How do you capture through art the magic and mystery of underwater? You might just find out if you come along to Manly Art Gallery & Museum for the new exhibition by renowned Sydney painter Martine Emdur.

Curator Katherine Roberts said this is Emdur’s first exhibition in a public gallery.

“This exhibition presents a mix of dark, moody paintings that evoke a sense of voyeurism as the viewer catches a fleeting act of intimacy; a connection otherwise concealed by the ocean. Other works hold a more joyous and playful tone. Under full sun, the saturation of colour of the sea and the swimmers (in their cozzies) evokes a quintessentially Australian summer theme.

“Emdur is particularly interested in the way the water forces us to surrender. While it is beautiful and a source of aesthetic inspiration, it is also confronting and overwhelming and we must succumb to its ever-changing power.

“Buoyancy and the fact that the weight of the world is stripped away is central to her work and yet the foreboding aspect of being immersed in the vastness of the ocean provides the duality that makes her work particularly engaging,” Ms Roberts said.

Emdur says it’s a privilege to be exhibiting in Manly.

“I am very excited about the show as it is my first exhibition in a public gallery and it couldn’t be more appropriate that it is staged on the shores of Sydney Harbour, my muse of the past twenty years.

“I understand that locals feel drawn to the sea for the same reasons I do and I hope that the paintings resonate with other coastal dwellers, together with those who visit the seaside.”

“There is both great beauty and mystery offered up by the sea," Ms Emdur said.

Exhibition dates: Friday 23 February - Sunday 1 April
Official opening: Friday 23 February, 6 - 8pm
Artist in Conversation: Sunday 11 March, 3 - 4pm: Join Martine in conversation with curator Katherine Roberts to learn about the development of Martine’s ideas and her life as an artist (no bookings required)