grahame sydney
DESCRIPTION
Massey University Typeography Two Assignment - Create a catalouge for the Wellington City Gallery about the artist Grahame Sydney using his essay "Our Landscapes" and a supplied folder of paintings.TRANSCRIPT
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GRAHAME SYDNEY CityGalleryWellington
Te Whare Toi
Firstpublished2009;reprinted2010
CityGalleryWellingtonTeWharetoi,CivicSquare,POBox467,Wellington
ISBN0–909010-69–2
Editors:GrahameSydneyandcontributors
Cataloguedesigner:EvaDarron
Pictureresearchers:DianaMinchallandJustinPaton
Electronicprepress:HughesLithographics,Dunedin
PrintedbyTabletColourPrint,Dunedin
ThecataloguehasbeengenerouslysupportedbytheJennyGibbsTrust,
theFarmerfamilyandCreativeNewZealand.
3
GR AHAME SYDNEY CityGalleryWellingtonTe Whare Toi
4
(cover)
1997
Hawkduns
oil on linen
915 x 1370 mm
(right)
1975
Fog at stan
Cotter’s
egg tempera
431 x 914 mm
Contents
OurLandscapeGrahame Sydney 2 Chronology 20
2
Inessencesomanyofthepaintingsareaboutstayingnotleaving,aboutenduring,hangingon.Howdoyoupersistandexisthere,gloryinwhatyousee,respectwhathasgonebefore,whatremains,andwhatwillliveon?Whatdoesliveon?Nothingorganicremainsthesame;littleofwhatwe,humans,makeisassuredofcontinuance.Butapaintingmightlast,apoem,astory.Thelandtellsastory,thedilapidatedbuildingstestifytootherstoriesboundupintheland’sstory,andthecloudsaretransientbutkeeponcoming,formingandreforming.
LetmestartbyquotingfromthejournalofTHScott,apsychologistandmountaineerfromWellingtonwhowaskilledonMtCookin1960.
OuR L ANDScApE
1990
sutton
egg tempera
505 x 720 m
Grahame Sydney
3
ThepassageisfromScott’s‘SouthIslandJournal’,quotedinPhilipTemple’sexcellentanthology‘Lake,Mountain,Tree.’
‘When I left the North Island and came to the South to live, I
felt immediately and overwhelmingly that I had come to quite
a different country. It was not merely that I had new work
to do and new people to work with. It was not the inevitable
strangeness one experiences in a new city till one gets one’s
bearings. Nor was it the subtle difference one feels about the
people themselves – Things one notices first perhaps, as I did, in
the slowness of traffic and folk on the streets, and their freedom
from the sense of urgency I had been used to. That kind of
thing one is prepared for; it is soon absorbed and one is perhaps
mellowed in some indefinable way as a consequence.
It was something else. For it stayed with me, this feeling, for a
year or more, before I began to put my finger on the cause of
it. Up till this time I had scarcely moved from Christchurch,
but now, unable to resist any longer, I found time to explore
north and south. On the Port Hills I had walked in the
tussocks blowing in the wind, and looked across the great
plain to the Alps beyond. I had tried to grasp the significance
of its occupation by farmers – the taming of the land from the
sea and as far as the eye could reach. Now I went inland to
the mountains themselves. I went north through Weka Pass
to the great rolling wheat country beyond, and south, out
of Canterbury and over the Lindis Pass into Central Otago.
Everywhere I went that summer my journey was through
open country, flat or rolling mountainous, but always dry and
somehow weary. Yet it was noble and old county and lovely
with old tussock. I knew then that I had come to what could
have been a continent, from places that could only be in an
island. Here was the dryness of continents, the vastness, the
shape of county that could go on and on.’
Thatnotionof‘anessentialdifference’isthethreadwhichwillrunthroughthisexhibition.
