Amanda Schunker

"In 'Close to Splintering', the jagged lines and apparent shifting ground work illustrate the tension and focus it takes to hold things together during turbulent times. The composition mirrors that precarious moment where internal pressure meets external force, capturing the mental and physical exertion of maintaining one's centre as the landscape moves beneath," says Amanda Schunker.

Schunker's work navigates the intersection of a complex multicultural heritage, shaped by Chinese, Indian, and European lineages across England and Australia, and the raw, indifferent endurance of the natural world. Schunker seeks a practice that is unbound—free from cultural restraints, the historical weight of ancestral bound feet, and the internal prejudices we impose upon ourselves.

To paint abstracted rock formations 'en plein air' is to enter a non-denominational sanctuary: a space that belongs to no one and everyone. Time in the field serves as the essential substrate of Schunker’s practice, through which she captures the “bones” of the work. These outdoor sessions are a pursuit of neutrality, painting without borders to remain as unattached as possible, yet responsive to a multitude of triggers found in nature.