Our latest Artist Profile is with artist Julia Vanderbyl, whose exhibition Of The Anthropocene is currently presented at Brunswick Street Gallery.
Julia is a painter based in Byron Bay whose work hovers between figuration and abstraction and explores the false dichotomies of body/space, self/environment and absence/presence. Her paintings contain human figures emerging from within landscapes – or, alternatively – place symbols of the natural world, home, place and loss within large scale portraits. This choice of subject matter is as dichotomous and harmonious as the themes she considers.
What medium(s) do you work with, and why have you chosen them?
I paint with acrylic on linen, polyester, ceramics or found objects. I find paint to be the most tangible and fluid way of communicating my themes and emotions. In my process, I use deep, intuitive brushstrokes that mimic topographical maps or geological formations to form human figures and the spaces that surround them. My scale varies between extremely large and small scale as do my strokes and textures – I’m always considering the interaction between the figure and it’s space.
Can you elaborate a little more on your making process — how does your artwork get from initial concept to exhibition stage?
My paintings emerge as a way of processing the world around me, coming from both personal grief and environmental, humanitarian and political injustices. From this, I conceptualise and sketch - drawing from both life and memory. When these drawing are sketched to scale on canvas I let textural brush strokes, colour and light form the figure and surrounding space.
Who or what are the biggest influences on your work?
Definitely the landscape surrounding me! I spent the past year living and working in Paris, with my work being so influenced by that European light, colour and of course art. Now, after returning to Australia I feel so drawn to the strength of the colours of this landscape. For artistic influences - Ben Quilty for his paintings on the topics that mean most to me and of course Munch, and all of those who consider the body and its surrounding space: Francis Bacon, Guglielmo Castelli, Dorothea Tanning.
Can you tell us a little more about your creative working environment/studio?
I’m so lucky to have an incredible studio surrounded by rainforest on my family’s farm. It is in a shed made by my father with old pine beams that were felled on the very same spot. These trees were planted by my grandfather. It is surrounded by mango and avocado trees and has a view onto a small lake and the mountains. From this place, with this personal history - I have the room and inspiration to do so much.
What’s next for you after your time at Brunswick Street Gallery? What upcoming projects are you working on now?
Following Of The Anthropocene I plan to extend this series and draw further from the Australian landscape and its people within this time of ecological crisis. I plan to expand my practice working with found objects, painting on more pots and vessels - I consider these a symbol of our future. I am filled with concepts to communicate and images to make.
Of The Anthropocene is current until 17 March 2020, and is presented as part of Brunswick Street Gallery’s International Women’s Day exhibition program.