Optical Collusion

Donna and Chris at Ararat Regional Art Gallery










'Wheatstone Chamber' (2010)

We had the pleasure of welcoming Melbourne-based artists, Donna Kendrigan and Chris Henshke to Ararat for the official opening of their exhibition, 'Optical Collusion' on Saturday 8 october 2011 from 2pm. Donna and Chris provided an artists' talk about this intriguing exhibition of pre-cinema optical devices, reworked with post-cinema technologies.

Collaboratively developed by Chris and Donna, the exhibited works reflect both artists’ knowledge of and fascination with the scientific and aesthetic history of optical invention. These sculptural pieces contain digital media, including works funded by the Australia Council Visual Arts Board. Tricks of perception mediated by technology are not new - magic lanterns and stereoscopes were popular entertainments in the Enlightenment and Victorian eras. These hands-on, interactive artworks play upon our perceptions and the self imposed deceptions of contemporary media technologies.

Chris Henschke and Donna Kendrigan work under the name, Topologies, a name chosen by chance that describes their collaborative artworks and processes and is a manifestation of their combined creativity. For more information about the artists, visit the Topologies website. 'Optical Collusion' is supported by the Victorian Government through Arts Victoria and the Community Support Fund, and has in-kind sponsorship from Global Bionic Optics Ltd who have created a ‘Once In A Generation Innovation’ – The Infinity LensTM range of products.

1st Tamworth Textile Triennial Opening

Ararat Regional Art Gallery director, Anthony Camm at the opening of the 1st Tamworth Textile Triennial with Tamworth Regional Gallery staff (l to r) Kate Hofman, Pam Brown and Tamworth director, Sandra McMahon.

Patrick Snelling speaking about the exhibition.

Tamworth Regional Gallery's 1st Textile Triennial, 'Sensorial Loop', was officially opened by ABC presenter, Claudia Chan-Shaw, on Friday 30 September 2011 at 6pm. Although this is Tamworth's first triennial, it builds on 18 earlier biennial exhibitions, which have provided an important platform for surveying developments in contemporary textile art practice.

Ararat Regional Art Gallery's director, Anthony Camm, had an opportunity to visit Tamworth Regional Gallery for the first time to attend the launch of the triennial. His visit was possible thanks to a grant from the Gordon Darling Foundation. Ararat Regional Art Gallery and Tamworth Regional Gallery share similar collection and programming specialisations and his visit provided an opportunity not to only view the triennial exhibition, but to meet staff and participating artists and view the collection area.

This triennial exhibition has been astutely curated by Patrick Snelling, and is thought provoking in the way it addresses the diverse concerns of artists working with textiles fibre materials and techniques today. It is especially interesting to see the work of established artists alongside recent graduates and to consider the extraordinary developments that have occurred since textile fibre art first came to prominence in the 1970s. A series of curator and artists' talks held on the weekend following the opening inspired lively discussion about the state of textile fibre art in Australia. ‘Sensorial Loop’ will soon commence its national tour, which includes Ararat Regional Art Gallery in 2013.

ABC Radio has posted an interview with Patrick Snelling online about the triennial exhibition, which shows photographs of the featured artworks. A catalogue accompanying the exhibition can be purchased from Tamworth Regional Art Gallery, including in a lovely, limited edition boxed version. There is an extract from Patrick Snelling's catalogue essay on his blog.

Leo Sayer launches Geoff Todd exhibition

On Sunday 18 August 2011, Ararat Regional Art Gallery's latest exhibition, 'Private Pop: Prints, multiples, ephemera, and the paintings of Geoff Todd', was launched by international recording artist, Leo Sayer. Leo visited Ararat from his home in Sydney to launch this impressive exhibition by his friend and collaborator, Geoff Todd. 'Private Pop' presents objects from Geoff's private art collection alongside his own paintings informed by the artists he has admired and the artworks and ephemera he has collected. The exhibition contunues until 25 September 2011.

Margaret Burin from ABC Ballarat has recorded a great interview with Geoff about the exhibition, which is available on-line - click here. There is a nice interview with Geoff in the Ararat Advertiser as well - click here.

Neville Pilven's exhibition opening

(l to r) Artist Neville Pilven with opening speaker, Paul Kane.














Ararat Regional Art Gallery's current exhibition, 'The Wimmera and other places', recent paintings by Neville Pilven was officially opened by Paul Kane on Saturday 9 July 2011 at 2pm.

Neville spends a lot of time painting at his second home and studio located on the fringe of the Wimmera, near Stawell. We are very excited to showcase the work of a senior professional artist who has such a strong regional connection to the gallery. There was a warm atmosphere at the opening with many of Neville's family members and friends in attendance. Paul Kane's opening remarks were eloquent and insightful, and the celebratory atmosphere was further enhanced by the music of violinist, Andrea Keeble.

