Three highlights…
Choosing three highlights from a month-long exhibition of work by young and emerging regional artists is a crazy thing to do. Each of the 23 artists shortlisted for this exhibition put their best art forward; each of them created work with truth, beauty, and quite often, good humour; each artist was rightly proud of their work.
What’s more, hundreds of people came to see the Young and Emerging Artists Exhibition and pretty much everyone pointed out an artwork or two they especially enjoyed. Sales were good; online traffic hit a record high; young people brought their friends and parents and grandparents into the gallery, and you could tell by the light in their eyes: this exhibition hit the mark.
Three highlights, as promised:
The reaction of young artist Luke Baker and emerging artist Norma Flint when the judges’ choice of best-in-show was revealed. Artists Wendy Stokes and Stephen Killick chose Luke’s textural Little Bay, and Norma’s luminous Banksia as the oustanding work in the young artist category and the emerging artist category, respectively. On announcement, Norma was lost for words; Luke shone like a lighthouse.
The conversation between Shyla Richards and Stephen Killick. Shyla being one of the young artists in this exhibition, the creator of an artwork called Aurelia Aeternum, which engages with eternal return; Stephen being an established artist (and teacher in another life) whose work is in collections at the National Gallery of Australia and the Art Gallery of NSW, amongst other places. Shyla and Stephen spoke of geometric symbolism and spiritualism. Afterwards, Stephen forwarded a post about Swiss artist Emma Kunz (1862 - 1963), who used a pendulum to create massive drawings on graph paper, channelling the hidden geometry of the universe. Shyla and I both learned something from that exchange.
The moment when Josh Masters from Wingham High School walked into the gallery, clocked the piano, and asked if he could play. Josh shared his own composition then moved onto a Chopin nocturne. As the impromptu performance unfolded, more people came into the gallery, other young folk, mostly, Josh’s age or similar, participants in the Luminosity Youth Summit which was happening at Glasshouse. Yes, I found myself thinking, this is exactly what it’s about. Opportunity. To share, connect, enjoy.