As an Australian who is interested in exploring more contextual expressions of Christianity I feel an obvious question I must ask is, is there anything distinctive about Australian art, and if so, what?
I can’t say I have a definitive answer but I have noted a number of sources drawing attention to an early shift in the way Euro-Australian artists used light as they became more acclimatised to the land.
One Australian historian observed, “Rather than the pale light European artists were familiar with, Heidelberg School artists painted landscapes and scenes that glowed with the bright, blinding light of an Australian summer.”
I find this has some resonance for me. For having travelled in Europe a few times, much as I loved it, it did feel dark and claustrophobic to me at times. So it gives me something to think about.
Curious Christian 