Imagine a place that seems comfortable and familiar, but it doesn't exist - Katoomba artist Pennie Steel has brought such cities and towns to life at her exhibition at the Gang Gang gallery.
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'Ideal States and Sacred Places' explores places Ms Steel has manifested through paintings and sculptures.
According to Ms Steel, the concept of her works came from her subconscious and love for travel and architecture.
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"We rebuild all our subconscious information we've collated in our brain," Ms Steel said.
"I was teaching year 12 the history of architecture, which I love. And I've traveled a lot. I draw, and I deal with sketches when I'm traveling. Sro it comes from all sorts of things."
"They're not of anywhere in particular, in fact, I say they're everywhere, yet. They're nowhere."
Ms Steele uses polystyrene to build glorious cities, as well as the use of grey-blue hues in paintings to show a sense of distortion and symbolise the fiction of her realistic looking places.
Ms Steel said she is deeply passionate about the relationship between architecture and culture- Which is indicated in her works.
"Architecture for me is a really important symbol for one's culture. You think about the idea of culture, and you think about the architecture that comes out of that," Ms Steel said.
"That relationship is so strong."
According to Ms Steele, she doesn't name her pieces individually as she wants the viewer to interpret them in their own way.
"I've given you an overall title [for the exhibition], which is ideal states and sacred places," Ms Steele said.
"The works are numbered, which identify how wonderful it is to be able to respond to a work within your own context, without pre-suggested ideas, just the freedom of your own response."
Ms Steel's work in on display at the Gang Gang Gallery until November 26.
Reidun Berntsen
Reidun is a Journalist and writer who lives in a country town 3 hours from Sydney, Australia. From a young age, Reidun has been in love with words and the infinite possibilities they bring. Stories, features and poems have been a major part of her writing career.
Reidun is a Journalist and writer who lives in a country town 3 hours from Sydney, Australia. From a young age, Reidun has been in love with words and the infinite possibilities they bring. Stories, features and poems have been a major part of her writing career.
