Above: Jane Jenkin, Wind, 2024. Oil painting, 71 x 51cm.
Wind by Jane Jenkin references one element within an ancient system—’the twelve elements of nature’— used to describe matter and the natural world. Wind in Jenkin’s painting is represented by a greenish fog-like atmosphere that envelopes two fragmented landscapes that appear like solitary ships lost at sea. Despite ‘wind’ governing their lonely passage across the picture plane, slender tree-like forms remain inert and upright against its force. The contradiction suggests that resilience is perhaps a necessary ingredient within the co-existence of all things.
CASSANDRA HARD LAWRIE
CURATOR & VISUAL ARTS COORDINATOR, ART SPACE ON THE CONCOURSE (WILLOUGHBY CITY COUNCIL)
Jenkin’s work speaks to the power and wonder of our natural world. The organic colour palette of browns and greens create the effect of an abstract landscape, but the primary focus of the work becomes this rich mist that surrounds the piece and cloaks the scene, providing entrancing depth through its heavy layering. The white brushstrokes create a sense of movement across the horizontal plane suggesting a changing environment, adding an ephemeral quality to the piece.
LUKE POTKIN
FAIR DIRECTOR, THE OTHER ART FAIR
Atmospheric and ethereal in form, Jenkin’s composition Wind conjures the sensation of air in motion, sweeping across the landscape with a gentle yet persistent force. Subtle hues combine to draw the viewer in, exploring a landscape unknown and yet eerily familiar. A homage to the forces of nature, the artwork is enriched by Jenkin’s layering of paint which creates a sense of depth and movement, drawing us in.
GRACE ALTY
FINE ARTS SPECIALIST AT INTERNATIONAL ART CENTRE, AUCKLAND