Above the Odds, the first posthumous exhibition of Jan Senbergs’ work, brings together paintings, drawings and etchings completed between 1977 and 2019, including an early painting and two pastel drawings previously exhibited in the important retrospective exhibition Jan Senbergs: Observation-Imagination at the National Gallery of Victoria, Above the Odds explores a rich body of work from one of Australia’s most important contemporary artists. A competitive tennis player (and by all accounts, driver), Jan enjoyed spectating Aussie Rules and dabbling in horse racing on Saturday afternoons. The exhibition title Above the Odds recognises his interests here and also his love of an underdog. Given that Jan’s family arrived in Australia after living in Displaced Persons camps for five years at the close of World War II, he can be viewed as an underdog himself: he rose through early years of turmoil and created an enviable body of work, a lasting legacy and a rich social and family life. Over a period of more than six decades, Jan Senbergs explored a variety of media and subject matter. His inventive images reveal the scope of his experience and his constant desire to ‘search for new possibilities’. Relying on instinct and his keen perception, Senbergs conceptualised places, objects and experiences in a way that communicates more than observed detail alone. Above the Odds comprises work from key periods of his career, including figurative drawings and paintings depicting Melbourne, ships both docked and at sea and the artist in his studio (two examples of only a handful of self-portraits by Senbergs). Jan acknowledged his Port Melbourne studio with Last Image, Port Liardet, 1981 after developers came in to redevelop, keeping only the façade. Senbergs was fascinated with forms of travel and depicted boats in particular throughout his career. In 2004 he was invited to accompany a Port Phillip sea pilot as they guided a huge bulk carrier into Victoria Harbour (the same area he entered as a ten year old in 1950). He relished the physical experience and out of it came Tanker, Push and Tanker entering Port of Melbourne (all 2005). In 2005, the Senbergs’ experienced massive leaks in the North Melbourne studio and needed to renovate. As a farewell gesture and a salute to the old studio and its surroundings, Jan painted North Melbourne Studio, 2005. Niagara Galleries is privileged to bring together these paintings, drawings and etchings in Above the Odds.