Latrobe Regional Art Gallery- Exhibitions

Turbulent Terrain: Manifestations of the Sublime in Contemporary Art

Curated by Bryony Nainby

5 September - 1 November 2009 & touring 2010

Traditionally associated with the imagery of nineteenth century artists such as Caspar David Friedrich, the concept of the sublime originally referred to a sense of awe and fear inspired by the vastness and immense power of nature and the elements.

Today, shock and awe have become commonplace clichés. Modern-day events of war, terrorism, scientific discoveries, space exploration and our growing awareness of the complexity and fragility of natural systems have transformed our traditional understandings of the sublime. The wonder, terror and exhilaration of natural forces that inspired artists such as Friedrich have new manifestations in contemporary artworks which engage with science, technology, military activity, environmental concerns and genetic engineering.

Turbulent Terrain: Manifestations of the Sublime in Contemporary Art explores postmodern notions of the sublime and presents work by artists who evoke forms of human experience beyond the everyday through painting, sculpture, sound and installation-based artworks.

Turbulent Terrain