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Dromara Landscape, Basil Blackshaw (1953) © The Estate of Basil Blackshaw
Exhibition
Looking at Landscape
23 Jun 2017 – 11 Feb 2018
Address
- Botanic Gardens
- Belfast
Northern Ireland - BT9 5AB
- United Kingdom
The complex beauty of the Irish landscape, with its shifting light, vast skies and varied natural environments, has enticed artists to explore and capture this place in many ways.
About
The atmospheric works in this exhibition are drawn from the Arts Council of Northern Ireland collection, which was gifted to National Museums NI in 2012. They show how landscape can be represented beyond the familiar portrayal of a scene. Spanning from the 1950s to the 1990s, they depict varying representations of nature, from almost abstract, energetic interpretations to gentle, traditional views.
Many artists have explored the landscape by immersing themselves in the environment, absorbing the atmosphere of a place and then returning to their studio to capture scenes remembered. For some, their relationship with the Irish landscape has an element of nostalgia, as they revisit a place from childhood. For others, moving to a new location has provided an opportunity to experiment with new approaches and techniques.
