Margaret Preston: Australia’s most beloved and contested artist?

The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia has staged the first Margaret Preston retrospective in 20 years, delving into the complex nature of her pursuit to establish a distinctive Australian artistic identity. As visitors approach the exhibition at the National Gallery of Victoria, three of her iconic still lifes catch eye: each features a vase overflowing with native flora - bell-shaped gumnuts, silvery eucalyptus leaves and bristly banksias.

These works unmistakably embody Australian plants, painted in a style that may be interpreted as distinctly Australian, embodying Preston's enduring aspiration to define a national aesthetic.

However, a deeper examination reveals that this straightforward narrative becomes convoluted. In her 1928 painting Western Australian Gum Blossom, a blocky background composed of creamy rectangles alludes to the modernist and abstract movements that were thriving in Europe during the period. Similarly, the second work, Native Honeysuckle, features black and white geometric forms reminiscent of cubist paintings by the French artist Fernand Léger.

All three artworks signify Preston's affinity towards Indigenous culture, a fascination that she intertwined with her admiration and assimilation of Aboriginal artistry.

This exploration of Preston's work uncovers a nuanced picture, challenging the simplistic notion that her aim was merely to create an Australian aesthetic. Instead, it suggests a more intricate interplay of influences and inspirations, from European modernism to Japanese woodblock prints, and Indigenous art, which shaped her unique artistic vision.