Contested Landscapes: natural and built environments undergoing change is a new painting exhibition featuring the works of Robert Habel, which opens 2pm Sunday 21 September, at Gallery 1855.
Robert Habel, Palmer Landscape 3, 2011, oil on canvas, 140 x 127cm. Image courtesy of the artist.
Visual artist Robert Habel has been painting landscapes for over thirty years but not in the traditional sense.
His practice doesn’t acquiesce to the traditions, rules and nostalgic affirmations of the past.
Instead, his landscapes deal with issues of ecological and cultural sustainability.
To Robert, the depiction of land undergoing change or suffering abuse is as relevant in art today as idealistic landscape painting was in the past.
For more information about Robert’s creative practice please visit his website
Come along to Robert’s floor talk on Saturday 25 October from 2pm.
Want to know more about what we are doing in the Gallery and Studio? Visit our website
Off the Shelf 
Robert Hagel gave attendees his undivided attention using 90 minutes of slides depicting his life journey through his paintings: he showed us work by ‘the Masters’ that had influenced the progress of his painting style from his youth to the present day. It provided attendees with fascinating insight into artistic development as an autobiographical tool. His audience then had time to wander around Gallery 1855 and reflect on his disclosures as we viewed the creative product of his collection of eco-paintings. It was a unique experience valued by all lovers of diverse visual art products.