Event Type: Free

Opening event: February 8, 2024. 6pm

Daily opening times:
Feb 6 – Mar 11, 2024

Monday – Friday 9am – 5pm

Closed on weekends

2023 was an interesting year. Half the way through the year I moved into my new studio at the Salamanca Arts Centre. This move has had a significant effect on both how I paint and what I paint. After more than five decades of painting it is still fascinating and exciting to see my work continue to change and evolve. The paintings in this exhibition, all painted in 2023, are from both before and after my move to the new studio.

PLEASE NOTE our lift is currently undergoing maintenance and repairs. Wheelchair access to levels 2 and 3 of the arts centre is currently unavailable.

‘In Memoriam’ is a tribute to the melancholic beauty of the animal remains that we see around us every day.

When I was eleven, I saw some older kids messing around with a dead bird in a fountain. They didn’t want to touch it, so they were flicking it at each other with a shoe. I waited until they were gone, and then I picked it up in my hands, apologised to it, took it to a garden bed, and buried it. I was a weird, unhygienic child, but I still think my heart was in the right place.

‘In Memoriam’ is intended to present animal remains in a way that inspires the same devastating awe with which one might regard images of a human skeleton. It is my wish to banish disgust, or any desire to dispose of or look away from dead animals. Whether they are killed by other animals, humans or the elements, their bodies are still evidence of something beautiful. Sometimes that beauty persists in an obvious way after they have passed, sometimes the manner of their passing makes it difficult to see, but I hope to convince you that it is still there.

PLEASE NOTE our lift is currently undergoing maintenance and repairs. Wheelchair access to levels 2 and 3 of the arts centre is currently unavailable.

Daily opening times:

2 – 29 February, 2024
9:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Variations to opening hours:

Saturdays 10:00am – 2:00pm
Closed on Sunday

The palette of this body of work evokes the sacred feminine energy soft, grounded and nurturing.

Flow of life is based on the everyday gestures of a fleeting moment. It is within the everyday mundane that we are able to see the value of a single moment. When you sit in the present you allow your mind to observe that which is unfolding in front of you. “Stop and smell the roses.” When we are able to sit in a state of gratitude, we allow space within the mind to appreciate the simple gestures that the world is presenting to us. The works are responding to basic forms that are present within everyday living.

Female energy, always plays an integral role in the work. With each work evolving beyond its simplistic form. Each work embodies a feminine energy hidden behind the façade of the everyday object.

The palette of this body of work evokes the sacred feminine energy soft, grounded and nurturing. Pulling forms from Nature and the human body because of the essence the elements evoke. A key strategy used when creating the works is minimalism and space. Negative space is used as a way of exposing the essence, essentials or identity of a subject by eliminating non- essential forms.

The simplistic approach towards the compositions of the works allows the focus to be on the softness of the essential forms created.

PLEASE NOTE our lift is currently undergoing maintenance and repairs. Wheelchair access to levels 2 and 3 of the arts centre is currently unavailable.

Opening event: January 18 – 6pm

Daily opening times:
Jan 18 – Feb 2, 2024
Everyday – 9am – 5pm
+ extended open hours of 9am – 8:30pm on 19 & 26 January, 2024

In 2015, M. Rene Ariston gave the world PEGSpressionism. 2024 is Phoenix Year Zero. What happened in between is another story.

In 2015, M. Rene Ariston gave the world PEGSpressionism – his critically and artistically (and almost financially) successful debut solo exhibition.

Not long after that – his finest achievement – his life fell apart at the seams, bringing him to the lowest of a lifetime of lows.

Now he’s back – with a renewed will to live and create – and a new show. 2024 is Phoenix Year Zero.

Daily opening times:

4 – 23 March, 2024

Monday – Friday  9:00am – 5:00pm

Saturdays – Sundays  CLOSED

+ Also Open  Saturday 23 March 2023 10:00am – 2:00pm

Moss
Graffiti

Both trying to reclaim spaces that they’ve been forbidden by mankind from occupying; one coming from nature in unwitting defiance, the other a biproduct of the same control mechanisms which seek to eradicate it, equally defiant. 

