Howard's landscapes

Press, 11 November 1986, Page 24

Howard's landscapes

“Contemporary Landscapes,” by Stephen Howard, at the Bealey Gallery, until November 14. Reviewed by Pat Unger. Stephen Howard exhibits in the Bealey Gallery 10 South Island scenes in “contemporary” style. At first glance, they suggest that Don Binney has gone south, or that Brent Wong has taken up residence in the Maniototos.

However, Howard’s paintings have a more hot-shot look, a zoom-lens view of the land. Con-, trived modelling and lighting further flatten the three-dimensional illusion of the works, and his technique and sharp colours enhance this interpretation of “contemporary.” . The ground is prepared with roller-brush and gesso to a dimpled, or orange peel, surface, which is then painted, and painted again, in thin oils of dramatic, tonal ochre.

grey, blue and black. This meticulous style results in acrylic, air brush lookalikes.

Some of the works reveal bursts of white light through troubled clouds whilst others have golden undulations lit by unseen sources from above. In “Maniototo Gold I and II,” the denuded folds of land are endless and sterile and the washed

clay erosions are just depressing. Great grey clouds, like jet stream concretions, echo about

the meteorology in “Maniototo Plains”; they make the viewer feel endangered by a chipped fall-out. Heroic centring of highlights give conventional, rather than contemporary qualities to these paintings. Severe reduction of image and the

brushed style of paint application suggest the simplified process of printing or photography and in this way the works could be called contemporary.

These landscapes are based on technique in search of drama and elemental form in search of art. Such overriding stylistic concerns limit the works.