Curious treasure inspires ingpen

Sixty years of beachcombing and collecting coastal curiosities culminates in Robert Ingpen’s latest and highly personal exhibition, “In the marginal world”.

Salt Contemporary Art Gallery, in the heart of Queenscliff, hosts the latest works by acclaimed Australian illustrator and artist, Dr Robert Ingpen AM, as part of the Bellarine Arts Trail.

Dr Ingpen is a renowned illustrator, author, and winner of the prestigious, International Hans Christian Andersen Medal for Illustration.

His career in literature, spanning over four decades, has resulted in more than 100 published books and an estimated 7,000 individual illustrations.

Born in Geelong, Dr Ingpen has a strong affiliation with the Bellarine Peninsula and returns to the region with a body of work inspired by paintings made of the “curious treasure” he found on Mission Beach, North Queensland in August 2015.

Growing up near the coastal regions of Geelong, Dr Ingpen developed a fascination with tide pools, sandy beaches and the natural world where the life and survival of its coastal creatures hangs in the balance depending on the ebb and flow of the tide.

“Few living creatures can survive for long in this place between high and low tides, although some seem to behave curiously in an attempt to do so,” Dr Ingpen said.

“Few better places can be searched than the tide pools and the sandy beaches of the coastline if we want to observe nature close-up and record its behaviour under stress.”

The exhibition runs from November 3-26 at Salt Contemporary Art, 33-35 Hesse Street, Queenscliff from 10-4pm Friday-Monday and by appointment on Tuesdays.

For more information, phone Fiona Kelly on 5258 3988 or email [email protected] or visit salt-art.com.au.