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GRAHAME SYDNEY CityGalleryWellington

Te Whare Toi

Firstpublished2009;reprinted2010

CityGalleryWellingtonTeWharetoi,CivicSquare,POBox467,Wellington

ISBN0–909010-69–2

Editors:GrahameSydneyandcontributors

Cataloguedesigner:EvaDarron

Pictureresearchers:DianaMinchallandJustinPaton

Electronicprepress:HughesLithographics,Dunedin

PrintedbyTabletColourPrint,Dunedin

ThecataloguehasbeengenerouslysupportedbytheJennyGibbsTrust,

theFarmerfamilyandCreativeNewZealand.

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GR AHAME SYDNEY CityGalleryWellingtonTe Whare Toi

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(cover)

1997

Hawkduns

oil on linen

915 x 1370 mm

(right)

1975

Fog at stan

Cotter’s

egg tempera

431 x 914 mm

Contents

OurLandscapeGrahame Sydney 2 Chronology 20

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Inessencesomanyofthepaintingsareaboutstayingnotleaving,aboutenduring,hangingon.Howdoyoupersistandexisthere,gloryinwhatyousee,respectwhathasgonebefore,whatremains,andwhatwillliveon?Whatdoesliveon?Nothingorganicremainsthesame;littleofwhatwe,humans,makeisassuredofcontinuance.Butapaintingmightlast,apoem,astory.Thelandtellsastory,thedilapidatedbuildingstestifytootherstoriesboundupintheland’sstory,andthecloudsaretransientbutkeeponcoming,formingandreforming.

LetmestartbyquotingfromthejournalofTHScott,apsychologistandmountaineerfromWellingtonwhowaskilledonMtCookin1960.

OuR L ANDScApE

1990

sutton

egg tempera

505 x 720 m

Grahame Sydney

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ThepassageisfromScott’s‘SouthIslandJournal’,quotedinPhilipTemple’sexcellentanthology‘Lake,Mountain,Tree.’

‘When I left the North Island and came to the South to live, I

felt immediately and overwhelmingly that I had come to quite

a different country. It was not merely that I had new work

to do and new people to work with. It was not the inevitable

strangeness one experiences in a new city till one gets one’s

bearings. Nor was it the subtle difference one feels about the

people themselves – Things one notices first perhaps, as I did, in

the slowness of traffic and folk on the streets, and their freedom

from the sense of urgency I had been used to. That kind of

thing one is prepared for; it is soon absorbed and one is perhaps

mellowed in some indefinable way as a consequence.

It was something else. For it stayed with me, this feeling, for a

year or more, before I began to put my finger on the cause of

it. Up till this time I had scarcely moved from Christchurch,

but now, unable to resist any longer, I found time to explore

north and south. On the Port Hills I had walked in the

tussocks blowing in the wind, and looked across the great

plain to the Alps beyond. I had tried to grasp the significance

of its occupation by farmers – the taming of the land from the

sea and as far as the eye could reach. Now I went inland to

the mountains themselves. I went north through Weka Pass

to the great rolling wheat country beyond, and south, out

of Canterbury and over the Lindis Pass into Central Otago.

Everywhere I went that summer my journey was through

open country, flat or rolling mountainous, but always dry and

somehow weary. Yet it was noble and old county and lovely

with old tussock. I knew then that I had come to what could

have been a continent, from places that could only be in an

island. Here was the dryness of continents, the vastness, the

shape of county that could go on and on.’

Thatnotionof‘anessentialdifference’isthethreadwhichwillrunthroughthisexhibition.

Feeling at HomeI’vebeenapainternowforover30years,andartistslikemelearnslowlythatbeingfairandreasonable,considerateoftheneedsofotherpeopleandthewidercommunitydoesnotmakeforgreatart.Weworkinasortofsolitaryconfinementandhavetolearntheimportanceofaselfishandprivatepleasingofno-onebutourselves,tonotgivingadamnfortheopinionsofothers,becausegoodartdependssomuchonthatsecret,innerlifeofpersonalexperiencesandresponses,andfindingthebestwaytogivethemaform.

