Energy Landscapes: The new frontier (October 2011) The Adelaide Review

[ This article was published on October 7 2011. ]

On entering the latest exhibition in the RiAus FutureSpace Gallery, the viewer is greeted by a video installation of a man dressed in a newsreader’s suit, speaking in impassioned tones of politics, renewable energy and fossil fuels.

Energy Landscapes: The new frontier is a collaboration between painter Robert Habel and filmmaker Cole Larsen, an immersive experience looking at how the human hunger for energy has shaped our natural landscape.

Robert, the painter, becomes actor in Cole’s video pieces “Renewable news” and “Fossil news,” satirical studies of political propaganda which look at how the critical issues of energy production and consumption are presented and at times misrepresented by the media.

“Wind turbines chop off the heads of cute little birds,” he satirically proclaims. “And affect the migratory habits of endangered species.”

At approximately 2 minutes each in duration, these “Art Nonsense Network” videos entertain and engage, while giving a thought-provoking introduction to the paintings featured.

Robert’s paintings spotlight the Australian landscape, with red and yellow earth tones contrasting the brilliant blue of cloud-scudded skies. These landscapes are transformed by the stark and angular human-made forms of solar panels and wind turbines.

In bold, dancing brushstrokes, the paintings are complemented by video installations of the artist at work. A rare glimpse for those who wish to come closer to the artistic process, the footage shows Robert moving within the vast landscapes with no sound but the rustling of wind.

Of note, Robert’s piece “Sun Farm” 2011 demonstrates the immersive nature of the exhibition, painted in oil and acrylic on large brushed aluminium sheets which could be seen to mimic the solar panel itself.

Other paintings depict mine sites with vibrant coloured, gashed earth, streams of oil snaking through sunburned soil, and cities illuminated at night with glittering tones of bright lights against the deep black of night sky.

Robert and Cole have a 20 year working relationship, which comes together in the polished and harmonious interaction of paintings and moving video pieces, combining to create a truly absorbing experience. A sense of humour is apparent from the initial, provocative video pieces, to the playful titles of certain works — “A fine day for painting at Cape Grim.”

With Australian landscapes overwhelmingly altered by the energy technologies that define them, the exhibition forces us to witness the changes our lifestyle wreaks on our natural environment.

“Landscapes of energy, although of large geographical scale, are often unseen by energy consumers,” says exhibition Curator Dr Melinda Rackham. “By exposing their inherent invisibilities and social inequities, Larsen and Habel reveal the cycle of energy conversion and loss — from discovery, realisation and production to destruction.”

The exhibition is vibrant, inspiring and visually exciting. It also explores crucial issues we all face in today’s ever-changing world. With a hint of the tongue-in-cheek, Energy Landscapes: the new frontier should not be missed.

By Freya Dougan-Whaite

Originally published by the Adelaide Review

Learn more about the exhibition Energy Landscapes: The new frontier