Exhibition ‘Spirit in the land’

Russell Drysdale, Broken Mountain 1950

A touring exhibition of paintings by iconic Australian artists is making a rare appearance at Tweed River Art Gallery in Murwillumbah South, New South Wales.

“We are honoured to be one of only two NSW venues chosen to host the stunning exhibition Spirit in the Land, which has been organised by the McClelland Gallery+Sculpture Park in Langwarrin, Victoria and is being toured by National Exhibitions Touring Support (NETS) Victoria,” Gallery Director Susi Muddiman said. 

The exhibition’s co-curator, McClelland Gallery+Sculpture Park Director Robert Lindsay, said Spirit in the Land featured iconic works that “Talk about the land and their relationship to the formation of an Australian identity”. 

Australia’s landscapes have been an enduring subject in the history of Australian art and vital to the ongoing formation of images of a national identity. Spirit in the Land, on display at Tweed River Art Gallery from 5th October­–25th November, explores this tradition and the connections between 11 Australian artists. 

The collection brings together key paintings and sculptures by some of Australia’s most influential artists: Lorraine Connelly-Northey, John Davis, Russell Drysdale, Rosalie Gascoigne, Emily Kame Kngwarreye, Dorothy Napangardi, Sidney Nolan, John Olsen, Lin Onus, Rover Thomas and Fred Williams.
Susi Muddiman said it was a coup for the gallery to host this exhibition.

“I am delighted that the gallery was selected as a venue and will be able to show these dramatic works of art for our visitors,” she said.

“The mix of iconic paintings and work by contemporary artists provides a wonderful opportunity to see how the landscape has been interpreted by Australian artists. The largesse of the Australian landscape is a theme that has been, and will continue to be, explored by artists for centuries.”

The exhibition is managed by NETS Victoria and supported by Visions of Australia. Further details are available at www.netsvictoria.org.au