Learn more about 'Panoramas' - Essay by Robert Hollingworth June 26 2018

PANORAMAS CATALOGUE ESSAY

 Stefan Gevers: PANORAMAS

Catalogue by  Robert Hollingworth | Artist, Suliman Prize Winner, Author, Curator at The Wall Projects

         Artistic merit can be determined by asking at least two simple questions: does the work have something to say, and does it say it well?  Students of art grapple with the former – having something to say – their limited life experience doesn’t help. Initiates also grapple with the latter – saying something well. That means finding a suitable medium – oil, acrylic, watercolour, bronze, felt – and learning how to engage with it.

Stefan Gevers has long past this stage. He knows what he wants to say and has found his medium, predominantly watercolour, which he handles as though the stuff is in his bloodstream. He is aware that it’s not about mastering the medium. Instead, he recognises clearly what watercolour wants to do all by itself and has learned to collaborate with it, to work in tandem – artist and medium – so that the outcome rewards both. Balance and unity are not just properties of composition but of process as well. So, good painting is really a love affair.

A glance at Stefan Gevers’ work is enough to appreciate this pleasing relationship. Nothing is forced, nothing feigned, there’s no charade. He sees, he feels, he translates directly, no preliminary studies, no pre-drawing or marking out. Composing goes on in the artist’s head just as it might for a composer of music.

This kind of forthrightness in contemporary art is rarer than some may think. Many artists feel there is some imperative to hunt down novelty, and believe art is about trends and ideas when perhaps it’s much more about insight. Perception and empathy are this artist’s stock in trade.

Stefan Gevers was born in the Netherlands, leaving in 1993 to travel ‘as far away as possible’. He fell in love with Australia, and over the last twenty years has toured extensively, the main inspiration for his work being nature and the landscape. No doubt, the sheer expansiveness of this country lies in sharp contrast to the Netherlands, a fact that must have impressed the very first Dutch explorers as well.

The paintings in this current show are inspired by a round trip from Melbourne to Ulladulla in NSW and back again. The works do not include much evidence of human interaction. Instead, Gevers prefers to locate aspects of the land uncontaminated by human activity. He seeks out these culture-free zones and seems to suggest that they’re worth regarding, worth preserving, if humans are ever to enjoy a dignified future.                                                                                                 

 APRIL 2018

THE WALL art projects  Eastside Mall, 113 Princes Hwy, Ulladulla, NSW

Den Fair - Melbourne 2018 June 12 2018

See our most recent artwork and print collections released to the design industry at the leading authentic design fair- Denfair. 

Industry only June 14-15

Public June 16

Melbourne Exhibition & Convention Centre.

New Studio Location February 13 2018

Welcome to our new home! February 2018, marks the official opening of our beautiful studio space in the Melbourne inner west suburb of Spotswood. In an old State Bank building in the eclectic village of Hudsons road is our studio where we welcome visitors by appointment, hold watercolour painting classes & workshops & take all trade customers through our beautiful collections. Framed work & unframed prints as well as Snowpuppe lighting are available to view & purchase here.

DENFAIR RECAP June 19 2017

Did you make it to DENFAIR?
It was an incredible 3 days of design & curated innovation for the interiors & design industry- Here is a snippet of what we showed at the fair.

Get in contact if you would like to know more about the range we showcased 

*Original art by Stefan Gevers

*Limited edition prints

*Studio Snowpuppe Lighting

*Wall hooks

DENFAIR RECAP June 19 2017

Did you make it to DENFAIR?
It was an incredible 3 days of design & curated innovation for the interiors & design industry- Here is a snippet of what we showed at the fair.

Get in contact if you would like to know more about the range we showcased 

*Original art by Stefan Gevers

*Limited edition prints

*Studio Snowpuppe Lighting

*Wall hooks

Reno Rumble Loves Modern Australian June 23 2015

The finale of Reno Rumble saw contestants battle out a home renovation on a grand scale! Paper Empire was ecstatic to see STEFAN GEVERS limited edition bird prints feature in the Modern Australian house. The judges gushed, the home owners were thrilled and we were so proud to see the Major Mitchell & Red Tail Black Cockatoo feature so resplendently! Several sizes available here