6th – 14th June 2025
Despard Gallery, in association with Arkwright & Carpenter, is pleased to invite you to the second iteration of our Winter Salon series. This special exhibition features a unique combination of contemporary art and bespoke Tasmanian antiquities, presented in the unique heritage setting of Oatlands.
Underpinning the exhibition is the central theme of Arcadia, encompass the tenor of central Tasmania, including its growing culinary focus and rich pastoral history. Arcadia present a selection of new works by established Tasmanian artists, Anthea Boden and Stephen Lees, complimented with recent discoveries of idiomatic 19th Century Tasmanian furniture.
Together, each artist’s work symbolises the close connections that we all share towards Tasmania, its unique beauty and long history. At the heart of the exhibition is the opportunity to come together and celebrate our unique creative talent and inspiring Tasmanian locations. We are excited to be able to collaborate with Arkwright & Carpenter at this historic location, Oatlands emerging to represent the growing cultural renewal of the midlands, moving in a way that articulates the artistic and geographic heart of Tasmania.
Arkwright & Carpenter – 47 High Street, Oatlands
Opening Evening Friday 6 June 5:30 pm
Open Daily 10 am – 4:30 pm (closed Monday & Tuesday)
Stephen Lees has forged a highly respected artistic career, which remains peerless within the Tasmanian landscape genre. Slowly built up through opaque and transparent layers, Lees’ process follows the delicate techniques that informed painting from the 17th and 18th century. Through this measured use of paint, we see an unmistakable admiration for nature, including how light and tone define the aesthetics of the painted landscape and capture its subtle complexities, receding depths and shifting tones.
Boden is recognised as a leading figure within contemporary painting, offering an original perspective on modern and historic Tasmanian subjects. Guided by an intuitive approach and learned knowledge that only comes from experience, Boden adheres to the formal aspects of art making, including the relationships between colour, form and line. Through a unique combination of figuration and abstraction, Boden visually articulates the complexities of felt experience and how personal observations shape perception.
