Juxtaposition brings together the work of long-standing partners and artists Paul and Siân Burman. Working in close proximity in their shared studio, where they regularly bounce ideas off one another, they each bring to their art practice quite contrasting approaches in terms of subject matter, painting style and even medium. And yet both artists share a common passion for the environment in which they live and both revel in using palettes of bright, vibrant colour.
Siân Burman’s work embraces the interaction of water with land in different settings. These paintings highlight the energy, colours and luminosity of water and sky, and the ever-shifting moods of this relationship, as shaped by the seasons, time of day and weather patterns… from stillness and reflection all the way to volatility and turbulence. Siân’s work celebrates the beauty and uniqueness of our coastal and riverine environments. She works mainly, but not exclusively, in oil.
Paul Burman paints primarily in acrylic. Although his paintings often position buildings and other man-made structures – our suburban environment – against a natural backdrop of trees or a vast blue sky, the main focus is something more timeless and elemental: patterns of heightened light and sharpened shadow, when colour and form resonate under a bright, low sun. For the most part, Paul’s work depicts local and familiar sites captured in a sun-baked moment of dreamy and siesta-like stillness.
Juxtaposition brings together in one exhibition paintings which are compositionally and stylistically very different – from oceans, rivers and estuaries to heritage buildings, a crash repair garage and a laneway; from a surf club observation tower to coastlines and skies. And yet all these works are shaped by a common delight in exploring, engaging with, and coming to better understand the environment we inhabit.
