Lynda Page-Bickley

Local Contemporary Art Prize 2026 – Finalist

Image courtesy of the artist.

Lynda Page-Bickley | London Bridge on country | 2026 | acrylic on canvas | 122 x 92cm

This contemporary landscape responds to the London Bridge rock formation on Boon Wurrung Country, a place shaped by deep time, tidal movement, and ongoing cultural presence.

Rather than depicting the site literally, I work through soft abstraction, using layered forms and muted coastal tones to express rhythm, erosion, and memory. The arch becomes both shelter and threshold, an opening between land and sea, past and present. My use of flowing lines and blended colour fields reflects the movement of water and wind across Country, while the darker void of the arch speaks to depth, loss, and continuity.

This work acknowledges that the landscape is not static; it is living, relational, and storied. As a contemporary Aboriginal artist, I approach this place with respect, allowing form and colour to carry meaning without relying on specific traditional symbols. The painting becomes a quiet act of listening, to Country, to time, and to what remains after change.