Clara Adolphs Rosemary Laing and Geoff Kleem (in their garden)

Artists Rosemary Laing and Geoff Kleem are a married couple. Laing is acclaimed for her monumental photographic works, which engage with historically or culturally resonant places throughout Australia. Kleem’s conceptually driven practice is primarily photographic but encompasses sculpture and installation.

Clara Adolphs met them in 2018 when she undertook a residency at the Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris, through the Eva Breuer Travelling Art Scholarship. Kleem was on a residency through the University of Sydney’s Power Institute and Laing joined him.

‘Back in Australia, I visited Rosemary and Geoff at their home and studio in Sydney. From this sitting I created multiple works of them, painting ten or more portraits at my studio, working quickly on each,’ says Adolphs.

‘It has been wonderful getting to know them. They are artists I really admire and they have been so encouraging of my own work. Being able to gain some insight into their world and practice has been a privilege.’

Born in Sydney in 1985, Adolphs has a Bachelor of Fine Art from the College of Fine Arts. A finalist in the Portia Geach Memorial Award and the Brett Whiteley Travelling Art Fellowship, she was represented in the 2016 Archibald Prize and is also in this year’s Sulman Prize.