That’soneofthereasonswhythestoriesaboutmanyofthegreatestartistsarestoriesofvolcanicegos,flagrantlycarelesslives,andspectacularlyunconventionallifestyles.Agreatdeal

1999

road west,

ida Valley

oil on linen

710 x 1220 mm

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ofreallybadartisartwhichhasgrownfromapainter’stooobviouswillingnesstopleaseothers,nothimorherselfishself,andFatherTimewillquicklyseethatartforgotten.ForwhichreasonIambynowquiteaccustomedtothefactthatmanyofmybeliefsarenotsharedbymostothers.

Forexample,ofallthecoloursavailabletome,IdislikeGreenmost.Ihategreeninthestudio,trynottouseit,andI’mnotatallfondofitbeyondthestudiodoorseither.Perhapsthat’swhyIfeltsodislocatedinEngland.Perhapsthat’swhyIfeelsomuchastrangerintheNorthIsland.Perhapsthat’swhyIcannotwatchthecancerousspreadofungainlycentre-pivotartificialfertilisingandwateringoftheManiototoandtheMcKenzieBasinwithoutasenseofangerandregret.Perhapsthat’swhytheinsidiousspreadofforestryacrosssomanyofourpreviouslyhoney-colouredtussockyhillsandplainsinfuriatesmesomuch.Innaturallysemi-aridregionslikeCentralOtagoandtheinlandbasinsoftheSouthIsland,the‘greening’isahandywayoflabellingwhatIconsidertobeveryinappropriateandunwelcomechangestoourlandscape.Butmoreonthatlater.

Ibelieve,yousee,thatlandscapeshaveapowerandameaningfarbeyondanytemporaryeconomics.Landscapes,thenaturaltheatresofourpersonalexperiencesanddramas,performasymbolicandemotionalfunctionmilesbeyondtheireconomicorgeographicalrationale.

ItdoesnotsurprisemethatIfrequentlyhearpeopleconfessing–oftenwithsomebewilderment–thatthey‘feelathome’inaparticularlandscape,forreasonstheythemselvescannotexplain.Andthenumberoftimesonehearsthis‘feelingathome’andloveofparticularSouthIslandlandscapesexpressedbythosewhohavespentverylittletimeamongstthem,is,ifIcanemploytheobviouspun,remarkable.

1998

anderson lane

oil on linen

915 x 1375 mm

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Feelings oF ConneCtion & deep anCHoringWhyisitwesooftenclingtothesignificanceofonespecialplace,onespecialspot,oneparticularview,andholdthattoourheartsforcomfort,foraclearersenseof‘wherewecomefrom’andforconfirmationofouridentities?Ibelievethateveryonehasadeepsecretspot,aspecialplace,alandscapewhichbringsthemaprofoundandmysteriouscontentment,whethertheycarryitonlyintheirmemories,orcanaccessitfrequently:itcouldbecalleda‘G’spot,Isuppose,withinthiscasethe‘G’standingforGeography.ItisplainthatT.H.ScottfounditintheSouth,andhiswordsechothoseofthousandsofothers.

ButwhenweconfesstothisprivateGspot,weseldomknowwhyitcontainssuchpoweroverus–itismysticalandcomplex,andwesometimesonlyrecogniseitsanchoringinourprivatedepthswhenitischanged,spoiled,orruined–lost-andthenthesenseofaffrontandangerwefeelgnawsawayatusincessantly.

Whydolandscapesaffectussomuch?WhyisitthatthehighcountryandthewideemptybasinsofCentralOtago,forinstance,gathersomuchmeaningforsomanypeople?Isitbecause,intheirraw-boned,skeletalgeology(withonlythethinnestveneerofsoftcomfortandfertility)theyreflectsomethingoftheunforgivingnatureoflifeitself?Isitsomespiritualconnectionwiththepast?Isitthatcontrastmakeseffective:thatintheirvastnessandmonumentalityandpermanencetheyremindusofallthatisbriefandtransitoryinourowninsignificantlives?Isitpureescapism:thatthesilence–asSamNeillsographicallywroteinour‘TimelessLand’book’sintroduction,‘theexhilarationofsolitude,whichisinseparablefromtheterrorofloneliness’providesavitalalternativetothecrowded,overpopulated,unnaturalnoisypandemoniumoflargercityandsuburbanlife?

