Helen notes, “my paintings are encoded with Indigenous symbols and patters that express meanings that go deep into the unconscious, pointing to understandings related to the sentience, sacredness and power of the land which words can’t always capture. It is a way of allowing the viewer to engage more imaginatively with the painting and bring their own experiences and readings of the works.”

The use of small vignettes is characteristic of Helen’s work, calling the viewer into a closer engagement with each painting and augmenting the narrative aspects. For example, in As Above So Below with Songlines (2021, 150 x 90 cm) the tall masted ships navigating the waves in the top left are balanced against the flotilla of canoes bathed in moonlight on the right of the painting.

Return to Exhibition