Both will inevitably triumph as neither is intentionally opposed to the other, they just coexist, oblivious to their duality, immune from the unavoidable toll of breath, death and taxes. 

As we all busy ourselves with our artificial lives in an attempt to postpone the inevitable, we have lost sight of the fact that death is the only part of life that will always remain beyond our control.

The works presented herein seek to illustrate the necessity of duality in all things and the beauty that can be found if we can relinquish the need for control and appreciate what just is. These works are a harbinger of the new world order, a world that will have no memory of or need for us, a far simpler world unabashedly futile without the need for meaning. Welcome to our glimpse of the world without us: Abyssinia.

PLEASE NOTE our lift is currently undergoing maintenance and repairs. Wheelchair access to levels 2 and 3 of the arts centre is currently unavailable.

Daily opening times:
11 – 21 January, 2024

10am – 3.30pm

The elevation of Joy through artistic creation in the face of Climate Change.

Expressing colour, light, & beauty through visual creative expression, lifts our spirits to ‘higher ground’, and sharing with you, adds to our joy.

Maggi

We are 2 best friends, 2 creatives who met in the Northern Rivers region of NSW in the late 70’s…when there was a chance to avert the effects of Climate Change.

We have shared together 2 climate-caused calamities … the fearful threat of fire to Inara’s farm in 2019, … then the sadness & despair from the horrendous floods of February 2022 when the heart of our old town of Lismore was mashed with water and mud.

Despite the background hum of anxiety that remains & is now forever created by Climate Change uncertainties and traumas, we delight in creativity.  It lifts us to ‘higher ground’ within.

Making images of colour and light that are inspired by the beauty, shapes and bounty of nature on our beautiful planet, this, is joyful.

Having this opportunity to share, helps me remember how important it is to feel safe, with feet dry, in the company of good friends.

Inara

In these works my descriptions and awareness of the diverse aspects of the landscape of the Northern Rivers region of NSW are intended to be viewed as a perception of my emotional connection to place rather than a representation of a locality.

The art works are a portrayal of my being spiritually in tune with and connected to the land.  Respecting the relationship between spirit and matter as being the source of joy and wellbeing in my life, with a recognition of the divine; of something greater at work in our lives.

Using pattern. colour, collage and texture, the artworks attempt to reflect this kinship and relationship to the natural world.

“Monkey Magic with Destined One” is a unique musical stage comedy that reinterprets the classic “Journey to the West” with modern issues and Tasmanian landscapes. This three-act play follows Tripitaka, the Monkey King, and Pigsy in a humorous, environmentally-conscious adventure, enhanced by live music and local Tasmanian artistry.

2024: Hilarious Original Musical Stage Comedy – A Must-See for Comedy Lovers!

Introducing “Monkey Magic with Destined One,” a brand-new stage musical comedy that reimagines the classic Journey to the West (MONKEY MAGIC), seamlessly blending it with contemporary issues and the enchanting landscapes of Tasmania. This innovative production brings together the art of theater and live music to transport an Eastern myth onto the stage, creating a fresh and original stage musical comedy.

Spanning three acts, the story primarily follows Tripitaka, the Monkey King, and Pigsy on a whimsical and high-energy journey to find their destined ones and save nature. Throughout the performance, the narrative skillfully addresses real-world environmental concerns and the complexities of interpersonal trust through a witty and humorous artistic lens. Furthermore, the live music elements are a standout feature of this theatrical masterpiece, adding an extra layer of magic to the entire experience.

All elements of this show is created, curated and developed by Tasmanian local artists.

Monkey Magic with a Destined One Highlights:

– Creativity: **Immerse yourself in the innovative and creative retelling of a mythological narrative.

– Classic Homage:** Experience a respectful nod to the iconic moments from “Monkey Magic.”

– Cultural Fusion:** Witness the infusion of Eastern cultural elements, including Peking Opera and martial arts, creating a unique and authentic stage experience.

– Live Musical Experience:** Be enchanted by the live music performed by the “Purple Passion” band, featuring specially adapted compositions premiering on the same day.

