Geelong artist Robyn Pugh hopes to transport viewers to the grasslands of Botswana with her latest exhibition, African Lands.
Officially opening today (Friday, October 11) for a four-week stint at Artisans Gallery in Drysdale, the collection of works is in some ways a visual travel retrospective, a reflection of Pugh’s experiences in Africa last year.
Bursting with colour, Pugh’s works often combine traditional painting methods with other materials to create subtle yet effective collages.
The exhibition is not just the hung works; there is a video projection recorded by Pugh in Africa and pampas grass adorning the walls, providing a sense of immersion and atmosphere.
Pugh said she hoped viewers of her works could feel some resonance of the excitement and wonder she felt while on self-drive safari in Botswana.
“I’ve tried to capture my impression of (that experience)… the feeling I felt while I was in Africa,” she said.
“In Africa there was the excitement of seeing something completely different; a completely different way of life, landscape, everything.
“There was an excitement of going out every morning and wondering what you’re going to see. You might see giraffes again, or zebra, but you might see a leopard just around the corner, or an African wild dog.
“And then to see the different textures, different light in the place… I put all that into the painting and I hope other people will see that.”
