Matthew Harris, Just us two, 2023, ochre, charcoal and acrylic on hessian, 153.00 x 198.00 x 2.50 cm, TCG22960
(photo: Christo Crocker) Collection: Murray Art Museum Albury

The blobby grey and black paintings Yeddonba, I Know Alone and Just Us Two are forms taken straight from natural stone shelters and sites not far from where I was born, places important to various sides of my family in both the ancient and recent past. Mob lived among the rocks and the rocks were part of the family. Even my great-grandparents all the way from Denmark had a farm just up the road. There are still paintings on the rocks after all these years, they’ve been sitting there patiently this whole time. Now it’s a mostly forgotten tourist stop far off the highway. The wooden walkway has decayed and partially collapsed, most of the rocks are fenced off, but you can still squeeze through to get close. Up the top on a clear day you can see forever. I’ve never been there at night but I’m sure all the stars are there. —Matthew Harris