Though landscape painting, as a genre, wasn't officially defined until the 15th century it is one of the oldest and most established forms of art. Initially focused on realistic representations of the natural world, the scenes became more deconstructed and abstract in the 20th century. William (Bill) Sutton's body of work provides a clear, microcosmic example of this progression. His early works, sweeping panoramas of the country in and around Christchurch, impart a grandiose sense of space and depict the country from a semi-aerial perspective, as though the viewer is hovering above the patchwork fields and paddocks. Sutton unfolded these traditional scenes with a softness and calm that at once comforts the viewer and makes him feel at home. In his later works, Sutton responded to abstraction, producing series such as Landscape Synthesis, of which this work is a part. Here Sutton fragmented the landscape as though it were shards of glass. The canvas is divided into horizontal strips that from a distance evoke a desert mirage quality. The warm tones of ochre, blue and white keep the work calm amid the potential chaos of the deconstructed scene. There are still elements of earth, land and sky, but they no longer remain within their designated hierarchy. Spots of white cloud intermingle with solid blocks of ochre earth, forcing the viewer to look not for a single scene but numerous potential views. Although there is no defined perspective, Sutton maintains the impression of vastness. There is a sense of freedom and exhilaration lacking in his earlier works, as though the viewer were flying through the landscape rather than viewing from above. The new feeling of energy and vivacity emanating from these later paintings imbues them with a contagious sensation of joy. There are few countries that lend themselves so spectacularly to landscape painting as does New Zealand. Whether the viewer is considering his early or later works, there can be no doubt that William Sutton has a profound ability to represent the breath-taking aura of New Zealand. Some have argued that it is impossible to reproduce a landscape exactly as it exists in time as the land is constantly changing and evolving, and any image would ultimately be the impression of one individual. Thankfully, Sutton appears to have thwarted this hypothesis. Sarah McCrory