Feeling at HomeI’vebeenapainternowforover30years,andartistslikemelearnslowlythatbeingfairandreasonable,considerateoftheneedsofotherpeopleandthewidercommunitydoesnotmakeforgreatart.Weworkinasortofsolitaryconfinementandhavetolearntheimportanceofaselfishandprivatepleasingofno-onebutourselves,tonotgivingadamnfortheopinionsofothers,becausegoodartdependssomuchonthatsecret,innerlifeofpersonalexperiencesandresponses,andfindingthebestwaytogivethemaform.
That’soneofthereasonswhythestoriesaboutmanyofthegreatestartistsarestoriesofvolcanicegos,flagrantlycarelesslives,andspectacularlyunconventionallifestyles.Agreatdeal
1999
road west,
ida Valley
oil on linen
710 x 1220 mm
4
ofreallybadartisartwhichhasgrownfromapainter’stooobviouswillingnesstopleaseothers,nothimorherselfishself,andFatherTimewillquicklyseethatartforgotten.ForwhichreasonIambynowquiteaccustomedtothefactthatmanyofmybeliefsarenotsharedbymostothers.
Forexample,ofallthecoloursavailabletome,IdislikeGreenmost.Ihategreeninthestudio,trynottouseit,andI’mnotatallfondofitbeyondthestudiodoorseither.Perhapsthat’swhyIfeltsodislocatedinEngland.Perhapsthat’swhyIfeelsomuchastrangerintheNorthIsland.Perhapsthat’swhyIcannotwatchthecancerousspreadofungainlycentre-pivotartificialfertilisingandwateringoftheManiototoandtheMcKenzieBasinwithoutasenseofangerandregret.Perhapsthat’swhytheinsidiousspreadofforestryacrosssomanyofourpreviouslyhoney-colouredtussockyhillsandplainsinfuriatesmesomuch.Innaturallysemi-aridregionslikeCentralOtagoandtheinlandbasinsoftheSouthIsland,the‘greening’isahandywayoflabellingwhatIconsidertobeveryinappropriateandunwelcomechangestoourlandscape.Butmoreonthatlater.
Ibelieve,yousee,thatlandscapeshaveapowerandameaningfarbeyondanytemporaryeconomics.Landscapes,thenaturaltheatresofourpersonalexperiencesanddramas,performasymbolicandemotionalfunctionmilesbeyondtheireconomicorgeographicalrationale.
ItdoesnotsurprisemethatIfrequentlyhearpeopleconfessing–oftenwithsomebewilderment–thatthey‘feelathome’inaparticularlandscape,forreasonstheythemselvescannotexplain.Andthenumberoftimesonehearsthis‘feelingathome’andloveofparticularSouthIslandlandscapesexpressedbythosewhohavespentverylittletimeamongstthem,is,ifIcanemploytheobviouspun,remarkable.
1998
anderson lane
oil on linen
915 x 1375 mm
5
Feelings oF ConneCtion & deep anCHoringWhyisitwesooftenclingtothesignificanceofonespecialplace,onespecialspot,oneparticularview,andholdthattoourheartsforcomfort,foraclearersenseof‘wherewecomefrom’andforconfirmationofouridentities?Ibelievethateveryonehasadeepsecretspot,aspecialplace,alandscapewhichbringsthemaprofoundandmysteriouscontentment,whethertheycarryitonlyintheirmemories,orcanaccessitfrequently:itcouldbecalleda‘G’spot,Isuppose,withinthiscasethe‘G’standingforGeography.ItisplainthatT.H.ScottfounditintheSouth,andhiswordsechothoseofthousandsofothers.
ButwhenweconfesstothisprivateGspot,weseldomknowwhyitcontainssuchpoweroverus–itismysticalandcomplex,andwesometimesonlyrecogniseitsanchoringinourprivatedepthswhenitischanged,spoiled,orruined–lost-andthenthesenseofaffrontandangerwefeelgnawsawayatusincessantly.
