Bronwyn Hill’s paintings collapse the traditional boundaries between portraiture and still life. Working within a rigorously minimalist aesthetic, her subjects - figures, bodies, animals, and insects alike - are presented as isolated forms within a field of pure, light-filled clarity. Stripped of narrative proclivities or cluttered contexts, her subjects are transported to a place of contemplative otherness.
Her latest body of work 'Swarm' investigates the intimate surrounds of the artist’s working life. Known for previously expressing thoughts and ideas through the act of self-portraiture, these new paintings pull apart the relationship the artist has with her own art practice – from still life studies of the paint smeared clothes worn in the studio, to staged figurative work that express the artist’s internal, emotional life. Insects continue to be a major feature within all of these works. Some images include only one or a few, but as the work progress conceptually, delving deeper into Hill's own psychological states, the insect numbers grow to a swarm, representing the anxieties and pressures the artist admits to inflicting upon herself in the pursuit of her craft.Watch:Bronwyn Hill discussing her practice Catalogue Essay by Phe Luxford, 2023 Glimpses of the imperceptible have been infused into Bronwyn Hill’s glistening images. Merging the real with the unreal, her still-lifes and self-portraits each present a holistic articulation of the journey toward self-awareness. Rendering both the tangible and imagined with equal clarity, the works in ‘Swarm’ illustrate moments suspended between the everyday and the poetic, daydreams that acknowledge the physical and emotional layers of the artist’s life.
On the surface these achingly perfect paintings sit comfortably within the youthful, image-conscious aesthetic of social media. Full of clear light and careful composition, images of the artist and the clothing she wears appear diaristic yet orchestrated, offering a carefully curated insight into the young artist’s world. Echoing the form of the artist’s body, her still life images depict paint smeared hoodies, tees and jackets hung waiting for the next paint session or crumpled on the floor, peeled off after a night at the easel. These are well worn mantles whose purpose it is to take the brunt of paintings messy activity. But perhaps in their comfortable streetwise style they also offer a form of protection against the relentless cycles of self doubt so common to the creative process.
Hill’s portraits join a long tradition of artist’s documenting their studio life. Many have recorded themselves gazing out at the viewer, capturing not only the site of their practice and the tools of their craft but also the experience of peering into the soul. For Hill the gaze is never direct. She is not looking at us, or at herself explicitly. There are no selfies here, but the self is still central to her investigation.
Looking beyond what can be seen, past the obvious signs of exhaustion, overwhelment or self-doubt that may be reflected back at her, Hill has taken her self-examination a step further, transforming her images into explicit psychological encounters through the symbolic presence of winged and six legged creatures. Insects are a regular feature of her work, each species signifying an emotional state such as hope, inspiration, anxiety or stress. As though the fly-wire door to her studio had been left open, or the room somehow transformed into a hothouse, swarms of insects can be seen hovering around the artist’s body, settling on her clothing, or moving single-mindedly across the floor, navigating whatever lies in their path.
Hill is not interested, however, in sensationalising these encounters. Instead, her painted selves retain their composure, observing the presence of butterflies, bees and ants with a level of cool impartiality. Rather than trying to swat them away, these insects become a natural extension of her world, reflecting both the aspirations and uncertainties that come with an artistic life. Even when challenged to articulate complex emotions there is a sense of calm equanimity in Hill’s path to self-knowledge. With gentle perception the works in ‘Swarm’ allow inner feelings to be gently brought out into the light and given wings to fly.
ARTIST BIO: Bronwyn Hill is a multi award winning artist, having won the Sylvia Jones Award for Women Artists (2019), the Brisbane Portrait Prize (2019), the Clayton Utz Launch Art Award (2017) and was winner of the People’s Choice Award at the Kennedy Prize (2018), winner of the People’s Choice Award, Manning Art Prize (2015) and the People’s Choice Award, Clayton Utz Art Award (2015).Shehas also been a finalist in the Clayton Utz Prize (2020, 2018, 2017, 2016), the Brisbane Portrait Prize (2021, 2020, 2019), the Lethbridge Prize (2021, 2020) among others. Hill has been involved in many exhibition showcases throughout Australia, including portrait prizes such as the Shirley Hannan National Portrait Award and the Portia Geach Memorial Award. Hill completed a Diploma of Fine Arts in 2011.
