Distance
17th April – 26 May 2024
Kelli Lundberg Art
Neil Williams’ exhibition “Distance” captures the essence of post-colonial living presenting historical architectural remnants within pastoral landscapes that prompt viewers to ponder on the interplay between the past, present, and future. Through his figurative visual narratives, Williams invites us to contemplate the lives and memories that once inhabited these isolated structures, serving as poignant reminders of our collective ancestral heritage. By straddling the line between nostalgia and anticipation, his paintings evoke a sense of timelessness that transcends the boundaries between eras, amplifying the notion of physical and chronological distance and urging us to reflect on our fleeting existence within the larger continuum of history.
Shelter
2 – 24 December 2023
Cook Street Collective Gallery –
Blackroom Gallery
In September 2023 Neil was artist in residence at the Pickers Hut, Cradoc (South West of Hobart). This time enabled an intense exploration of Tasmania, initially focussing on convict built buildings, however also led to the charming discovery of the churches of Tasmania, the humblest of constructions. These Churches and buildings remind us of basic human needs, a roof over our heads and community.
Girt by Sea
26 March – 29 May 2022
Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery
Girt by Sea is an exhibition of new seascape paintings. The idea behind these works began in May 2021 during a residency at the Police Point AiR program.
Quarantine
19 – 31 December 2021
Cook Street Collective – Blackroom Gallery
Neil Williams’ exhibition ‘Quarantine’ is the body of work created through his artist’s residency at Point Nepean on the tip of the Mornington Peninsula in May 2021 (ironically cut short due to a pandemic lockdown). Neil has researched and explored the quarantine station and its history in great detail. In his distinct style he has rebuilt images of this historically significant area, recreating the station’s buildings in the landscape as they would have appeared when established.
Dwelling
July 2020
Michael Reid – Studio Direct Sydney
I spend a lot of time dwelling on the history of my immediate area. I’ve always been a keen observer, exploring and scanning the landscape for clues leading to previous existing built forms, and through a research-intensive practice, am piecing together the architectonic structure of the landscape with these forms, recreating the past and in doing so providing historical reference for the future. These works are for me a romantic vision of an idealised form of rural existence.
When I’m painting these built forms in the landscape I like to think about the structure and how it would have been put together, the way I paint is informed by the builder’s methods. I’ll sketch the sub-structure before constructing the outer skin.
