Art Partners Australia’s new exhibition, Wanderings of a Prairie Monk showcases works by Australian-born but US based artist, activist, environmentalist and educator David Monk.

Monk, aged 89, currently lives in Illinois and is passionate about the preservation of natural and heritage environments and has dedicated his life to ensuring these natural wonderlands are conserved for future generations. This love is mirrored in his work with many of his images depicting natural environments including lakes, canyons, fence lines, forests, grasslands and prairies as well as old historical ruins and buildings. 

Monk works in photography and silk screen printing, a technique requiring patience and skill that often results in seemingly simple but bold and precise images. Printed mainly in black and white ink on black paper or the occasional splash of stunning orange, gold, mustard, olive or red, the images create a striking display of block colour that creates a graphic effect reminiscent of Andy Warhol’s pop art. With many of the colours featured coming straight out of the 1970s the works have a renewed contemporary look and feel and a message that has only become more important over the years.

Wanderings of a Prairie Monk is on until Saturday 19 February 2021 at Art Partners Australia.

For the last 25 years, Sharon has been inspiring the next generation of artists, cultivating and developing art students as a public high school art teacher. Her work here continues.