CONTEMPORARY ART STOCKROOM Melanie McCollin Walker

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Drawing on a combination of memory, observation and emotional sensitivity McCollin-Walker’s evocative landscape paintings directly reference the beauty of the Tasmanian wilderness. Full of meticulous detail and a lightness of touch her fine, painterly technique provides a clear view into both the breathtaking splendour of these untamed places, as well as creating an opportunity for meditative contemplation. Atmospheric, light-filled and intricate, her images resonate with a sense of calm and inward reflection.

McCollin-Walker’s new collection of paintings and charcoal drawings, 'As If Time Stood Still', charts a recent journey through one of the most isolated places in Australia – the Savage and Pieman Rivers on Tasmania's far North-West coast. She explored the river system by Kayak, a solitary journey surrounded by the temperate rainforest of the Tarkine region. It is here, in the temporal limbo of this ancient outdoor cathedral, that the artist found a greater grasp of time – not only how it helms her daily life, but how time is the motor and motivator of humanity. A paradoxical epiphany, indeed, in a place where time stood still, where days on the river unfurled in a hypnotic continuum. “In the stillness of time, I feel more centred and connected to everything around me…and it is then that I can truly start to see,” she reflects.
Excerpt from catalogue essay by Elli Walsh, 2022

Watch: Melanie McCollin-Walker featured an ABC TV

Watch: Melanie discussing her practice for FLG

My work is inspired by the west coast of Tasmania and is a correlation of elements from the Gordon River, Cradle Mountain and Frenchmans Cap. There is something quite humbling about the grandeur and reverend solitude of this rugged terrain and the enduring grace, strength and beauty of the river, with its ancient forests and hill sides that converge around the water’s edge. I am intrigued by the delicate balance of contrasts which shape the landscape, the way in which the light dances over tree tops and mountain sides, whilst dark shadows find their home in the furthest recesses of the river. I had an instant connection to this beautiful place, it’s remote nature was ideal for self discovery and the perfect place to get lost and found in equal measure.
Artist Statement

Originally hailing from Barbados, with years of living in urban centres such as London and Singapore, McCollin-Walker now lives and works in Hobart, Tasmania. She has held numerous exhibitions in Australia and internationally including at the Australian High Commission in Singapore in 2013 and the Benetton Foundation as part of the Venice Bienale in 2015 . She has been the recipient of various residencies and a finalist in numerous awards, most recently including the Bull Bay Artist Residency, Bruny Island (2017) and the Cliftons Art Prize, Singapore (2016). Her work is represented in private and public collections internationally.

COLLECTIONS
Bruce Gosper Australian High Commissioner to Singapore Private Collection;
Guacoland Project, Tanjong Pagar Singapore; Wild Honey The Pavilion Kuala Lumpur; IQ Global
Group Sydney; The Luciano Benetton Foundation’s ‘Imago Mundi’ Italy; Telunas Resorts,
Indonesia; Wild Honey, Mandarin Gallery Singapore.

Read: Interview on Southern Wild & Co

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Media Highlights

Forging a Path 2022
Acrylic on Belgian linen
187cm x 153cm
Framed in Tasmanian Oak
Sold
Sold

Adrift on Sighing Water 2022
acrylic on Belgian linen
52cm x 46cm
Framed in Tasmanian Oak
Sold
Sold

Fragile Connection 2022
acrylic on Belgian linen
52cm x 46cm
Framed in Tasmanian Oak
$5,000 AUD

A Trip to the Huon (Tasmania) 2021
Charcoal on 350gsm Hahnemuhle paper, unframed
110cm x 78cm
$3,850 AUD

Untitled 5 2020
charcoal on 100% cotton paper, unframed
56cm x 76cm
$1,600 AUD