Find the place of

from Gippsland Times 12 April 2022

Extremely

In Praise of L andscape

AN exhibition for lovers of landscape, John Borrack’s new exhibition In Praise of Landscape will take visitors on a tour to all parts of Australia from the comfort of the Gippsland Art Gallery. In Praise of Landscape spans 60 years of painting from one of Australia’s most admired and respected artists, who is accomplished in oils, watercolours and drawing. John Borrack emerged as an artist in the late 1950s, at a time when Australian landscape painting was arriving at a new set of forms and modes of expression, shaped by the earlier breakthroughs of William (Jock) Frater and Arnold Shore in the 1930s – both of whom Borrack would later paint alongside. Borrack’s dynamic new approach crystalised in the early 1960s after becoming acquainted with the work of JMW Turner, and discovering the full atmospheric potential of watercolour. As Borrack’s style has matured over the years, his faculty with the paint medium and his ability to express the unique, mesmeric quality of the Australian landscape has grown. As one of the first artists to be acquired for the Gippsland collection, having caught the attention of Sale’s Mayor and later Patron of the Gallery, John Leslie OBE, Borrack holds a significant place in the story of Australian art and as one of the most accomplished artists to have worked in this region. Presented in the artist’s 89th year, In Praise of Landscape is a celebration of John Borrack’s contribution to the Australian landscape tradition. Spanning the gamut of his breathtaking subjects, from red earth deserts and ravines to the lush textures of Gippsland, always imbued with his characteristic sense of light, the exhibition reveals the vast scope of Borrack’s vision and his reverence for an art that has held him—and his audiences—in spellbound wonder for decades.

JOHN BORRACK: IN PRAISE OF LANDSCAPE Now showing at Gippsland Art Gallery until May 29, 2022 | Free Entry

Email news@gippslandtimes.com.au

John Borrack, Disintegrating Sky, Plenty Valley, 1971. Photo: Contributed

Spanish flair on the big screen

THE Sale Film Society’s monthly screening is happening this week, with April’s film being Pain and Glory. Directed by the celebrated Spanish film-maker Pedro Almodovar, the picture follows an artist in his twilight years as he recounts the memories of his youth and figures from his past. Sale Film Society secretary Gerard Callinan describes Almodovar as one of the most prolific and interesting directors in Europe. "This is a recent and much applauded work by a European master that explores some well-known themes of ageing, relevance, family relationships and regret,” Mr Callinan said. “Added to those ingredients are humour and performances from Penelope Cruz and Antonio Banderas.” Banderas plays the central character of Salvador Mallo, who is purported to be based on Almodovar himself. Meanwhile, Cruz assumes the role of Jacinta, the mother of Salvador in flashback sequences. Pain and Glory was universally praised during its initial release in 2019, earning nominations for Best Actor and Best International Feature at the 92nd Academy Awards, but is not without its detractors. Mr Callinan believes that the picture is a polarising choice for the Society. “Will everyone love the film? Probably not,” he says. “Will everyone find something memorable within it? Yes.” “So we hope SFS members and newcomers come along and enjoy the experience." Pain and Glory will be screening this Wednesday, April 13 from 7.30pm at The Wedge. More information about the Society and its upcoming screenings can be found by visiting the official website at salefilmsociety.wordpress. com