Gus Leunig Australia
I don't draw charcoal or white lines to plan my work. I just follow an abstract background and try to make sense of chaos. And I love that, I think that's the easiest way for me to work and move forward. Every painting is a learning process, and I take it as that... I think 'artist' is a big word, I tend to shy away from that. I don't really see myself as a 'dignified artist' in the old fashioned sense - I just love the notion of exploring.
Gus Leunig’s detailed, colourful and poetic works encapsulate his love of nature, animals and life in the country, where he spent most of his childhood.
His canvases are packed with beings real and imagined, set amidst backgrounds of foliage, plants and flowers. They reflect his astute observations of country life. Nature and landscape are lyrically intertwined and, although unplanned, the completed works are harmoniously balanced encouraging reflection and revisiting.
His seemingly simplistic figures exist in complex worlds and narratives where the whimsical stories that play out on canvas represent complex maps from the atlas of Gus’ imagination. The carefully crafted and resolved detail, create colourful journeys through a world of observation and playful insight.
In 2004, Gus lived in a small Aboriginal community, Lockhart River, at the very northern tip of Cape York Peninsula. Working in the local Arts Centre alongside Aboriginal artists his burgeoning love for the territory, its people, and its isolation evoked an desire to paint. During this experience, Gus was reminded of his childhood and the most basic of needs - fishing, hunting and laughing, these core themes and memories are beautifully reflected in his artwork.
Gus Leunig’s paintings are held in both, private and public collections, his work has been exhibited internationally in New York and Hong Kong.
