‘Surrender Tree’ marks Joshua Yeldham’s first solo show in Sydney for almost three years. 2013 has already been a highly significant year for the artist, having been selected as a finalist in both the Archibald and Wynne Prizes (Art Gallery of New South Wales).
In this much-anticipated show, Yeldham yet again demonstrates his virtuosity across a number of different and complementary mediums, encompassing oils on board, works on paper and sculptural assemblages. New to this show is a collection of unique carved photographic images featuring the eerily beautiful mangrove systems of the Hawkesbury River. These artworks reveal his unique treatment of the medium whereby he is effectively piercing and carving into the delicate paper surface of the photographic print.
With inspiration drawn from a deeply spiritual connection with the landscape, Yeldham’s paintings form an interplay between his rich imagination and experience. His abstract landscapes and figurative works contain recurrent symbolic motifs, fusing the landscape and everyday historical icons with narrative and myth.