Ireadonceatheorythatpeoplearefinallyshapedbythelandscapestheylivein,thattheyeventuallystarttoresemblethatland,inthesamewayhusbandsandwivesmanaging

1977

priVate bag

egg tempera

380 x 255 mm

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tonegotiatetheirwaythroughlongmarriagesoftenstarttoresembleeachother.Istheausterityandunadornedhardnessofourlandscapesinsomewayareflectionofourownsubconscious,privatestoicism?IsitsimplythatweseeourownpeculiarbrandofBeautythere,beautyweknowisoursalone,uniquetowhereWEcomefrom,andnotsomehow‘belonging’toothers?IsthiswhattheCentralOtagoDistrictCouncilhadinmindwiththeirrecent“WorldofDifference”branding?Whateveritis,Idobelieveinthepoweroflandscapestomeanthismuchtopeople,andallovertheplanetpeoplefeelthiswayaboutsomecorneroftheirowncountry.WhenIamsomewherefarawayoffshoreandthinkingofhome,itisnotthemapofNZIconjureupinmyhead,norisitAuckland,orthelushgreeneryofWaikatoorTaranaki.ItisnotNZassuch,forNZissomanydifferentcountries–itisaparticularplaceIloveandmiss,ahillside,avalley,aplateauglimpsedfromaspecialcorner,amountainrange…aG-spotofmyown,anditshouldbenosurprisetoyouthatmostofmyownspotsareinCentralOtago.

AucklandersmaydreamofCoromandelorKeriKeri,andgoodonthem.ButIdreamoftheHawkduns,BlackstoneHill,theCrawfordHills,orMountStBathansglowinglikeanemberinthefinalhoursofdaylight,justastherisingshadowofnightstartstopushawaythedullpinkglowovertheKakanuis,andsmothersthelandscapewithacoldgreypall.

Itispartoftheartist’stasktogivepermanentformtothesefeelingsofconnectionanddeepanchoring,andtolookforBeautywhereitmaybehiddentoothereyes.Buttoooftenthepaintingsbecometheonlypermanentdocumentsofaparticularplaceandthefeelingsthatplacemighthavegeneratedinme,becauseinthenameofmodernityoreconomicviabilitythelookofthatlandscapehasbeenradicallyaltered,bulldozedintooblivionbytheunquestionedenginesofProgress.

(left)

1996

maniototo

oil on linen

760 x 1220 mm

1995

stoCk pond

witH Harrier

oil on linen

760 x 1220 mm

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ImentionedearliermydisdainforthegreeningoftheManiototo,thetransformationofthemagnificentMcKenzieBasinintosimilarlyartificialproductivity.Anyonewhocanremainunmovedandcarelessaboutthedeliberatepineforestationofthewonderfullysensuous,overlappingspursoftheLakeOnslowuplands,orexoticplantationsontherugged,desiccatedhillscapestothesouthsideofthePigRootneartheBrothers,ortheintensivemob-dairyingintheMcKenzieBasin,justtonameafew,isnotpossessedofthesameheartasme.IfmajorscaledairyingmeansthedemiseoftheMcKenzieBasin’slong-evolveddrytussockcountryandthedescentintobrownsludgeoftheTaieriRiver,thenIsuggestitsmistakenanddeeplyregrettable,notprogressatall.

transFormation oF a distinCtiVe landsCapeJustafewhundredmetresfrommystudiothereis,Ibelieve,somethingawfulhappening,too:thebeautifullybarren,singularlydistinctiverockyhillssurroundingthistownshiparebeingrapidlycolonisedbyaspeciesofpinetree,aspecieswhichflingsitsseedswideandeasily,andwhichis–unlesssomethingisdoneveryquickly–goingtotransformthelookofthisAlexandraenvironmentintoanewNaseby,oranyotherforestedenvironment.

IwatchthissubmergenceofAlexandra’smostunique

1993

memorial Hal

oil on linen

760 x 1520 mm

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characteristicwithrealregret:doesanyoneelsecareaboutit,asIdo,ordoesitnotreallymatter?

TheDistrictCouncilisapparentlyhelpless–ifitdoescare–untiltheOtagoRegionalCouncildeclaressuchspeciestobenoxiousplants,buttheRegionalCouncilhasnotdoneso.Asthingsstand,ifthelandownerorleaseholderisreluctanttoallowthetreestoberemoved,thecancercutout,wewillallwitnesstheobliterationofthesignalpersonalityofthisimmediateandfamouslocallandscape:within10years,Isuggest,thewildingforestwillhaveconsumeditall.

