Indigenous artists have for thousands of years made paintings and
carvings to reflect their deep attachment to the land and as a way
of affirming their deepest beliefs in their origins and the sources
of their ongoing life.

From the start of white settlement, the dense bush and the immense spaces of
the land, the intractable wilderness and the repose of the pastoral landscape
have brought forth paintings of power and originality. These works have
greatly influenced how Australians view and value their own country.

The session on The Pull of the Landscape: The Artist's Share brings
together three leading contemporary artists - Katherine Hattam, Jan
Senbergs and John Wolseley - to address the issue as to whether the
Australian landscape still exerts a power over contemporary art. If it
does, what are the distinctive qualities of the Australian landscape
which move artists today?