From a moonlit Beerburrum landscape to a richly detailed portrait of the late Archie Roach, a wide range of works by local artist Peter Hudson are on show at UniSC’s Art Gallery.
Gallery manager Megan Williams has curated the largest solo exhibition of the Maleny artist who has explored the natural world through painting and drawing since the 1990s.
His work has been collected by major galleries including the National Portrait Gallery.
“We are lucky to have an artist of this calibre living and working in our region,” Ms Williams said.
“The landscape has been a constant for Peter, particularly the Glass House Mountains and hinterland around Maleny where he resides.
“The moon, ocean, fish, birds and snakes also recur in his paintings, analogies for complex systems and relationships in nature including gravity, navigation and migration.”
Titled ‘The mystery of being here’ and presented as part of the Horizon Festival 2022, the exhibition illustrates people’s relationships with the world around them.
“Highlights include Peter’s Archibald Prize finalist portrait of Paul Kelly and portraits of Kev Carmody and Archie Roach – many of which have never been shown in Queensland before.
Peter Hudson was inspired to create portraits during his long association with the Aboriginal communities of Daguragu and Kalkarindji in Gurindji Country, Northern Territory.
He has illustrated and contributed paintings to children’s books based on songs such as, ‘From Little Things, Big Things Grow’ by Paul Kelly and Kev Carmody.
Peter Hudson said: “It’s impossible to trap the power and beauty of nature. A landscape artist can only respond to the subject in front of them.”
The exhibition closes on 29 October 2022.
An In Conversation event with Peter Hudson will be open to the public at 11am on Saturday 17 September 2022.
To book go to: http://events.humanitix.com/peter-hudson-in-conversation