ThesameishappeninginmyownvalleyatCambrian,andthesameInoticeisoccurringalongtheredtussockhillsofthebelovedPigRoot.Wildingpinesarebecomingaplague,justasgorseandbroomhaveinfestedsomuchofNZ,andevenDoCispowerlesstoorderthepines’removal,despitethefactthathundredsofvolunteers,likeme,wouldraisetheirhandstohelp.AsolitarylandownercanforbidentryandthusberesponsibleforthemassiveandIbelievethoroughlyinappropriatetransformationofadistinctivelandscape.

Thatdoesnotseemrighttome.ItmightbeacceptableifthecommunityexpresseditscontentmentwiththattransformationandIfoundmyselfinaminority–butIdon’tbelievethat’sthecase,andyettheCODCishelplessuntiltheRegionalCouncilstumpsupanddeliversahangingverdictonwildingpines.Ofcoursetheycoulddoit–theyjusthaven’t,andthoseofyouwholovethestrange,eternalrockscapeofthesesurroundinghillshadbetterlooklongandhard,becauseitsonitswayout.

a world oF diFFerenCeMakenomistake:thelookofthelandscapeisaNaturalResourceasvaluableasanymoreobviously‘productive’or‘economic’uses.Whenthiscountryisrankedfirstinaworldwidesurveyoftheglobaltraveltradeforits‘naturalbeautyandoutdooractivities’it’sthelookoftheplace,thefeelofit,thewayinwhichithasretaineditsspecialpersonalityandresistedthehastydevastationsofeconomicprogress

1995

nigHt House ii

oil on linen

760 x 1215 mm

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11

(left)

1986

demolitipon

at waipiata

egg tempera

670 x 1200 mm

(right)

1974

midwinter at

miss nyHon’s

egg tempera

609 x 762 mm

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thosevotersarerankinghighestintheworld.WehavetheopportunityheretolearnfromthedisastrousmistakesofothercountriesandNOTrepeatthemhere:wehavetheopportunitytobelikenowhereelse,toremindothersofwhatthey’velost.Or,wedothesameasthem,andloseitall:comeonin,windfarms!Let’sgowiththecentrepivotsanddairyfarms!Bringonthesubdivisions!Its‘progress’afterall…

Butitsnotprogress.Toooftenwehavebeenlecturedatbythosewhobelievethatprogressisalwaysandonlyeconomic,andthateconomicgrowthisinevitable,unstoppable,anddesirable.Butisit?‘Progress’isnotonlyexpansionandgrowth:progresscanbeasteadymarchtowardsaretentionofvaluesand,yes,landscapesweknowtobevaluableinwaysotherthanmeremoney-progresscanalsobetherecognitionofwhatmattersmostaboutwherewelive,whywelivethere,andwhatothersmightvalueaboutittoo,nowandinthefuture.AndmybeliefisthatinCentralOtago,inthisregionofours,wehavemoreuniquequalitiesandlandscapesofdistinctionthanmostotherplaces,andthattheyhaveapowertoaffecttheimaginationandsoulofNewZealandersfarmorethanmostotherlandscapes.‘Growth’cansurelybethegrowthoftherecognitionofthatspecialness,andmakingcertainweandthosewhoarevotedintopositionsofpowerandlawmakingtogovernusproperlyrepresentthatbelief.Weloveitdeeply,andotherscomehereandloveittoo–notforitssimilaritytootherplacesintheworld,butforitsdifference–aworldofdifference,remember.Thatmustbevaluedaboveallthosewhowouldseektochangethatlookbrandishingthefragileanddebatableswordofeconomicprogress.

1990

JaCk tar

oil on linen

710 x 760 mm

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we are merely CaretakersIfwearetopreservetheuniquelandscapeswelove,andwhichmakeusfeelandunderstandthespecialnessofwherewebelong,wemustbegintoputavalueonqualitiesandoutcomeswhicharenotnecessarilyproveninmonetarygain.Therehastobeacceptanceofaconceptofworthintermswhicharenotjustmonetary,andsomewherealongthelinesomeonehastoacceptthatchangepersonally,andconcedetoitwithpride,andlongviewintothefuture.