Whydolandscapesaffectussomuch?WhyisitthatthehighcountryandthewideemptybasinsofCentralOtago,forinstance,gathersomuchmeaningforsomanypeople?Isitbecause,intheirraw-boned,skeletalgeology(withonlythethinnestveneerofsoftcomfortandfertility)theyreflectsomethingoftheunforgivingnatureoflifeitself?Isitsomespiritualconnectionwiththepast?Isitthatcontrastmakeseffective:thatintheirvastnessandmonumentalityandpermanencetheyremindusofallthatisbriefandtransitoryinourowninsignificantlives?Isitpureescapism:thatthesilence–asSamNeillsographicallywroteinour‘TimelessLand’book’sintroduction,‘theexhilarationofsolitude,whichisinseparablefromtheterrorofloneliness’providesavitalalternativetothecrowded,overpopulated,unnaturalnoisypandemoniumoflargercityandsuburbanlife?
Ireadonceatheorythatpeoplearefinallyshapedbythelandscapestheylivein,thattheyeventuallystarttoresemblethatland,inthesamewayhusbandsandwivesmanaging
1977
priVate bag
egg tempera
380 x 255 mm
6
7
tonegotiatetheirwaythroughlongmarriagesoftenstarttoresembleeachother.Istheausterityandunadornedhardnessofourlandscapesinsomewayareflectionofourownsubconscious,privatestoicism?IsitsimplythatweseeourownpeculiarbrandofBeautythere,beautyweknowisoursalone,uniquetowhereWEcomefrom,andnotsomehow‘belonging’toothers?IsthiswhattheCentralOtagoDistrictCouncilhadinmindwiththeirrecent“WorldofDifference”branding?Whateveritis,Idobelieveinthepoweroflandscapestomeanthismuchtopeople,andallovertheplanetpeoplefeelthiswayaboutsomecorneroftheirowncountry.WhenIamsomewherefarawayoffshoreandthinkingofhome,itisnotthemapofNZIconjureupinmyhead,norisitAuckland,orthelushgreeneryofWaikatoorTaranaki.ItisnotNZassuch,forNZissomanydifferentcountries–itisaparticularplaceIloveandmiss,ahillside,avalley,aplateauglimpsedfromaspecialcorner,amountainrange…aG-spotofmyown,anditshouldbenosurprisetoyouthatmostofmyownspotsareinCentralOtago.
AucklandersmaydreamofCoromandelorKeriKeri,andgoodonthem.ButIdreamoftheHawkduns,BlackstoneHill,theCrawfordHills,orMountStBathansglowinglikeanemberinthefinalhoursofdaylight,justastherisingshadowofnightstartstopushawaythedullpinkglowovertheKakanuis,andsmothersthelandscapewithacoldgreypall.
Itispartoftheartist’stasktogivepermanentformtothesefeelingsofconnectionanddeepanchoring,andtolookforBeautywhereitmaybehiddentoothereyes.Buttoooftenthepaintingsbecometheonlypermanentdocumentsofaparticularplaceandthefeelingsthatplacemighthavegeneratedinme,becauseinthenameofmodernityoreconomicviabilitythelookofthatlandscapehasbeenradicallyaltered,bulldozedintooblivionbytheunquestionedenginesofProgress.
(left)
1996
maniototo
oil on linen
760 x 1220 mm
1995
stoCk pond
witH Harrier
oil on linen
760 x 1220 mm
8
ImentionedearliermydisdainforthegreeningoftheManiototo,thetransformationofthemagnificentMcKenzieBasinintosimilarlyartificialproductivity.Anyonewhocanremainunmovedandcarelessaboutthedeliberatepineforestationofthewonderfullysensuous,overlappingspursoftheLakeOnslowuplands,orexoticplantationsontherugged,desiccatedhillscapestothesouthsideofthePigRootneartheBrothers,ortheintensivemob-dairyingintheMcKenzieBasin,justtonameafew,isnotpossessedofthesameheartasme.IfmajorscaledairyingmeansthedemiseoftheMcKenzieBasin’slong-evolveddrytussockcountryandthedescentintobrownsludgeoftheTaieriRiver,thenIsuggestitsmistakenanddeeplyregrettable,notprogressatall.
