89 seconds to midnight: a stark reminder of the pressing issues and threats that are currently faced on a global scale. On January 28 2025, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists moved the Doomsday clock one second closer: to eighty-nine seconds to midnight. The clock was first created in 1947 as a symbol of humanity’s remaining time before global catastrophe, incorporating the consequences of factors such as nuclear risk, climate change, biological dangers, and disruptive technologies. Originally set at seven minutes to midnight, this shift of one second from 90 seconds in 2024 brings the clock the closest it has been to midnight, sending an alarming warning about the current position of the world as it balances on the precipice. Anthony White explores these current pressing threats throughout his practice; from environmental degradation to concerning developments in nuclear warfare, White focuses on dissent and the solidarity that one can employ in order to address these problems. 89 Seconds to Midnight explores conceptual frameworks surrounding l’effondrement, a French term that translates to the ‘collapse’ or ‘breakdown’ of society. With a recent residency and research in Rome, White has investigated these moments of dissidence that transcend both geography and time, translating them into an evocative body of work that presents the world through an unfiltered lens.  

Anthony White’s oeuvre explores the potential for landscapes to become a canvas onto which both environmental concerns and socio-political themes and histories can be presented. With the flurry of constant changes occurring across the world stage, landscapes remain the steady witness to history, growing and adapting over the years. While landscapes are a reflection of the world at large due to the manner in which they have provided a backdrop to historical events and narratives, they also mimic society through the intricate web of ecosystems that exist within their living environments. The cyclical nature of ecosystems is perhaps a reminder of the inevitable ebbs and flows within society, and the fundamental interconnectedness that binds us all. Additionally, landscapes themselves possess a sense of harmony in the way that they adapt and grow around civilisation, while still attempting to retain their cycles and seasons. However, over the years this has proved increasingly difficult as highlighted by the environmental damage and destruction that continues to persist. White addresses this in his depictions of Tasmania, with paintings such as Federation Peak II (2020). In reaction to the fires that ravaged the forests at the base of Federation Peak, the painting raises awareness surrounding the ecological problems that Tasmania is currently battling.  

Anthony White, Federation Peak II, 2020

While landscape art is not often perceived as a particularly politically charged subject, there is an inherent political nature to landscapes due to the emphasis that has been placed on the importance of land throughout history. Land has long been a symbol of wealth and power, upon which ideologies have been projected and carried out. Perhaps the most obvious manifestation of this is colonialism and the inherently extractivist nature of imperial occupation. Often there is a simultaneous exploitation of both land and people that holds a lasting impact that transcends generations; the process of handling this trauma within a postcolonial context is reflected in parts of White’s practice.  

Within White’s experimental approach lies an element of innovation that allows for an organic, expansive exploration of environmental concerns. Despite the deep hues of White’s broad brushstrokes, there is a luminescent quality to the compositions. This inner light captures the glimpse of hope that is held by these landscapes, shining through the cracks of the surfaces and from the depths of the natural formations. In his Rêve series, White explores the fleeting state of being between sleep and consciousness, particularly focusing on the resistance that exists within the realm of consciousness.   

Anthony White, Rêve III (Gully), 2025

A prominent aspect of White’s oeuvre is its encapsulation of the Sublime, bringing a feeling of both admiration and horror. The Sublime has been evident throughout art history, with prominent artists such as J.M.W. Turner and John Martin stirring up these feelings of awe and terror in their own depictions of landscapes and historical events. The early 19th century saw the emergence of the Romantic movement, in which this notion that art could stir up these visceral emotions played a key role in the development of art during this era. Romanticism marked the shift away from classical tradition and the restrictions of Enlightenment thought toward an emotionalism, which brought a new perspective and approach to the depiction of nature in art. The foundation of the Sublime lies in the relationship that humans hold with their environments, with artists often employing the sublime in order to reflect upon the changes happening in the contemporary world. By presenting the viewer with a subject that appears to engulf them in its greatness, a myriad of possibilities is opened up as they are encouraged to look beyond the confines of the everyday world.  

This expansiveness continues in the timelessness that White’s landscapes possess through the integration of the historical with the contemporary, to emphasise his ideas of continuity with sociopolitical issues. Snowscape (Gulag) (2024) is an example of this integration of the past into the present, with the snowy Siberian landscape acting as a backdrop to the death of dissidents with its icy winds and bitter winters. Despite the artist’s focus on innovation and imagination within his process, there is a significant amount of research and academic references that provide a foundation for the compositions. Within the context of this piece, the viewer is forced to consider not only the oppression that exists in the present day, but also the trauma that the landscape holds. An homage to the late Aleksei Navalny, White intended to honour the Russian politician and his fight for democracy and against corruption. One begins to think about the accounts of the Gulag, such as the memoirs of Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, and the thousands of narratives that the landscape has come to represent. The landscape becomes a conscious entity in itself as it watches and grows alongside its inhabitants. Therefore, while White’s works are often a time capsule for particular eras, the integration of historical context into the paintings serve as a reminder of the complex network of events and happenings that led to a particular moment in history. A further layer of depth is incorporated into the landscapes as they become troves of information, overflowing with narratives of those who came before.  

Anthony White, Snowscape (Gulag), 2024

While there is an energy and strength that emits from White’s body of work, there is also an underlying sense of ambiguity and anticipation. This is perhaps best captured in 89 seconds (2025), a painting depicting a dystopian landscape at sunset, emanating an unsettling glow of deep purple and yellow hues. The events that led to this result are undefined, leaving an endless myriad of possibilities looming over the canvas. One is forced to confront these possibilities, from nuclear proliferation and biological warfare to bushfires and ecological breakdown. Furthermore, a smokiness seems to permeate this composition, recalling White’s memories of the scent of smoke during the hot summers of his childhood in Australia.  

Against the backdrop of the Doomsday clock, the temporality of these global issues holds a degree of uncertainty. As shown by previous changes to the clock, the potential for the hands to be reversed provides a glimmer of hope that appears to be immune to the rules and parameters of time. Within the context of 89 seconds to midnight, a temporal pendulum swings between nuclear threats and environmental degradation: one has the ability to eradicate whole cities in seconds, while the other slowly breaks down an area over generations. White’s artistic practice appears to work hand in hand with this temporal ambiguity, integrating the unconscious with reality, and childhood memories with a dystopian future. While the creeping numbers on the clock increase the sense of urgency around the current state of the world, there is still an opportunity to reverse the damage. White’s oeuvre highlights the power of dissent and the strength of the voices who ring clear above the noise, urging the viewer to consider their own capabilities to be a part of the change.  

Anthony White, 89 seconds, 2025