Landownerspresentmighttakeoffenceatmytonehere,andsay‘Itsallverywellforyou,mate–Ihavetomakealivingoffthatfarm,anditsgettingharderstayingafloatonthisproperty.’Iappreciatethat,ofcourse,andunderstandit.ButIalso

suggestthattheword‘ownership’bringswithitverydangerousimplications:implications,forexample,thatthelandis‘ours’andwehavearighttomakeiteconomic,todobetter,oratleastaswell–financially–asourfathers.Butwearenotowners,anymorethanthepurchaserofoneofmypaintingsisan‘owner’:wearenomorethancaretakers,briefrenters,andIbelievewehavenorighttoimposethoserapidandtoooftendestructive,artificially-sustainedchangesonlandscapeswhichNaturehassculptedandcolouredsoslowly,andsoappropriately.

Ireadalovelypiecerecentlyaboutwehumans,discussingthephenomenonthatwealoneamongstthespeciescancontemplateourfuture,andhaveaconceptofdeath.

(right)

1990

albatross at

deboraH bay

oil on linen

560 x 760 mm

(left)

1991

albatross iii

oil on linen

455 x 560 mm

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Thebeautifulstatementwasmadethat‘lifeisaflickerofconsciousnessbetweentwogreatsilences.’Twogreatsilences:wewillnotgetoutofthisalive,ofcourse.Wearenotowners:wearemerelycaretakers,andwemustthinkfarbeyondtheimmediategratificationofthebalancesheet,regardlessofwhatshiftsandupheavalsthatrequires,andholdtoavisionofwewantourlandscapestomeanandlookliketoourfaraway,unknowndescendants.Ifthey’reanythinglikeme,greenwillbebutoneofthecoloursinthevastpalette,nottheonlydesiredone.Thisisnaturallyabrown,brittle,bleachedlandscape–anditshouldbe.

Thedangerintheheadlongstampedewhichregardseverylandscape,regardlessofNature’sobviousintentionsforit,tobetransformedintosomethingeconomicallyviable,isthattheunique,unusualandseparatelandscapeswithwhichwearesingularlyblessedinthisprovincewillallfinallyendupploughed,tamed,artificiallymanicured,and,Godforbid,GREEN.Orobliterated(despitethepamphletpromises)bywindfactories,wiresandpylons.Therationalemightwellbeeconomicviability,butthatisanemptymantrainthelongrun:itisouractswhichdefineus,notthecauseweuseasrationale,andouractshavethecapacitytorapidlydestroywhatmayhavetakenmillenniatoevolveandbuild,andwhichnowdefineus.

Badart,asIsaidearlier,israpidlyforgotten;butbadlanduseandpoortownplanningdecisionsremainasregrettablypermanentscarsonthefaceofourlandscape.

Ipersonallylongforadifferentvision,andregretthemanytransformationsalreadyfoisteduponthethinskinofourwrinkledprovince.Ihavenofaithatallintheirlong-termviability,becauseNaturealwayswinsintheend.Anyprocessdirectedatchangingourwell-establishedpatternsofthinkingandbehavingpersonallyorwithintheecosystemshouldbeanextendedone,involvingslowgatheringsofinsight,re-evaluation,andtryingnewapproaches.Undertheverybestofcircumstances,suchchangetakestimetogaintoeholdsinourwayofthinkingandvaluing–slowtime.

Thecharacteristicswhichrendereachofusuniqueareseldomtheproductofrationalchoice.Butthedecisionswhichrenderlandscapesunique,whichpreservethenaturallookandbalance,orwhichallowittoberestoredandtoreclaimitsuniquenessonthesurfaceoftheearth,thesearealwaystheproductsofrationaldecision.Andtheserationaldecisionsalwaysrequirecourage,sometimessacrifice,andaboveallbeliefinthefinalobjective.

modestyThereisanobviousneedforpatience,careandlongconsiderationoftheusewemakeofthelandscapeswetreasure.Anditisvitaltorecognisethevalueofthelesser-knowncornersofourregion,theemptyandbleakuplandsaswellasthecelebratedsights,thenaturallyspectacular,themostvisited,formuchofthemeaningwewringfromourenvironmentisoftenfromfarlessmajesticplaces.

Landscapes,likeideas,donothavetobecelebratedorfamoustobemeaningful.Ifthisregionis‘home’tous,thathomehaschildrenwitharangeofindividualqualities,anditsimportanttovaluethechildwhomaybequietandalittleintrovertedasmuchasitistheloudanddemandingyoungerbrother.Thathomeandfamilymusthaveadistinctivecharacter

1999

road west,

ida Valley

oil on linen

710 x 1220 mm

15

1996

Hawkdun spring

oil on linen

835 x 1670 mm

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andhistory–andwesurelydohavebothhere(‘AWorldofDifference’afterall)ingreatermeasureperhapsthananywhereelse–butthatvarietyandpersonalityhastoberecognised,andvalued,thenprotected,nurturedandmadeapointofprideandstrengthagainstwhateverforcesandargumentsmightberangedagainstit,underwhateverbanner.

