Robert Owen: Axiom

Cassandra Bird is proud to present Axiom, the gallery’s first solo exhibition by renowned Australian artist Robert Owen. Widely regarded as one of Australia’s most important contemporary artists, Owen’s pioneering practice has, for more than five decades, expanded the possibilities of abstraction through an ongoing investigation of light, colour, geometry, perception and the natural world.

A key figure in the development of Australian abstraction, Owen has continually challenged the boundaries between painting, sculpture, installation and architecture. His works explore the relationship between structure and sensation, creating immersive visual experiences in which colour, form and space become vehicles for contemplation and discovery. Drawing upon the principles of modernism, mathematics, philosophy and the rhythms of the natural environment, Owen’s practice reveals a lifelong inquiry into the systems and forces that shape our understanding of the world around us.

Since the late 1960s, Owen has developed a distinctive visual language that has positioned him at the forefront of Australian contemporary art. His participation in major international exhibitions, including representing Australia at the Venice Biennale (1978), alongside extensive exhibitions at leading museums and institutions, has cemented his place as a defining figure in the history of Australian art.

Owen is widely represented in national and international collections including the British Museum, London; Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam; Israel Museum, Jerusalem; Museum of Modern Art, New York; Olympic Sculpture Park, Seoul; National Museum of Western Art, Tokyo; National Gallery of Australia, the Art Gallery of New South Wales, the National Gallery of Victoria, the Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art and the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, among many others.