Hal with a face full of Correa

Transcript

Hal with a face full of correa by Kylie Banyard, made with the assistance of Saskia van Pagee Anderson, 2024, is a painting consisting of acrylic and oil on hawthorn dyed canvas, measuring 71cm high by 53cm wide. It is unframed.

This work depicts a boy smelling correa flowers from the correa plant which is native to Australia.

The branch of a plant is extending from the left-mid side of the work and angles up towards the mid-top of the work. From the brown stem hangs multiple dark green leaves as well as elongated, oval flowers which consist of two colours, pink and yellow, which fade into each other.

On the right-hand side of the work is the profile of a young boy facing to the left. The edge of his eyebrow is visible, including his eye, which is closed, and jawline as well as his hair which is shoulder-length, brown and wavy. His head is tilted back so that his nose and jaw reach upwards to meet a branch which contains flowers. He is wearing a dark blue T-shirt, pictured from the chest upwards. This includes the crew neck and the beginning of the sleeve.

The plant, its flowers and leaves, and the boy are positioned close-up with the background being out of focus and in shades of brown.

The artist, Kylie Banyard, signs her signature and date on the canvas that wraps over the timber at the back of the work.

 From the artist statement, Banyard is quoted, saying about her work in this exhibition:

"Marking the second in a series of exhibitions inspired by a walking ritual performed with my youngest son in which we document our affective encounters touching and talking to plants. Together we photograph each other’s careful touch, wilfully suspending the moment of contact as we talk about the way a plant feels and smells. This playful process holds a certain magic for us, drawn from the rhythms of everyday life, it brings us closer to together as we share in the experience of learning how to connect with this place we call home – as we try to make our way as settlers and visitors on the unceded Country of the Dja Dja Wurrung people."

Find Banyard's full artist statement at the Verge Gallery website.