Light Duty
Rachael Robb
22 May–15 Jun 2024
Light Duty represents a personal scrying through fragments and objects— some carried through life and others unexpectedly triggering past memories. Centering on the interplay of the mundane and the sublime, these paintings explore déjà vu and the non-linear nature of time, seeking visual stillness and a space for symbolism in which the real and everyday intersect with the emotional, memorial, or otherworldly, layering past, present, and future.
Whilst personal, the subjects of these paintings give rise to universal connections and understanding, leaving them open to interpretation. Small scale with smooth surfaces, and drawing upon Northern European old masters, these works are technically reminiscent of Flemish altarpieces. Not concerned with creating a realistic representation of space, but rather with capturing the essence of interiority— a place outside of time.
Rachael Robb completed a Bachelor of Fine Art (Painting) at RMIT in Melbourne in 1990. Afterward, she lived in Europe and London for 28 years before returning to Australia in 2020. In 2023, she held her first solo show in a public institution, titled 'I Have Been Here Before,' at Warrnambool Art Gallery. She has exhibited in the USA, England, Czech Republic and Australia, and was recently a finalist in the Darling Portrait Prize at the National Portrait Gallery, The Portia Geach Memorial Award and the Len Fox Painting Prize. Her paintings are held in private collections internationally.