– Comedic Appeal:** Dive into a comedic journey, promising a light and humorous experience suitable for diverse audiences.

“Monkey Magic with a Destined One” Synopsis:

Introducing a brand-new stage musical comedy that ingeniously blends the classic “Monkey Magic” with contemporary issues against the enchanting backdrop of Tasmania. Join Tripitaka, the Monkey King, and Pigsy on a whimsical journey spanning three acts as they seek their destined ones and strive to save nature. This theatrical masterpiece addresses real-world environmental concerns with humour and wit, accompanied by the captivating live music of the “Purple Passion” band.

Before You Hit ‘Buy Ticket’:

This production is a completely fictional narrative, crafted without any factual basis. In our meticulous adaptation, all religious elements from the original source have been purposefully excluded to provide an environment free from religious content.

Music Support: Purple Passion

Technical Support: Olimedia Events

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Opening event:
11 January, 2024 – 5pm

Times and dates:
9 – 16 January, 2024
9.30am – 5pm

Mapping the paradoxes

‘Confined / Unconfined’ presents a body of work from a paradoxical period of my life. As a family we moved, for a year, to the other side of the world, to live in a city to which I was both alien and familiar, where I was both liberated and confined, mobile and sedentary. It was a year of progress and of standing still.

My art practice was both constrained and released to run in new directions.  

Restricted mainly to drawing, life in Dublin’s outer suburbs allowed the evolution of a number of ideas that I had been waiting to develop for several years. These ideas form the core of the exhibition.

Thematically they cover themes to which I return frequently: humanity’s relationship to the environment, the alienation of the virtual world, and modern working life. However a common element to these works is a sense of claustrophobia with the systems, processes and networks of human civilisation.

The two exceptions are ‘Species’ and ‘Unconfined Spaces’ which view the world from an uncharacteristically liberated perspective.

Presented by JamFactory

12 January – 11 February, 2024

Contemporary textile design is a vibrant boundary-blurring creative field. By nature, it cross-pollinates. Moving through disciplines-graphic, furniture and product design, fashion and the visual arts-it manifests as surface patterning, material experimentation and transfiguration, storytelling and conceptual ideas.

In the context of our times-and years marked by many competing crises-creative work concerned with connection, authenticity and the trace of the hand has become all the more important. Australian textile-based practices are thriving. Collaborations in the fashion industry are on the increase. The visibility of First Nations creatives is also skyrocketing, partly due to the passionate vision of new enterprises and reinforced by the covetable designs being produced by Top End artists, remote art centres and collectives.

Eclectic and multidisciplinary, the creatives in this exhibition bring resourcefulness, reflection and spirited invention to the fore. New Exuberance celebrates them, and acknowledges the rich diversity of textile-based practices in art, design and fashion in this country today.

Meryl Ryan | Curator

Presented by Julia Castiglioni Bradshaw, Stephen Bond & Tim Price

Daily opening times:
20 December, 2023 – 6 January, 2024

Weekdays – 10am – 4pm
Saturdays – 10am – 3pm
Sundays – 11am – 3pm

Abstract Organics is an exhibition of 3 artists with a litany of years experience wrangling divergent processes, ways and means of incorporating abstraction into artwork.

Abstract Organics attempts to create an abstract meeting space to show similarities and differences across a bountiful “Paella” of skills gained over years of focus, neglect and loss of memory.

Price’s Urban flattening of walls and streets to the canvas, Castiglioni Bradshaw’s essence of vegetable chopped up into an abstract pastiche and Bond’s agonized organic sculptures from highly controlled action drawings all maintain vestiges of representational or “real” origins that prise their abstractified end products into existence.

Another important aspect that this show brings on stage is the use of motif, symbol or pareidolia. These strategies are employed thematically bringing rise to comments like “Is that a hare or a duck?” or “I’ve seen that Pacman motif on many a Persian carpet” or “That’s a nice cold-frame of Zucchinis”.

Inevitably Abstract Organics provides a nexus from where viewers can learn about the wide world of abstraction and what things can evolve from a trio that have a long history of its use in their arts practice.