Still Life: A Contemporary Arrangement

STILL LIFE: A

CONTEMPORARY ARRANGEMENT

STILL LIFE: A CONTEMPORARY ARRANGEMENT

April 2 - April 26, 2026

Front: Natasha Junmanee, Vase of Lemon Branches, 2026, oil on canvas, 50x50cm (detail)

Left: Eleanor Millard, Wildflower, 2026, acrylic on canvas, 60x58cm (detail)

Pg. 5: Robyn Rankin, A King’s Domain, 2026, acrylic on canvas, 123x123cm (detail)

Salt Contemporary 33-35 Hesse Street Queenscliff, Victoria

Pg. 6: Joanne Sisson, Cascading Flowering Gum, 2026, acrylic on linen, 63x63cm (detail)

EXHIBITING ARTISTS

ELEANOR MILLARD

JOANNE SISSON

JOHN BAIRD

Emerging from Egyptian tombs, ancient Greek vases and Roman mosaic, the art of depicting everyday objects in their stillness has been prevalent for millennia. Allowing artists to construct a unique narrative through arrangement, composition and lighting. Acting as a human time capsule of storytelling.

‘Still Life: A Contemporary Arrangement’ highlights a diverse array of Still Life works from select Salt Contemporary Artists. Paying homage to a traditional means of storytelling, through a sophisticated and contemporary lens.

ELEANOR MILLARD

Eleanor Millard is known for a lexicon of imagery that is drawn from fragments of the real and imagined. Imagery that hovers between abstract renditions and representative forms.

Harmonic, tonal paintings capture an emotional landscape that uniquely resonates. Swift intuitive brushstrokes, form patchworks of colour; highlighting Eleanor’s exploration of the beautiful paradox of movement in a still life piece.

Her affective paintings evoke memories that are at once familiar yet impossible to place.

JOANNE SISSON

Over recent years the focus of my work has centred on still-life painting. Indigenous and non-indigenous plants sit side by side in many of my artworks.

Many plants are gathered from my rather unruly garden. The elegance of twinning vines and bending grasses speak of the gentle movement of plants as they unfold and grow. The placement of the foliage in clusters of glassware creates its own microcosm of life.

These paintings depict a broad selection of glassware. Each vessel tells its own story. Some very old pieces come from our colonial past. Other vessels originated from a mid-20th century time-frame and others are very new, such as a deep green olive oil bottle that I find quite appealing.

JOHN BAIRD

Working across mediums including painting, collage and sculpture, Mornington Peninsula based artist John Baird creates works that are at once fresh and familiar, contemporary and classic. Over his career Baird has developed a unique aesthetic that explores how slippages between utilitarianism and decoration inhabit everyday objects. His work is situated within the blurred territory where decoration and high art converge.

With a lingering aura of nostalgia, Baird elevates everyday objects such as the sailboat, ocean tanker, dressing table or floral arrangement from the commonplace. By consciously conflating foreground and background, Baird forges a surreality that adds a dream-like dimension to his constructed spaces, enkindling our memories and inspiring our imaginations.

NATASHA JUNMANEE

My still life paintings explore the quiet beauty of objects drawn from my surroundings and my private collection.

Working in a realist tradition, I am drawn to simple arrangements of fruit, ceramics, and flowers—subjects that have appeared in painting for centuries and yet continue to offer endless possibilities for observation and interpretation.

These objects are carefully chosen not only for their visual harmony of colour, form, and texture, but also for the subtle cultural associations they carry.

ROBYN RANKIN

Central to my work is a celebration of Australians and our association to the places we call home.

These works contemplate the intricate connection we share with our surroundings, reflecting on the unique blend of nostalgia, identity, and a deep sense of place that defines our Australian experience.

My art is an invitation to smile at the absurd, to flirt with nostalgia, and reflect on the unexpected; I hope to inspire a playful exploration of the viewer’s own memories and associations, a playful tug between the familiar and the fantastical.

Although I want to create a restful place, I think I tend to achieve the exact opposite.

SOPHIE PEREZ

As an artist, my practise has been a colourful exploration, intimately entwined with the expressive power of paint—a medium that speaks to me with its infinite possibilities. My work is a reflection of the diverse environments I’ve encountered, from my love of running and being in nature.

Driven by intuition and a profound connection to the world, I approach each canvas as a dialogue between myself and the essence of place. Each brushstroke is a visceral response, an attempt to capture the rhythm and spirit of the landscape rather than a mere representation.

My artistic process is a deep immersion, discovering the heart of each place. Through bold gestures and delicate nuances, I aim to convey the soul of the environment, inviting viewers to embark on their own emotional exploration. Mark making is my language, and paint is my voice.