Calling the rich tablelands and rolling hills of the Strathbogie Ranges home, Leunig celebrates the environment and seasonal diversity of the bush through prints and paintings.
Benalla Rural City Mayor Bernie Hearn said she was delighted to have Leunig as part of the festival.
“We are thrilled to feature local artist Gus Leunig, and welcome his vibrant and intuitive style, which is inspired from his love of nature and the environment,” Cr Hearn said.
“Leunig’s colourful paintings encapsulate his love of nature in country Victoria, where he lives and works.
“His style is poetic and created through a mixture of observation and imaginative expression.”
Cr Hearn said Leunig’s early years, spending time with his artist-father Michael in the small Aboriginal community of Lockhart River in Cape York Peninsula, deepened his connection to the land and its people.
“Surrounded by local Aboriginal artists in the arts centre, Leunig’s artistic journey was profoundly shaped by the territory, the isolation and the joy of simple childhood pleasures like fishing, hunting and laughing,” Cr Hearn said.
Leunig said he was excited to see what he could create in a social setting.
“My art practice has typically been quite solitary, so the chance to work on a large-scale painting at the Benalla Art Gallery, with people coming and going, introduces an element of spontaneity and risk that’s unknown to me,” he said.
“I’m eager to explore how my natural reactions unfold in this environment and what kind of artwork I’ll produce.
“I’ve been a long-standing admirer of this festival for providing a platform where such a diverse range of artists can share their creativity and talent, with both the local community and the visitors to Benalla.”
Leunig’s work is held in private collections and public spaces. As an artist, he pushes creative boundaries through painting, illustration and digital media.
For more information, visit benallastreetartfestival.com.au and follow Benalla Street Art Festival on Instagram and Facebook.
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