We acknowledge the Gadigal of the Eora Nation, the traditional custodians of the Country on which the Art Gallery of New South Wales stands.

John Olsen

Wynne Prize 2023 finalist John Olsen ‘The lake recedes’

John Olsen The lake recedes © the artist

The lake recedes

The lake recedes is the last major work John Olsen made before his death on 11 April 2023. The painting marks a final return to a subject that never stopped enchanting him. 

Olsen first visited Kati Thanda–Lake Eyre, located on Arabana Country in South Australia, in 1974. That year, he encountered the desert basin in full flood, ‘boiling with animal, bird and fish life’ and shimmering in a ‘light beyond our grasping’. In this painting, Olsen’s spidery linework and fluid brushstrokes release their energy into a yawning pink firmament, capturing the lake’s inevitable process of depletion. 

The artist’s son Tim Olsen says, ‘The work was inspired by photographs and memories of the pervading pink salt which appears in Kati Thanda–Lake Eyre as the water dissipates. It was always a mystery to John how the centre of Australia becomes a living sea – suddenly, a desert becomes a place full of fish and birdlife. Then, as the lake evaporates, the abundance turns into desolation. Kati Thanda–Lake Eyre is a freak of nature, a metaphor for life and death. In all of Australia, it was his spiritual place.’ 

  • K–6 discussion questions

    • This painting depicts Kati Thanda–Lake Eyre in South Australia, a place the artist depicted many times over his career. Research this area and find it on a map. What are some of the defining features of Kati Thanda–Lake Eyre? Can you see them referenced in Olsen’s painting?

  • K–6 activities

    • Does this painting depict a view from above or one from the ground, looking up? How do you know? Imagine what your school playground would look like from a bird’s vantage point, or look it up on Google Earth. Experiment using an aerial or bird’s-eye view perspective and create an artwork that depicts what you see. 

    • Olsen paints in a way that seems to bring things to life – water currents move, mud flats crack, insects buzz and birds startle from below. Observe the spontaneous lines and different kinds of brushstrokes he’s used in this painting to create this effect. Experiment with similar organic lines to create an artwork. How does it compare to a work created with straight lines? 

  • 7–12 discussion questions

    • In reference to Olsen’s interest in Kati Thanda–Lake Eyre, his son Tim Olsen said that ‘Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre is a freak of nature, a metaphor for life and death’. What does Tim mean by this? What elements in his father’s painting suggest this duality?  

    • Look at The lake recedes in context with other paintings by John Olsen in the Art Gallery’s collection. Describe the artist’s pictorial language and distinct style of depicting the landscape. Are his paintings abstract or representational? Do you see a progression in style and approach from his earlier works to more recent ones? 

  • 7–12 activities

    • This painting depicts the shoreline of Kati Thanda–Lake Eyre and the pink salt remnants as the water depletes with drought. Observe the way Olsen has depicted this particular body of water, its movement and ecosystem. Select a waterway, whether the harbour or a river or stream close to you, and experiment with different techniques to capture a sense of water and its movement. Try thinning or mixing paints, or using mixed media. Think about how it connects to the shoreline and the defining features of this particular water ecosystem.