roger swainston: Fusing art & science
Roger Swainston is a renowned artist known for his hyperrealistic paintings and illustrations of underwater species and reefscapes. His aim is to cultivate awareness and drive attention to the beauty and diversity of Australian marine life.
Swainston’s passion for the underwater world began early on when his family would take fishing trips to the southern coast along the Great Southern Reef from his inland hometown in the western Australian outback. It was there, and during his time working on exploratory research vessels and fishing trawlers that he began to observe the immense diversity within the Australian waters.
Image © Roger Swainston
After studying zoology at the University of Western Australia and spending several years developing his artwork in France, he returned to Australia and began to focus on the integration of science and art. By intricately drawing and painting hundreds of marine and freshwater species in painstaking detail, Swainston gives the viewer the opportunity to see these complex environments and animals in a different way and, in turn, instigate the desire to protect and preserve their local marine environments.
“Both scientists and artists are trying to make sense of the world. And I like to say a scientist thinks the truth is beautiful and an artist thinks beauty is truth.”
Image © Roger Swainston, courtesy Early Work Gallery, Fremantle.
Explore more of the Great Southern Reef
People
Impactful people with a close connection to the Great Southern Reef.
Places
Feature locations along the Great Southern Reef.
Marine Life
The weird and wonderful creatures found along the Great Southern Reef.