The work: Allison Rummery, Metamorph 1, 2023. Oil on birchwood, 40 x 40cm. Courtesy: the artist.
A branch of a Banksia has fallen, drying slowly as it lies amongst a patch of Flannel flowers, its desiccated leaves receiving a curious night visitor. It is unsurprising that a finalist of the Sulman Prize is adept at instilling a sense of gravitas to a simple scene, with artist Allison Rummery’s work Metamorph 1 possessing a depth of feeling that belies the aesthetic modesty of the piece. The artist strives towards an intensity of hue, using oil paint to add layers of colour, sometimes scraping back later applications to reveal earlier laminations through a veil of texture. In this way, Rummery composes a landscape dominated by light and shadow, evocative of the circle of life it represents. “My fascination with the bush and the reverence I feel comes from an appreciation of the beauty that comes with age and the wisdom of life”, says the artist, “how it creates lines that make surfaces more interesting, writing the stories of the life lived.” This work is part of a series that is preoccupied with the constant waxing and waning within nature. Spending much time walking in the bush, Rummery is constantly exposed to these cycles, seeing both the tragedy and beauty in these quiet moments of change. Rummery will show her works at the Affordable Art Fair, Sydney between 15 to 18 June.