Amelia Johnson Contemporary presents Landscapes from the Edge, an exhibition of new paintings by Canadian artist Celia Neubauer and Australian artist Mitchell McAuley.

The paintings feature landscapes abstracted and reduced to brushstrokes, vivid colour and geometric forms inspired by the traditional landscapes of Italy and Asia. This exhibition examines how traditional landscape painting has evolved and highlights these two artists’ diverse interpretations of the contemporary landscape.

Neubauer’s paintings are inspired by traditional Chinese landscapes and gardens interrupted by unfolding forms creating a palpable tension between the loose brushwork of the landscapes and the more calculated approach to the abstract forms that break their surfaces. As a contemporary take on collage, these works pair a richly historical painting tradition with digitally generated forms, creating singular compositions that continually move the viewer around and between these two worlds.

Inspired by the streets of northern Italy where the artist lives with his family, McAuley’s work comes from saturating himself in the lively colours of Bologna and the shadows and light that fill the streets. Living in a city for the first time, he became acutely aware of the amount of rubbish, especially cardboard in the streets, and decided to recycle it as a canvas. The colours of the cardboard determine the base hues, and the edges the lines of the city. McAuley’s passion for landscape culminated in 1999, when he purchased a farmstead in the outback of northern Victoria and began dividing his time between the country and Melbourne, Australia. The paintings continue his explorations of the Italian landscape, incorporating the stunning blend of colours and textures that McAuley’s work is celebrated for.

Image: © Mitchell McAuley, Amelia Johnson Contemporary