Inland from the Sea 1987

Editor: So this is Eyvind Earle's "Inland from the Sea", made in 1987. It's an acrylic painting. I find the sharp contrasts of light and shadow, the stylized trees, give it a surreal and somewhat unsettling feeling, almost like a stage set. What strikes you most about its visual construction? Curator: Formally, the piece presents a fascinating interplay between representation and abstraction. The landscape is discernible, yet simplified to near-geometric forms. Notice how the artist uses contrasting colours and hard lines to define the various planes—the hills, the trees, the sky. There's a flattened perspective at play that denies us conventional depth. Observe the lack of atmospheric perspective which lends itself to a slightly surreal quality. Editor: The way he simplifies the trees—they're almost like patterns. Do you think that flattens the image, makes it more about design than nature? Curator: Precisely. The simplification emphasizes surface design over representational depth. The recurring shapes and highly stylized foliage create a kind of visual rhythm across the canvas. What do you observe about his utilization of light and dark tones? Editor: The light definitely carves out the form of the hills, and in doing so exaggerates the shapes to the point they are luminous, even though light does not reflect this way in nature. It makes me wonder if this choice by the artist reflects meaning, and if so, what is that meaning? Curator: It directs our focus towards specific formal relations, rather than focusing on mimetic qualities, right? This ultimately emphasizes a visual syntax predicated on internal harmony and balance. This artwork certainly presents much more than meets the eye, given its successful execution. Editor: I see what you mean about visual rhythm and the emphasis on form, and the role light has to emphasize form over mimicking natural effect. Thanks, that’s given me a new way to appreciate Earle’s technique.