Concrete Playground

Tara Marynowsky’s faint, whispering watercolors appear to float within the canvas like nebulous snapshots of REM-state imaginings, their pale delicacy unencumbered by the volumes of idea, history and myth of which they speak. With a gentle hand and a playful touch, Marynowsky explores the sinister, surreal, spiritual and supernatural realm of magic and mythology.

Based on her mothers collection of Man, Myth and Magic encyclopedia magazines (c.1970), Gods and Monsters, Marynowskys first solo exhibition, depicts both specific and loose interpretations of characters from Slavic folklore, like Baba Yaga — a witch-like figure who makes cuisine of small children. What is unique in Marynowsky’s work is the subtle way she imbues her almost translucent images with these larger themes, so it’s only after a sustained gaze that the layers begin to peel away and a rich, fantastical dimension reveals itself.

In contrast, Linda Ngitjanka Napurrula presents a selection of large scale, vibrant and earthy depictions of the landscape and flora of her home country, Alkipi, in Northern Territory, Australia. Bold and striking, Napurrula’s work tells a story of the land with reverence to its raw beauty and simplicity. Dots, shapes and sprays of colour represent the artists detailed observations of nature, such as the way moisture gathers in cracks after it rains and varieties of ‘bush tucker’ native to the region. Astoundingly, Napurrula works with only six percent vision, navigating the canvas with intuition and her “natural sense of colour and design.”

Napurrula and Marynowsky's work is shown side by side at the Chalk Horse Gallery.

Image by Linda Ngitjanka Napurrula.