Neighbourhood (2022),
oil on linen, 122cm x 168cm


Invented landscape (2021),
oil on linen, 60cm x 80cm


Flinders seascape (2021),
oil on linen, 50cm x 70cm

Neighbourhood and beyond
Exhibited at Australian Galleries in June 2022

"This new body of work completed over the past two years, Neighbourhood and beyond, reflects some of the changes we have all witnessed in that time: the lockdowns, Covid and even anti-lockdown political demonstrations.

"What I most noticed about this period was the silence, due to the absence of people, traffic and noise. Usually vibrant gathering places were deserted, as confinement allowed no choice but to strictly limit one's lifestyle.

"However, social limitations have advantages as well. The experience of lockdowns afforded me plenty of uninterrupted time in my studio and allowed me to closely observe my immediate environment. I tried to portray the surrounding stillness in these urban paintings.

"I was also able to focus on drawing, planning and consolidating compositions. In addition, I experimented with watercolour, building up the image with transparent layers of paint.

"Whenever the opportunity arose, I escaped to nearby coastal areas and enjoyed the colours, light and openness of such environments. This resulted in another kind of work – the 'beyond' part of Neighbourhood and beyond."

Terry Matassoni, 2022

View Terry Matassoni's latest paintings and works on paper