TIMELESS LANDSCAPES

Delve into Caroline Rannersberger’s latest exhibition

C aroline Rannersberger’s new exhibition, Breath and

other basics, contains a body of work that came together “quite suddenly after years of research and experimentation”.

“When you go into Bett Gallery and see the paintings, even though they’re very bright, there’s a sense of calmness about the work,” says Rannersberger, who lives and paints on Bruny Island. “I was interested in how I could explore the idea of finding that space where you can create without all the chatter and fear. I think the works in this show are quite possibly a manifestation of the meditation [and mindfulness course I did in Hobart about six months ago], but also the result of years of work and study investigating concepts around landscape.”

The exhibition includes 16 ink and acrylic works on linen. These range in format from large-scale multi-panel artworks (diptychs and quadriptychs) to single-panel works. D’Entrecasteaux is referenced in each artwork’s title, and all but four are dominated by vibrant hues of yellow/saffron.

The Adelaide-born artist, who moved to Tasmania in 2010, has long been interested in the notion of shifting landscapes, and the idea that the land is in a constant state of change.

After completing undergraduate studies in Europe, Rannersberger, whose work is held in major collections including the National Gallery of Australia, lived and worked in Darwin, where she completed her PhD in visual arts. The work contained in Breath is concerned with the themes Rannersberger explored in the Northern Territory over 10 years and draws on some of the printmaking processes and methods she used there.

“People think it’s strange that I moved from the Northern Territory to Tasmania, but the escarpment in Arnhem Land has that same shifting feel [you get here],” she says.

“It’s a majestic feeling. You have a sense that the land is timeless, and it’s still moving, but we just can’t see it. I’m trying to capture the idea of the landscape moving over millennia and how it leaves a ghost of what it was when it shifts.”

Working on unstretched linen at her studio overlooking the D’Entrecasteaux Channel at Alonnah, Rannersberger used stencils, inks and acrylics to create a layering effect and evoke the sense of a shifting landscape.

The artworks have a striking meditative quality and testify to the wonder and beauty of Bruny Island’s landscape and waterways.

“The way I paint landscape is to be immersed in the experience,” Rannersberger says. “I work outside always and then I take it into my studio. The vision of landscape [I depict] comes from all of my experiences around Bruny Island. It provides an endless source of material, whether you get on your kayak, go on a boat or do a walk.”

Breath and other basics is on at Bett Gallery, Elizabeth St, North Hobart, until April 27. Artworks range in price from $6500 to $20,000