transFormation oF a distinCtiVe landsCapeJustafewhundredmetresfrommystudiothereis,Ibelieve,somethingawfulhappening,too:thebeautifullybarren,singularlydistinctiverockyhillssurroundingthistownshiparebeingrapidlycolonisedbyaspeciesofpinetree,aspecieswhichflingsitsseedswideandeasily,andwhichis–unlesssomethingisdoneveryquickly–goingtotransformthelookofthisAlexandraenvironmentintoanewNaseby,oranyotherforestedenvironment.
IwatchthissubmergenceofAlexandra’smostunique
1993
memorial Hal
oil on linen
760 x 1520 mm
9
characteristicwithrealregret:doesanyoneelsecareaboutit,asIdo,ordoesitnotreallymatter?
TheDistrictCouncilisapparentlyhelpless–ifitdoescare–untiltheOtagoRegionalCouncildeclaressuchspeciestobenoxiousplants,buttheRegionalCouncilhasnotdoneso.Asthingsstand,ifthelandownerorleaseholderisreluctanttoallowthetreestoberemoved,thecancercutout,wewillallwitnesstheobliterationofthesignalpersonalityofthisimmediateandfamouslocallandscape:within10years,Isuggest,thewildingforestwillhaveconsumeditall.
ThesameishappeninginmyownvalleyatCambrian,andthesameInoticeisoccurringalongtheredtussockhillsofthebelovedPigRoot.Wildingpinesarebecomingaplague,justasgorseandbroomhaveinfestedsomuchofNZ,andevenDoCispowerlesstoorderthepines’removal,despitethefactthathundredsofvolunteers,likeme,wouldraisetheirhandstohelp.AsolitarylandownercanforbidentryandthusberesponsibleforthemassiveandIbelievethoroughlyinappropriatetransformationofadistinctivelandscape.
Thatdoesnotseemrighttome.ItmightbeacceptableifthecommunityexpresseditscontentmentwiththattransformationandIfoundmyselfinaminority–butIdon’tbelievethat’sthecase,andyettheCODCishelplessuntiltheRegionalCouncilstumpsupanddeliversahangingverdictonwildingpines.Ofcoursetheycoulddoit–theyjusthaven’t,andthoseofyouwholovethestrange,eternalrockscapeofthesesurroundinghillshadbetterlooklongandhard,becauseitsonitswayout.
a world oF diFFerenCeMakenomistake:thelookofthelandscapeisaNaturalResourceasvaluableasanymoreobviously‘productive’or‘economic’uses.Whenthiscountryisrankedfirstinaworldwidesurveyoftheglobaltraveltradeforits‘naturalbeautyandoutdooractivities’it’sthelookoftheplace,thefeelofit,thewayinwhichithasretaineditsspecialpersonalityandresistedthehastydevastationsofeconomicprogress
1995
nigHt House ii
oil on linen
760 x 1215 mm
10
11
(left)
1986
demolitipon
at waipiata
egg tempera
670 x 1200 mm
(right)
1974
midwinter at
miss nyHon’s
egg tempera
609 x 762 mm
12
thosevotersarerankinghighestintheworld.WehavetheopportunityheretolearnfromthedisastrousmistakesofothercountriesandNOTrepeatthemhere:wehavetheopportunitytobelikenowhereelse,toremindothersofwhatthey’velost.Or,wedothesameasthem,andloseitall:comeonin,windfarms!Let’sgowiththecentrepivotsanddairyfarms!Bringonthesubdivisions!Its‘progress’afterall…
