No Place Like Home by Meg Gallagher
Meg Gallagher’s latest exhibition, No Place Like Home at Totem Road, draws on her deep connection to her homeland in New Zealand.
Words: Hande Renshaw I Photography: Emily Cannan
‘Nature plays such a massive part in inspiring my work, from the colours to the incredible textures it brings us. Although I don’t always portray landscapes in a super realistic sense, I’m always pushing to express the energy it gives off instead,’ says Meg Gallagher. Photo: Emily Cannan
Late Afternoon by Meg Gallagher. Photo: Emily Cannan
For most of us, there is a special landscape or place in the the world where we truly feel at home. Wherever this place or space may be, it’s when we’re at our happiest, our most grounded and authentic.
For abstract artist Meg Gallagher, this place is Ōtepoti, in New Zealand. ‘I love the crisp air and the sharp sun and the cold water that takes your breath away. People move slowly but with intention – New Zealand has this unique atmosphere that’s calming but also inspiring – it’s more of a quiet hum than a buzz,’ says Meg.
For her latest exhibition, No Place Like Home at Totem Road in Sydney, Meg drew on her love for the area, a place that’s also resonates deeply for Totem Road founder, Don Garvan.
‘Don also grew up in the rugged South Island of New Zealand, so we share the same nostalgic connection to this land. When you grow up in special place like New Zealand it plants roots in you that you didn’t realise you had until you travel the world and realise New Zealand will always be “home“, no matter where you are.’
No Place Like Home explores the interplay between the ocean, the land and the sky – the wide open spaces that have carried Meg throughout her life, in a series of textural paintings on offcuts of denim.
Meg sourced natural earth pigments to use in the works, including raw sienna, raw umber and the soft greens of terre verte. ‘This collection is a little lighter and softer than some of my previous work because I wanted to show off New Zealand’s surroundings as heavenly as they are to be in,’ she says.
The process for the works began with offcuts of denim that would otherwise make their way to landfill, followed by a flow of washing, soaking and dyeing, which brings to life wild organic textures.
‘I love the physicality of it all, my process has similar rhythms to gardening or cooking. You’re moving your body whilst creating something with your hands – the layering process helps me to keep pushing the textures and colours further and further, so I can create mysterious depth to them - much like how nature is.’
No Place Like Home is showing from 23rd of March at Totem Road in Sydney.
‘I used to explore up there [my mum’s farm, in New Zealand] as a kid and fantasise about what my life could be like – I’m a big day dreamer so it’s nice to go back there and realise that some of the wild dreams did come true!,’ says Meg Gallagher. Photo: Emily Cannan
Warm Wind by Meg Gallagher. Photo: Emily Cannan
Hot Sand by Meg Gallagher. Photo: Emily Cannan
‘I love the physicality of it all, my process has similar rhythms to gardening or cooking. You’re moving your body whilst creating something with your hands – the left and right side of the brain are firing, so it really helps with the decision making,’ says Meg Gallagher. Photo: Emily Cannan
“New Zealand has this unique atmosphere that is calming but also inspiring – it’s more of a quiet hum than a buzz.”
