Campaspe Shire Council's art collection will be showcased in a new exhibition at Kyabram Town Hall Gallery. Pictured looking at the collection are Pia Bonzi, Ellen Lee and Campaspe Shire Councillor Jessica Mitchell.
Photo by
JORDAN TOWNROW
Campaspe Shire Council's art collection is set to be showcased in a new exhibition at Kyabram Town Hall Gallery, offering the community fresh perspectives through creative responses by local artists.
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The Here + There: A Collective Conversation Exhibition features selected works from council's collection of more than 300 pieces, including contemporary paintings, ceramics, First Nations paintings, prints and sculptures.
“Over 20 works are being used from the collection and then artists are responding to the collection, to be exhibited next to the collection,” The Here + There: A Collective Conversation Exhibition curator and artist Ellen Lee said.
“It is presenting a new perspective on works from the collection, bringing them back into the forefront and allowing newer artists, current artists from the area to respond.”
Mrs Lee has deliberately paired artists with different mediums and approaches.
“I have a ceramist who is responding to still life paintings and pastel works,” she said.
“There is an artist who is responding to a First Nation ceramic work with really bold, vibrant, colourful finger painting works.”
Participating artists include Anne Churches, Ellen Lee, Geraldine Gallivan, John Stevens, Kevin Williams, Linden Lancaster, Maree Santilla and Sonya Else.
Among Mrs Lee's favourite pieces in the collection are Diana Cooper's untitled magpie sculptures.
“It was not until I actually unwrapped them and saw them in person that I thought, ‘Wow, there needs to be an artist to respond to this particular work,’” she said.
The Here + There: A Collective Conversation Exhibition curator and artist Ellen Lee has paired artists with different mediums and approaches, encouraging diverse responses to the collection.
Photo by
JORDAN TOWNROW
Campaspe Shire Councillor Jessica Mitchell is looking forward to seeing the creative responses from local artists to the works.
“It will be exciting to experience the diverse visual practices, themes and conversations that emerge throughout the exhibition,” she said.
“Importantly, through the dialogue between collection works and contemporary artistic responses, the exhibition invites reflection on our past, present and future as a community.”
Cr Mitchell said exhibiting the collection was vital.
“Hosting this exhibition at the Kyabram Town Hall Gallery is especially meaningful, as it is now the home of the collection,” she said.
“The Kyabram Town Hall Gallery is incredibly important to our community.
“As a historic building, originally constructed as a Mechanics’ Institute in 1908, it has long been a place that brings people together.
“Today, it continues that role through exhibitions, workshops, art classes and a writers’ group, and as the home of the Campaspe Shire Art Collection.
“The gallery is also supported by a dedicated group of volunteers whose passion and commitment play a vital role in supporting arts and culture across the region.”
Textile artist Sue Broadway is one of the many members of the community whose passion and commitment play a vital role in supporting the Kyabram Town Hall Gallery.
Photo by
JORDAN TOWNROW
Community workshops will accompany the exhibition.
Sonya Else will facilitate a textile workshop on Thursday, July 9, from 10.30am to 1.30pm, and Auntie Margie Tang will lead a cultural exchange weaving workshop on August 2, from 12.30pm to 3.30pm.
Artist Geraldine Gallivan will facilitate a creative workshop for VIVID in collaboration with Ellen Lee, with the date to be confirmed.
The exhibition opens Friday, July 3, from 6pm to 8pm and runs until Wednesday, August 26.