Iwanttomentiontwosmallpieces:onebymybrilliantmate,thewriterOwenMarshall,becauseitgraphicallydemonstrateshowsymbolicandmemorablemodestycanbe;thesecond,apoembyAlistairCampbell,writtenin1948.Seeifyourecogniseanythingofyourowninthem.

FromOwenMarshall:

‘There’s a place, not far, sweet country if only it had summer

rain. The sheep seek shade, and in these camps the loess

clay of the ground is smooth and hard, or pooled to dust,

and the droppings of the sheep are thickly spread, but dry

and inoffensive, baked in the heat. In the odd sink-hole

the briar seeks moisture and gorse blooms brighter than

the clay. The ridges are worn almost bald, like the heads of

the lean,brown farmers who ride farm bikes too small for

them across the paddocks of their land. The creek beds are

marked more by rushes and willows than running water,

and the mallards come only in twos and threes. An easterly

is always up after midday and burnishes the arc of pale blue

sky. The shelter belts close to the road and the macrocarpa

before the farmhouse, are dusted with a false pollen drifting

in off the road. The rural delivery boxes are large so that

stores can be left there as well as mail, and each has a name

painted by hand. In the evenings the sheep come to the

stock dams and troughs to drink, the magpies gather to

imitate the noise of poets, and the barley grass and brown-

top ripple at the sides of the shingle roads.

Is that so far away?’

1993

pig root

pond

oil on linen

1066 x 1066 mm

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Andhere’sAlistairCampbell’s‘Islandtoisland’1948,theyearIwasborn.

This is the kiln that fired

My shaping mind – a brilliant waste

By wind and rabbit toothed

And honeycombed, an orchard land

Where a child still dreams

Among the time-lost apple trees...’

IsaidattheoutsetthatbadartisalwaysdiscardedandignoredbytheheartlessJudgeofTime.Soarebad,inappropriatedecisionsaboutourlanduseharshlyjudgedbyTime,strappedtotheuncontrollablypowerfulfistofNature.Wemustbeintelligent,sympatheticcaretakers,andrememberthebrevityofouroccupancy,betweentwogreatsilences.

Iwarnedyouofmyself-centredopinions,mypoorconceptofpleasingothers,andnowyou’veheardsomethingofthem.IfnothingelseIhopesomeofyouarestimulatedtoargueoragreewithme:asapainterI’mwellusedtobothresponses.Idonotspeakforothers,onlymyself;andIdonotpretendtoanyacademicbalanceorfairness–IclaimitasmyrighttobeangryaboutthingsIthinkarewrongorinappropriate,whicharebeingignoredorundervaluedorabused,andweappeartobelivinginamomentwhenthislandscapeIlovesomuch,andwhichmeanssomuchtomeandothers,isundermorethanusualthreat.

ThefundamentalproblemIthinkliesintheconceitthattoofewofusconsidertheyearsanddecadesandcenturieswewillnotsee,theoneswhich,nomatterwhatdecisionsaremade,willsurelyfollowallourdays.Itstooeasytothinkthatweonlyhaveourownlifespantoworryabout,andtomakedecisionswhichaffectonlyourselves.

1978

rozzie at

pisa

egg tempera

610 x 610 mm

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our landsCapeWhatisCentralOtagogoingtolooklike,what’sCentralOtagogoingtobelike,what’sCentralOtagogoingtomeantothoseNewZealanderswholiveherein2057,orwhoseeitforthefirsttimein2107?Willitlooklikeeveryotherregioninthiscountry,indistinguishableexceptforitsbackbonerangesrisingabovevalleyswhichareidenticalupanddownthenation–artificiallysoaked,fertilisedgreen,andcrammedwithdairycows?Willthoserangesbe,asMeridianEnergyLtdappeartodream,forestedwithaspiderwebnetworkofwindturbines(mostofthemidle)wiresandpylons?Willtheonceunforgettablybarren,thyme-scented,rockyhillsofAlexandra,EarnscleughandthetussocksofthePigRootbesmotheredinadark,monotonousblanketofpines?Willtheriversbelittlemorethandrystonebeds,becauseno-onehadthecouragetoleadtheCouncillorsinshouting‘Itdoesn’thavetobethisway!Thisisnotwhatwewant!’