Butitsnotprogress.Toooftenwehavebeenlecturedatbythosewhobelievethatprogressisalwaysandonlyeconomic,andthateconomicgrowthisinevitable,unstoppable,anddesirable.Butisit?‘Progress’isnotonlyexpansionandgrowth:progresscanbeasteadymarchtowardsaretentionofvaluesand,yes,landscapesweknowtobevaluableinwaysotherthanmeremoney-progresscanalsobetherecognitionofwhatmattersmostaboutwherewelive,whywelivethere,andwhatothersmightvalueaboutittoo,nowandinthefuture.AndmybeliefisthatinCentralOtago,inthisregionofours,wehavemoreuniquequalitiesandlandscapesofdistinctionthanmostotherplaces,andthattheyhaveapowertoaffecttheimaginationandsoulofNewZealandersfarmorethanmostotherlandscapes.‘Growth’cansurelybethegrowthoftherecognitionofthatspecialness,andmakingcertainweandthosewhoarevotedintopositionsofpowerandlawmakingtogovernusproperlyrepresentthatbelief.Weloveitdeeply,andotherscomehereandloveittoo–notforitssimilaritytootherplacesintheworld,butforitsdifference–aworldofdifference,remember.Thatmustbevaluedaboveallthosewhowouldseektochangethatlookbrandishingthefragileanddebatableswordofeconomicprogress.
1990
JaCk tar
oil on linen
710 x 760 mm
13
we are merely CaretakersIfwearetopreservetheuniquelandscapeswelove,andwhichmakeusfeelandunderstandthespecialnessofwherewebelong,wemustbegintoputavalueonqualitiesandoutcomeswhicharenotnecessarilyproveninmonetarygain.Therehastobeacceptanceofaconceptofworthintermswhicharenotjustmonetary,andsomewherealongthelinesomeonehastoacceptthatchangepersonally,andconcedetoitwithpride,andlongviewintothefuture.
Landownerspresentmighttakeoffenceatmytonehere,andsay‘Itsallverywellforyou,mate–Ihavetomakealivingoffthatfarm,anditsgettingharderstayingafloatonthisproperty.’Iappreciatethat,ofcourse,andunderstandit.ButIalso
suggestthattheword‘ownership’bringswithitverydangerousimplications:implications,forexample,thatthelandis‘ours’andwehavearighttomakeiteconomic,todobetter,oratleastaswell–financially–asourfathers.Butwearenotowners,anymorethanthepurchaserofoneofmypaintingsisan‘owner’:wearenomorethancaretakers,briefrenters,andIbelievewehavenorighttoimposethoserapidandtoooftendestructive,artificially-sustainedchangesonlandscapeswhichNaturehassculptedandcolouredsoslowly,andsoappropriately.
Ireadalovelypiecerecentlyaboutwehumans,discussingthephenomenonthatwealoneamongstthespeciescancontemplateourfuture,andhaveaconceptofdeath.
(right)
1990
albatross at
deboraH bay
oil on linen
560 x 760 mm
(left)
1991
albatross iii
oil on linen
455 x 560 mm
14
Thebeautifulstatementwasmadethat‘lifeisaflickerofconsciousnessbetweentwogreatsilences.’Twogreatsilences:wewillnotgetoutofthisalive,ofcourse.Wearenotowners:wearemerelycaretakers,andwemustthinkfarbeyondtheimmediategratificationofthebalancesheet,regardlessofwhatshiftsandupheavalsthatrequires,andholdtoavisionofwewantourlandscapestomeanandlookliketoourfaraway,unknowndescendants.Ifthey’reanythinglikeme,greenwillbebutoneofthecoloursinthevastpalette,nottheonlydesiredone.Thisisnaturallyabrown,brittle,bleachedlandscape–anditshouldbe.
