SEVERAL months after the death of renowned environmental painter Mandy Martin in July, her son, the artist Alexander Boynes, has announced the showing of her final work.

“Step Change” is a large-scale painting, video and sound work which she created with Boynes and her song-in-law, musician Tristen Parr that  explores the need to transition in the age of climate crisis, and is featured in “CROSSING 21”, the third iteration of the Fremantle Biennale Art Festival, which explores Fremantle’s past and present relationship with the Swan River.

The location of the festival for the Martin-Boynes-Parr artwork is important, because the work was created using the site of the Kwinana Industrial Area located alongside Derbarl Nara (Cockburn Sound) in south-west WA.

Meanwhile, “Mandy Martin from Queanbeyan to New York: 1978-1984/ Art & Life”, an exhibition curated by Virginia Rigney, is showing at Canberra Museum + Gallery until January 22.

Martin arrived in Queanbeyan from Adelaide in 1978 as an emerging artist, but within six years she was exhibiting large-scale canvases at one of the most important art museums in the world.

The CMAG exhibition charts the shifts in Martin’s practice over those years, “from the sensitive gouaches of her near neighbours and friends, to the expressive drama of the paintings that speak to her deep concern for the environment.”

Boynes, who describes how uplifting it was to talk with Martin in her last months about her legacy and contribution to the arts and environment and planning the future with optimism, is part of the establishment of donors the Mandy Martin Fellowship, developed in her honour and supported by Climarte. Donations are still welcome here  and application details will be announced in 2022.

“CROSSING 21,” is now running until November 21. Details here