Vale William Robinson – a pioneer visionary of the Australian landscape

Reflecting upon William Robinson's incredible career, which rethought the Australian landscape genre.
Old man in red jumper and cane in gallery setting with paintings. William Robinson

Brisbane-born artist William (Bill) Robinson AO (b.1936) was a visionary painter who offered an all-encompassing perspective on the Australian landscape. He passed away peacefully last week (26 August), aged 89.

For a while Robinson considered a career in music. From 13 he was an accomplished pianist and had been a finalist in the ABC’s annual Concerto and Vocal Competition. But he felt more relaxed behind a canvas than on a stage.

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Gina Fairley is ArtsHub's National Visual Arts Editor. For a decade she worked as a freelance writer and curator across Southeast Asia and was previously the Regional Contributing Editor for Hong Kong based magazines Asian Art News and World Sculpture News. Prior to writing she worked as an arts manager in America and Australia for 14 years, including the regional gallery, biennale and commercial sectors. She is based in Mittagong, regional NSW. Twitter: @ginafairley Instagram: fairleygina