Itsuptoustorecognisewhatwehavehereandwhatitmeans,toprioritisewhatwevalue,torecognisethatdespitethebrevityofourholidayonearth,therearebigdecisionswhichoutlastusand

1997

winter:

st. batHans downs

oil on linen

915 x 1370 mm

affectthosewhofollowourfootprintsandwhowillthinkofuswitheithergratitude,ordisdain,ponderingwhatwaslost.

Ifinishthenwithaquestion,askedinachildren’sstorybythebutterfly,totherosehedge.It’stheonewhichmattersmost,thevitalquestionwemusteachaskourselveshereinCentralOtago:

‘What do you leave? What did you give to the world?’

Let’shopewecananswerthatquestionproudly,andnotwithembarrassmentorshame.

Thisis‘ourlandscape’,butwearebriefcaretakers.Acenturyonanothercommunitywillbesayingthesame:whattheysee,whattheyinherit,whatitmightmeantothemdependsonusandnotwhatwesay,butwhatwedo.It’saheavyresponsibility,anditcouldindeedmake‘theworldofdifference.’Wecanleavethemapricelessgiftifwehavethecourage:alandscapetrulylikenoother.

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GrahameSydney’scontributiontoNewZealandartisconsideredsosignificantthatin2003hewasawardedanOfficeroftheNewZealandOrderofMerit,(ONZM)forservicestopainting.Foralmost30yearsSydney’spaintingshavebeeninspirationalwiththeirabilitytoevokeasenseofwonderandkinship.HisworksaresoughtafterbylocalandinternationalbuyersaswellasbeingheldinthecollectionsofNewZealand’smajorgalleries,includingTePapa’snationalcollection.

FromchildhooddrawingsofDisneycharactersinthe1950s,throughtothelargemajesticlandscapesofOtagofortyyearsonward,GrahameSydney’spassionforpaintinghasneverdiminished.Hehasworkedwidelyinoils,watercolours,tempera,etchingsandlithographs.FollowinghisfirstsoloexhibitionattheMorayGalleryin1972,hespentaperiodoverseasintheUnitedKingdomandEuropebeforereturningtoDunedinin1974tobeginlifeasafull-timeartist.Thoseyearshavewitnessedanimpressiveandsubstantialbodyofwork,andanextensiveexhibitionhistory.

1999

dunedin studio

Photo: Reg Graham

cHRONOLOGY

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‘Sydneyisaclevermagicianwhoplieshiscraftwithgreatskillandsubtlety,makingpaintingsthatareseeminglysimple,buttheirplainrealitytendersdeeperemotionsthansimplerecognition.Youdon’tjustseethelandhere,youfeelit...Thesehills,theseskiesgiveusavoicethatisunique,avoicethatisevokedbytheartofGrahameSydney.Itisthevoiceofusall.’KeithStewart.

ThemanandtheartistcanbemoreeasilyunderstoodthroughtheMontanaAwardwinningbook‘TheArtofGrahameSydney’whichincludesabriefautobiographicaloutlineofSydney’searlyartdevelopment,apersonalresponsebypoetBrianTurner,essaysfromartcuratorsMichaelFindlayandBelindaJones,andanextendedandinsightfulinterviewwithGrahameSydneybyphotographerRegGraham.

1999

selF portrait

at FiFty

oil on linen

1220 x 915 mm

1948 Born Dunedin, South Island, New Zealand

1953–66 Attended Corstorphine Primary,

Macandrew Intermediate and

King’s High School

1967–69 University of Otago, graduating BA

(English and Geography)1970 Secondary Teacher’s College, Christchurch

1971–72 Taught at Cromwell District High School

1973–74 Travelled to United Kingdom and Europe

1974 Returned to Dunedin, commencing full-time

art career

1976–83 Lived at Mount Pisa Station, near Cromwell

1978 Frances Hodgkins Fellow, University of

Otago, Dunedin

1983 ReturnedtoliveinDunedin2000 Built new home & studio in Central Otago

2003 Made an Officer of the New Zealand

Order of Merit (ONZM)

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