Framing the past with found photos

REAPPROPRIATION is a central theme behind artist Petra Rodger’s work and it’s very much the case behind her new exhibition at Ross Creek Gallery.

Launched on Saturday, the show called Recent paintings and drawings by Petra will remain on display until Sunday 7 April and like Rodger’s previous exhibitions, centres on the fusing of memories and vintage images.

“The central theme for this show is around childhood memories of going on picnics during autumn and winter,” she said.

“It’s me remembering the surface and textures of things and what I was wearing like woolen jumpers, and that feeling of being with family.

“The images are quite varied. There are images of people having picnics but there’s also clothing and tablecloths. It’s more about recreating the feelings and experience behind the memories.”

Featuring about 30 plywood panel framed pieces, the exhibition includes oil paintings, sculptures, and pencil drawings, the latter medium of which Rodgers is presenting for the first time.

After about a decade away, she returned to the exhibiting world last year with a show at the Old Butchers Shop Gallery.

Rodgers sources her photos from online public domain resources and images from old books, as well as from antique stores and markets.

“Discarded things and obsolete imagery are interesting to me,” she said. “That’s where I get my excitement, by making things relevant to me and our modern era.

“Even when I was exhibiting before I was always working off old pictures. I love old photographs and have always referenced my work through them and vintage things.

“I feel I’m in a much better place now in connecting with people in terms of my art. They seem to respond and resonate with it a lot more now and it’s more connected to my personal experience.”

Works in her present collection were created as far back as 2020.