XANTHA WITHEROW
Xantha Witherow is an Australian artist whose distinctive contemporary paintings combine the human figure with elements of abstraction, fantasy and an almost futuristic visual language. Her works are immediately recognisable for their unusual imagery, strong contrasts and layered compositions, in which figures appear to emerge from — or become absorbed into — their surrounding environments.
The human form is central to Witherow's work. Rather than treating the figure conventionally, she frequently fragments, distorts or transforms it, combining recognisable features with flowing lines, geometric structures and abstract forms. The result is imagery that can feel simultaneously human and otherworldly, inviting the viewer to construct their own interpretation of what is taking place.
There is also a strong sense of atmosphere and narrative within her paintings. Works such as You Can See Me, George and Meeting Point place the figure at the centre of complex, dreamlike environments, while Night Rider, New Years Eve and Cocoon move further towards abstraction. Architectural and urban references emerge in works such as Facade, Alley Cat and Inside, Outside, Under My Skin, demonstrating the breadth of imagery within her practice.
Witherow's paintings have appeared in Australian gallery exhibitions alongside works by established artists; Autumn Whispers, for example, was included in a 2014 Kenthurst Galleries exhibition featuring both established and emerging Australian artists.
The collection of Xantha Witherow works offered through Plum Gallery provides an unusually broad view of her visual language. Across these paintings, the figure moves between the recognisable and the abstract, while recurring elements of the body, architecture, machinery and imagined environments create a distinctive sense of mystery. Together, the works reveal an artist interested not simply in depicting what we see, but in exploring alternative ways of seeing the human figure and the world surrounding it.