We were especially pleased that American poet and critic, Paul Kane, could visit Ararat to open Neville's show. Paul had just arrived in Australia to attend the Mildura Writers' Festival, where he serves as its Artistic Director. Paul has a long interest in Australian culture and is Professor of English and Environmental Studies at Vassar College, USA.

Born in 1939, Neville Pilven studied at the National Gallery Art School and the George Bell School. In the mid-1960s, Pilven left Australia for several years of European travel, study and painting, to England, Spain and Hydra, Greece. In 1972, he studied printmaking at Morley College, London, before returning to Australia in 1973, to settle in Melbourne. He was a finalist in the John McCaughey Invitation Art Prize, 1979, National Gallery of Victoria. Neville has held twenty solo exhibitions, many with leading Melbourne galleries. His work is in collections including Artbank, Latrobe University, Westpac, National Bank and Telstra. For more information about Neville Pilven, visit his website

Annemieke Mein

Above: (l to r) Anthony Camm, Director, Ararat Regional Art Gallery; Annemieke Mein, and Anton Vardy, Director, Gippsland Art Gallery, Sale, at the opening.








We have been so incredibly busy since the opening of our Annemieke Mein exhibition on 19 July 2011, so it has been a while since we lasted posted. Here are some photos from the opening - finally. The exhibition has just closed (on 3 July) and was one of our most popular shows ever. The exhibition received a phenomenal response, with many people deeply affected by their experience of viewing Annemieke's work. Thanks to our staff and volunteers who have worked incredibly hard to make the exhibition a success. We are especially grateful to Annemieke Mein and to the Gippsland Art Gallery, Sale, for lending works and supporting the exhibition.

Annemieke Mein in Ararat

Ararat Regional Art Gallery is proud to present an exhibition by textile artist, Annemieke Mein OAM, from 19 May to 3 July 2011. Annemieke’s meticulous representation of the natural world through textiles is distinctive in the Australian art world. Her singular vision has inspired audiences for three decades and she remains unique amongst Australian artists for the fervent interest her work attracts in the community.

Over the years, Annemieke has pushed the technical and pictorial boundaries of her work in textiles. Underpinning her practice is an astute eye for detail borne from an intense engagement with the natural world. Annemieke has said that each of her artworks “requires extensive research, field studies, observation, specimen collecting, countless sketches and a disciplined timetable of working hours”. This stunning exhibition surveys Annemieke’s career from the late 1970s to the mid-1990s, with works loaned from the Gippsland Art Gallery, Sale and from her own collection. The exhibition also includes samplers and drawings that provide an insight into Annemieke’s creative process. Two soft sculptures from Ararat’s permanent collection are also included and will be contextualised alongside related loaned works.

The Annemieke Mein exhibition will be officially opened by Anton Vardy, Director, Gippsland Art Gallery, Sale on Thursday 19 May at 6pm in the presence of Annemieke Mein OAM.

Image: Annemieke Mein, 'Pink Emperor Gum Moth' 1982 (detail), Collection: Ararat Regional Art Gallery, purchased with the assistance of an Australia Council Crafts Board Grant, 1982, Photo: Terence Bogue.

The Shilo project comes to Ararat

Ararat Regional Art Gallery launched its newest exhibition, 'The Shilo project', last Friday afternoon to an appreciative audience. 'The Shilo project' is a NETS Victoria touring exhibition developed by the Ian Potter Museum of Art at the University of Melbourne, and is curated by its Director, Dr Chris McAuliffe.

An iconic album cover from the 1970s, Neil Diamond's 'Shilo' is the stmulus for this exhibition which explores the introcate relationship between pop music and contemporary art. The original album cover featured an innovative join-the-dot image of Neil Diamond, inviting fans to complete their own portrait. 100 leading contemporary artists were invited to respond to the artistic challenge posed by the do-it-yourself 'Shilo' album cover.

'The Shilo project' is fascinating both in terms of the surprising artistic responses that emerged from the chellenge, but also for its innovative and inclusive exhibition design. Vicitors to the exhibition can leaf through racks of Neil Diamond album covers as if they are visiting a record store. They can even pull up a bean bag, relax and play the 'Shilo' album on a record player as part of the exhibition experience.

We were very pleased to welcome the exhibition's curator, Dr Chris McAuliffe, to Ararat last Friday to speak about the ideas informing 'The Shilo project' and the process involved in developing this intriguing exhibition. Dr McAuliffe's talk was followed by an exhibition opening reception where people had a chance to view the exhibition and enjoy the 'Shilo' album. Local artists who contributed their own Shilo album covers to the Ararat presentation of the exhibition were also in attendance.