The inspiration behind artist Paul Borg’s exhibition, ‘Fractured, Fragmented Hill–After the Rain’ was first found as he wandered through the streets of Europe.
Now on display at the Hunt Club Community Arts Centre, Borg’s exhibition can be traced back to his inaugural trip to Europe in 1990, before his return to Australia to explore the countryside. A journey that ignited a connection between the weathered statues in Europe and the lifeless native gum trees in Australia.
“Australian art has historically emphasised the ‘landscape’, whereas European art leans more towards ‘religion and symbolism’,” Borg says.
“In ‘Fractured, Fragmented Hill–After the Rain’ my aim was to meld these influences, bridging my European cultural heritage with my upbringing in Australian culture. The realisation struck me that individuals like me, with European ancestry, are fragments of past cultures, progressively losing those ties with each succeeding generation.”
Originally exhibited in 1994 at Wesley Uniting Church in Melbourne CBD, the painting, initially titled ‘Fractured, Fragmented Hill,’ took on a spiritual context over a traditional gallery setting.
After remaining in the studio racks for years, a vivid dream in 2017 compelled Borg to rework the painting, with the work drawing a new connection to the turbulent times marked by the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Now, as it graces the wall of the Hunt Club exhibition, the lingering question persists: what lies beyond the hill for us now?,” says Borg.
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