Kahikatea Forest

Focusing on distinctive elements of the New Zealand landscape, 'Kahikatea Forest' by Diana Adams presents an unusual take on a recognisably New Zealand scene. With a complex composition of horizontal and vertical lines, Adams has placed in the foreground a mass of native trees which grow up from the water, through which we have to peer to view the landforms behind. This placement of vertical forms creates a maze of smooth trunks for the viewer to navigate as the eye traverses the painting. 'Kahikatea Forest' marks for Adams a shift from her earlier style of work - landscapes are increasingly infused with an emotional resonance; the water is deep and shadowed, the background scene appearing remote and isolated.