Thedangerintheheadlongstampedewhichregardseverylandscape,regardlessofNature’sobviousintentionsforit,tobetransformedintosomethingeconomicallyviable,isthattheunique,unusualandseparatelandscapeswithwhichwearesingularlyblessedinthisprovincewillallfinallyendupploughed,tamed,artificiallymanicured,and,Godforbid,GREEN.Orobliterated(despitethepamphletpromises)bywindfactories,wiresandpylons.Therationalemightwellbeeconomicviability,butthatisanemptymantrainthelongrun:itisouractswhichdefineus,notthecauseweuseasrationale,andouractshavethecapacitytorapidlydestroywhatmayhavetakenmillenniatoevolveandbuild,andwhichnowdefineus.
Badart,asIsaidearlier,israpidlyforgotten;butbadlanduseandpoortownplanningdecisionsremainasregrettablypermanentscarsonthefaceofourlandscape.
Ipersonallylongforadifferentvision,andregretthemanytransformationsalreadyfoisteduponthethinskinofourwrinkledprovince.Ihavenofaithatallintheirlong-termviability,becauseNaturealwayswinsintheend.Anyprocessdirectedatchangingourwell-establishedpatternsofthinkingandbehavingpersonallyorwithintheecosystemshouldbeanextendedone,involvingslowgatheringsofinsight,re-evaluation,andtryingnewapproaches.Undertheverybestofcircumstances,suchchangetakestimetogaintoeholdsinourwayofthinkingandvaluing–slowtime.
Thecharacteristicswhichrendereachofusuniqueareseldomtheproductofrationalchoice.Butthedecisionswhichrenderlandscapesunique,whichpreservethenaturallookandbalance,orwhichallowittoberestoredandtoreclaimitsuniquenessonthesurfaceoftheearth,thesearealwaystheproductsofrationaldecision.Andtheserationaldecisionsalwaysrequirecourage,sometimessacrifice,andaboveallbeliefinthefinalobjective.
modestyThereisanobviousneedforpatience,careandlongconsiderationoftheusewemakeofthelandscapeswetreasure.Anditisvitaltorecognisethevalueofthelesser-knowncornersofourregion,theemptyandbleakuplandsaswellasthecelebratedsights,thenaturallyspectacular,themostvisited,formuchofthemeaningwewringfromourenvironmentisoftenfromfarlessmajesticplaces.
Landscapes,likeideas,donothavetobecelebratedorfamoustobemeaningful.Ifthisregionis‘home’tous,thathomehaschildrenwitharangeofindividualqualities,anditsimportanttovaluethechildwhomaybequietandalittleintrovertedasmuchasitistheloudanddemandingyoungerbrother.Thathomeandfamilymusthaveadistinctivecharacter
1999
road west,
ida Valley
oil on linen
710 x 1220 mm
15
1996
Hawkdun spring
oil on linen
835 x 1670 mm
16
andhistory–andwesurelydohavebothhere(‘AWorldofDifference’afterall)ingreatermeasureperhapsthananywhereelse–butthatvarietyandpersonalityhastoberecognised,andvalued,thenprotected,nurturedandmadeapointofprideandstrengthagainstwhateverforcesandargumentsmightberangedagainstit,underwhateverbanner.
Iwanttomentiontwosmallpieces:onebymybrilliantmate,thewriterOwenMarshall,becauseitgraphicallydemonstrateshowsymbolicandmemorablemodestycanbe;thesecond,apoembyAlistairCampbell,writtenin1948.Seeifyourecogniseanythingofyourowninthem.
