Perhaps the best way to describe Graeme Drendel’s recent suite of paintings is the tangible meeting the intangible.
Elements that ground the viewer such as the crisp fold-marks of a tablecloth or an expressive hand gesture are placed within a setting that at first seems real – but a distinct omission of details and reference points cast the viewer into a more imaginative and fluid place. Inside and outside all at once, familiar and foreign, public displays and private moments.
The artist’s cast of characters are reacting and acting, but to exactly what or whom remains elusive. When viewing the works one finds that instead of following a storyline they are instead enjoying the very act of looking and questioning what it is they see and what, if anything, acts as a connecting thread between works. The effect is an experience of mystery and delight in surveying the figures and familiar forms, stepping into their world whilst remaining rooted in ours.
Image above (left to right): Graeme Drendel Portrait of Rick 2024 oil on canvas 41 x 31 cm | Michelle Hiscock …
Image above: Mary Tonkin The shimmer of Spring’s mellowing, Kalorama 2022-23 oil on linen 183 x 248 cm. Photographed by …
Australian Galleries is pleased to announce that Graeme Drendel, Terry Matassoni and Lewis Miller have been selected as Finalists in …
Image above: Orest Keywan That Line 2023 steel 168 x 271 x 190cm Congratulations to Orest Keywan, Michael Snape and …
Image above: Andrew Antoniou Weird & Wonderful 2024 charcoal on paper 82 x 88 cm Congratulations to Andrew Antoniou who …
Image above: Christine Wrest-Smith Portrait of Susan Johnson oil on linen 122 x 92cm Congratulations to Christine Wrest-Smith who has been …
Image above: Deborah Williams The air smells different 2023 aquatint intalgio 53×39.5cm Congratulations to Deborah Williams, Martin King and Phillip …
Above image details: Jenny Rodgerson Mum’s orange cardigan 2024 oil on linen 60 x 40 cm Congratulations to Jenny Rodgerson and …
Image above: Sarah Tomasetti From Balpatta X 2024 145 x 150 cm pigment oil and marble dust on fresco Congratulations to Holly …
Image above: Janet Luxton Giant Australian Cuttlefish 2021 oil on canvas 120x160cm Congratulations to Janet Luxton who has had two …
Above image: Wayne Eager, Allegory I 2023 oil on linen 95 x 133 cm Wayne Eager was interviewed by Janet …
Image above: Marina Strocchi The vineyards of Madden’s Lane 2023 acrylic on linen 122 x 152 cm Congratulations to Kate …
Congratulations to Jennifer Keeler – Milne for being selected as a finalist in the Ravenswood Art Prize 2024 for her …