20 Keith Lane

TAS

Lost Overboard (The Hunt for Ruby)

Acrylic, coloured pencil, oil on canvas on board 40 x 140 cm $4,400 Before moving to Tasmania six years ago from Sydney we would sit on the harbour foreshore for the annual Boxing Day family picnic and watch the start of the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race. The cancellation of the 2020 “Blue Water Classic” due to COVID-19 resonated with me and reminded me of the tragic year 1998 (that we watched depart from Sydney) and the catastrophic storm that devastated the race that year and with it the loss of life. This also reminded me of the principle origin of Tasmanias COVID troubles brought about by the incursion of the virus via the returning Ruby Princess passengers to the Burnie area. Again, the Sydney and Tasmania connection via the sea between us. So this work, whilst making a more literal visual reference to the 1998 disaster, has sought to draw parallels with more recent events and consequences relating to the sea and Tasmania’s status as an island.