Ian Marr
Poet in the Landscape
30 August - 1 October
View exhibition catalogue
Poet in the Landscape came to being over the need for serious tree work done at Les Murray's current and childhood home at Bunyah. In informal proceedings, Les called Piers Laverty, who then called his mate IAN MARR, resulting in an afternoon of conversations and poetry on the sunny back verandah. In homage to the afternoon at Bunyah with the poet and Piers, IAN MARR painted a series of en plein works on copper and inscriptions on stone, and the works began.
The warmth and inspiration of Bunyah, resonates with a quote by fellow poet Ralph Waldo Emerson who wrote -
"If a man has good corn or wood or boards or pigs to sell, or can make better chairs, or knives, crucibles or church organs than anybody else, you will find a broad hard-beaten road to his house, though it be in the woods."
Similarly whilst the road to Les's house is unsealed, the journey to see the poet is well travelled. Fondly recording the memorable Bunyah encounter, MARR's paintings on copper were en plein air to begin with, capturing the fragments of conversation and quotes between the artists and poet. And his inscriptions on slate and sandstone are intended for groves, shades and forests.
Building from the afternoon at Bunyah, MARR has painted a variety of places and encounters, ranging from Willina, Kramback, Wallamba, Kimbriki, Nabiac, from Gloucester to Forster. They are tonal explorations of his treasured areas, with the soft colours and viscous gestural application of paint speaking to Australian landscape tradition and history. Sparked by a fruitful encounter with friends, the paintings invite you to explore MARR's beaten paths across Australia.