is not normally how I work, however the magnitude of climate change seemed to demand a large painting of substance. The resulting painting, Gondwana, was painted as a symbol of how nature can adapt and respond to changing climatic conditions. It also serves as a symbol of hope and unity (see full artist statement below).
The Home Work exhibition represented 57 artists and attracted 31,000 visitors, so it was a special honour when Gondwana was awarded the People’s Choice Award for the exhibition.
Artist Statement
The recent Australian bushfires decimated millions of hectares of native forest and caused unprecedented loss to wildlife, people and property. As international firefighters joined forces with Australian, smoke from the fires drifted to New Zealand and circumnavigated the globe as far as Chile – heralding that climate change is our common future.
Gondwana references the ancient supercontinent that once united the southern hemisphere. Featuring hardy flowers from the Proteaceae family, this botanical portrait combines Australian waratah, New Zealand rewarewa and South African protea blooms in one bouquet - representing the global unity, indigenous wisdom, and future thinking necessary to combat climate change.