Looking closely at ‘seeing’
15 February 2019
Tweed artist Sienna van Rossum looks at common objects from an unusual perspective
In 2010 Murwillumbah-born Sienna van Rossum impressed many with her first oil painting titled Wollumbin’s Child, which she entered into the Border Art Prize at the Tweed Regional Gallery.
Only 15 at the time, Sienna already demonstrated strong technical ability well beyond her years. Now with a Bachelor of Fine Arts with First Class Honours under her belt, Sienna is mounting her first solo exhibition at the Tweed Regional Gallery titled Dis/closures, which is on display from Friday 22 February until Sunday 19 May 2019.
The outcome of a successful proposal through the Gallery’s Community Access Exhibition Program (CAEP), Sienna van Rossum’s work explores how our eyes navigate across surfaces and spaces.
Growing up in the Tweed Valley, her intimate proximity to the diverse natural phenomena continues to be a source of inspiration for her art practice. In 2014 she moved to Melbourne to study at the Victorian College of the Arts at the University of Melbourne, and after completing her degree in 2017, returned to the Tweed Valley where she continues her practice.
Tweed Regional Gallery Director Susi Muddiman OAM said it was opportunities like the CAEP that made it possible for young and emerging artists to remain in the region and begin a thriving career.
“The Gallery is delighted to have the opportunity to display Sienna’s work and assist her in cultivating her practice. We are looking forward to seeing how Sienna’s practice develops and where her artistic career will take her – she is indeed off to a very strong start,” Ms Muddiman said.
Featuring a series of new and recent paintings, Dis/closures utilises worn and loved objects from around her home, attentively rendering these objects with a mix of both meticulous realism and effacing abstraction. van Rossum is not interested in objects themselves - rather she is interested in their image and our interpretation of it. She questions whether the eye is a perfect witness or an imperfect, creative interpreter.
All are welcome to attend the official opening celebrations on Friday 15 March at 6pm with guest speaker Alisa Green, who is a friend of the artist.
On Wednesday 3, Friday 5 and Sunday 7 April Sienna be hosting a pop-up artist studio in the Gallery Foyer. Visit between 10am-4pm to observe Sienna at work.
Downloads
Photo 1(JPG, 84KB)
Caption: Sienna van Rossum, Untitled 2 (2017), 36 x 27cm, oil on wood. Image courtesy of the artist.
Photo 2(JPG, 57KB)
Caption: Sienna van Rossum in her studio. Image courtesy of the artist.