FromOwenMarshall:
‘There’s a place, not far, sweet country if only it had summer
rain. The sheep seek shade, and in these camps the loess
clay of the ground is smooth and hard, or pooled to dust,
and the droppings of the sheep are thickly spread, but dry
and inoffensive, baked in the heat. In the odd sink-hole
the briar seeks moisture and gorse blooms brighter than
the clay. The ridges are worn almost bald, like the heads of
the lean,brown farmers who ride farm bikes too small for
them across the paddocks of their land. The creek beds are
marked more by rushes and willows than running water,
and the mallards come only in twos and threes. An easterly
is always up after midday and burnishes the arc of pale blue
sky. The shelter belts close to the road and the macrocarpa
before the farmhouse, are dusted with a false pollen drifting
in off the road. The rural delivery boxes are large so that
stores can be left there as well as mail, and each has a name
painted by hand. In the evenings the sheep come to the
stock dams and troughs to drink, the magpies gather to
imitate the noise of poets, and the barley grass and brown-
top ripple at the sides of the shingle roads.
Is that so far away?’
1993
pig root
pond
oil on linen
1066 x 1066 mm
17
Andhere’sAlistairCampbell’s‘Islandtoisland’1948,theyearIwasborn.
This is the kiln that fired
My shaping mind – a brilliant waste
By wind and rabbit toothed
And honeycombed, an orchard land
Where a child still dreams
Among the time-lost apple trees...’
IsaidattheoutsetthatbadartisalwaysdiscardedandignoredbytheheartlessJudgeofTime.Soarebad,inappropriatedecisionsaboutourlanduseharshlyjudgedbyTime,strappedtotheuncontrollablypowerfulfistofNature.Wemustbeintelligent,sympatheticcaretakers,andrememberthebrevityofouroccupancy,betweentwogreatsilences.
Iwarnedyouofmyself-centredopinions,mypoorconceptofpleasingothers,andnowyou’veheardsomethingofthem.IfnothingelseIhopesomeofyouarestimulatedtoargueoragreewithme:asapainterI’mwellusedtobothresponses.Idonotspeakforothers,onlymyself;andIdonotpretendtoanyacademicbalanceorfairness–IclaimitasmyrighttobeangryaboutthingsIthinkarewrongorinappropriate,whicharebeingignoredorundervaluedorabused,andweappeartobelivinginamomentwhenthislandscapeIlovesomuch,andwhichmeanssomuchtomeandothers,isundermorethanusualthreat.
ThefundamentalproblemIthinkliesintheconceitthattoofewofusconsidertheyearsanddecadesandcenturieswewillnotsee,theoneswhich,nomatterwhatdecisionsaremade,willsurelyfollowallourdays.Itstooeasytothinkthatweonlyhaveourownlifespantoworryabout,andtomakedecisionswhichaffectonlyourselves.
1978
rozzie at
pisa
egg tempera
610 x 610 mm
18
our landsCapeWhatisCentralOtagogoingtolooklike,what’sCentralOtagogoingtobelike,what’sCentralOtagogoingtomeantothoseNewZealanderswholiveherein2057,orwhoseeitforthefirsttimein2107?Willitlooklikeeveryotherregioninthiscountry,indistinguishableexceptforitsbackbonerangesrisingabovevalleyswhichareidenticalupanddownthenation–artificiallysoaked,fertilisedgreen,andcrammedwithdairycows?Willthoserangesbe,asMeridianEnergyLtdappeartodream,forestedwithaspiderwebnetworkofwindturbines(mostofthemidle)wiresandpylons?Willtheonceunforgettablybarren,thyme-scented,rockyhillsofAlexandra,EarnscleughandthetussocksofthePigRootbesmotheredinadark,monotonousblanketofpines?Willtheriversbelittlemorethandrystonebeds,becauseno-onehadthecouragetoleadtheCouncillorsinshouting‘Itdoesn’thavetobethisway!Thisisnotwhatwewant!’
Itsuptoustorecognisewhatwehavehereandwhatitmeans,toprioritisewhatwevalue,torecognisethatdespitethebrevityofourholidayonearth,therearebigdecisionswhichoutlastusand
1997
winter:
st. batHans downs
oil on linen
915 x 1370 mm
affectthosewhofollowourfootprintsandwhowillthinkofuswitheithergratitude,ordisdain,ponderingwhatwaslost.
