The large canvases burst with colour against the white walls of the Cat Street Gallery, with splashes of thick paint and repeated motifs. This is rural Australia, but not as it is often portrayed in pastoral landscapes. Instead, the abstract oils, vibrant colours and textures of Guy Maestri's works chronicle the harsh environment of Australia's bush.
Near the Sheung Wan gallery's entrance, Waratah, a native flower, dominates the canvas, dripping blood-red paint. In Welshmans Reef, scattered bones and skulls lie on a patchwork of pastel colours.
Field Studies is Maestri's second exhibition in Hong Kong; it is his first solo show here.
The soft-spoken, 34-year-old Australian artist was thrust into the limelight in March after winning the prestigious Archibald Prize. Organised by the Art Gallery of New South Wales, the portraiture prize attracts more than 150,000 people to the gallery each year and puts the media spotlight on artists and their subjects.
'My life is generally pretty private,' Maestri says. 'I do my work and come out and show about once a year. After winning the Archibald, it was a whirlwind for a month. It was just nuts - lots of media, lots of talking about the works. It was quite a huge experience to be part of this whole thing. It was really amazing.'
Maestri's portrait of blind Aboriginal musician Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu is a quiet and emotional work the artist says reflects the depth of his music. 'I saw him [perform] live and it was so amazing,' he says. 'It was the first time I had a good connection with the sitter and got involved in the emotional side of it. That's why I think this one was selected.'