Billy Bain
Wallu-Mill (Bull head shark), 2026
oil on linen in recycled timber frame with ceramic tiles
139 x 179.5 x 5 cm
Wallu-Mill (Bull Head Shark) follows the waterways towards Broken Bay, where the river opens into the sea. Drawing on passages through creeks and along the river, Bain reimagines the landscape...
Wallu-Mill (Bull Head Shark) follows the waterways towards Broken Bay, where the river opens into the sea. Drawing on passages through creeks and along the river, Bain reimagines the landscape through a combination of observed locations, photographs, and memory.
The painting considers the movement between saltwater and freshwater, echoing the journey of the long-finned river eel that informs the wider series. By removing human figures, Bain allows the landscape itself to become the subject, while the hand-built ceramic details introduce traces of the life and activity that inhabit these waterways. The work reflects a landscape continually changing yet enduring, carrying histories that extend far beyond the moment depicted.
The painting considers the movement between saltwater and freshwater, echoing the journey of the long-finned river eel that informs the wider series. By removing human figures, Bain allows the landscape itself to become the subject, while the hand-built ceramic details introduce traces of the life and activity that inhabit these waterways. The work reflects a landscape continually changing yet enduring, carrying histories that extend far beyond the moment depicted.