Ifinishthenwithaquestion,askedinachildren’sstorybythebutterfly,totherosehedge.It’stheonewhichmattersmost,thevitalquestionwemusteachaskourselveshereinCentralOtago:
‘What do you leave? What did you give to the world?’
Let’shopewecananswerthatquestionproudly,andnotwithembarrassmentorshame.
Thisis‘ourlandscape’,butwearebriefcaretakers.Acenturyonanothercommunitywillbesayingthesame:whattheysee,whattheyinherit,whatitmightmeantothemdependsonusandnotwhatwesay,butwhatwedo.It’saheavyresponsibility,anditcouldindeedmake‘theworldofdifference.’Wecanleavethemapricelessgiftifwehavethecourage:alandscapetrulylikenoother.
19
20
GrahameSydney’scontributiontoNewZealandartisconsideredsosignificantthatin2003hewasawardedanOfficeroftheNewZealandOrderofMerit,(ONZM)forservicestopainting.Foralmost30yearsSydney’spaintingshavebeeninspirationalwiththeirabilitytoevokeasenseofwonderandkinship.HisworksaresoughtafterbylocalandinternationalbuyersaswellasbeingheldinthecollectionsofNewZealand’smajorgalleries,includingTePapa’snationalcollection.
FromchildhooddrawingsofDisneycharactersinthe1950s,throughtothelargemajesticlandscapesofOtagofortyyearsonward,GrahameSydney’spassionforpaintinghasneverdiminished.Hehasworkedwidelyinoils,watercolours,tempera,etchingsandlithographs.FollowinghisfirstsoloexhibitionattheMorayGalleryin1972,hespentaperiodoverseasintheUnitedKingdomandEuropebeforereturningtoDunedinin1974tobeginlifeasafull-timeartist.Thoseyearshavewitnessedanimpressiveandsubstantialbodyofwork,andanextensiveexhibitionhistory.
1999
dunedin studio
Photo: Reg Graham
cHRONOLOGY
21
‘Sydneyisaclevermagicianwhoplieshiscraftwithgreatskillandsubtlety,makingpaintingsthatareseeminglysimple,buttheirplainrealitytendersdeeperemotionsthansimplerecognition.Youdon’tjustseethelandhere,youfeelit...Thesehills,theseskiesgiveusavoicethatisunique,avoicethatisevokedbytheartofGrahameSydney.Itisthevoiceofusall.’KeithStewart.
ThemanandtheartistcanbemoreeasilyunderstoodthroughtheMontanaAwardwinningbook‘TheArtofGrahameSydney’whichincludesabriefautobiographicaloutlineofSydney’searlyartdevelopment,apersonalresponsebypoetBrianTurner,essaysfromartcuratorsMichaelFindlayandBelindaJones,andanextendedandinsightfulinterviewwithGrahameSydneybyphotographerRegGraham.
1999
selF portrait
at FiFty
oil on linen
1220 x 915 mm
1948 Born Dunedin, South Island, New Zealand
1953–66 Attended Corstorphine Primary,
Macandrew Intermediate and
King’s High School
1967–69 University of Otago, graduating BA
(English and Geography)1970 Secondary Teacher’s College, Christchurch
1971–72 Taught at Cromwell District High School
1973–74 Travelled to United Kingdom and Europe
1974 Returned to Dunedin, commencing full-time
art career
1976–83 Lived at Mount Pisa Station, near Cromwell
1978 Frances Hodgkins Fellow, University of
Otago, Dunedin
1983 ReturnedtoliveinDunedin2000 Built new home & studio in Central Otago
2003 Made an Officer of the New Zealand
Order of Merit (ONZM)
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civic Square, pO Box 2199Wellington 6011Aotearoa, New Zealand
phone 64 4 801 3021 for general information
e-mail [email protected] general information
www.citygallery.org.nz
Open daily 10am - 5pm
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