Emerging from the ground, tree trunks, branches and walls, living sculptures will offer a window into the imagination. From Nature will showcase living sculptures and organic land artwork, transforming parkland into an outdoor open-air gallery at Gasworks Arts Park from Saturday 3 November 2018.
The only exhibition of its kind in Australia, From Nature gives art and environmental lovers the opportunity to experience art that has been made directly with the landscape by sculpting the land or creating structures using purely natural materials.
Artists featured include: Oliver Ashworth – Martin (Yering Station Sculpture Award 2017), George Seccull (creator of large-scale installations including pieces for the Collingwood Football Club), Genevieve Thornton (Neon Parlour, From Nature 2016, Open Spaces Art Trail 2016) Maria Simonelli (Lorne Sculpture Biennale) and Elizabeth Milsom (National Gallery of Australia, University of Melbourne’s Baillieu Library).
World renowned British–born advertising art director-turned artist Arthur Ted Powell, who notably worked on the Beatles animated clip for Yellow Submarine has created the Possum Hotel in collaboration with the South Melbourne Men’s Shed – a satirical take on local residential development.
Preston craft artist Dell Stewart is producing a piece out of materials foraged from public places. “The work is based on an understanding that some areas are designated for uses unclear to most of us,” says Dell. “Whether it is mapping building sites, or property for development, parking spaces or areas for revegetation, these types of flagging suggest a purpose. Often the purpose is to keep us out, or claim ownership and or rights of use.”
“These ideas of ownership and rights are contentious, when we consider this unceded land, a nation now avidly and violently protecting its borders. I wanted to make a small work that hints gently at the absurdity of policing arbitrary borders and unclear land uses,” added Dell.
Jonathan Leahey will adopt a different take with his hyper realistic gravesite, reminding us that we are all “from nature”, and Ella Baxter will showcase her striking giant cocoons made from leaves, sticks and flowers.
A former dancer, Ella studied countless videos of insects weaving cocoons to re-enact those movements as she created her own. “I made them because I was sick of seeing a grey landscape from my studio window, and I wanted to see pockets of green,” said Baxter.
Albert Park Pre School’s piece is set to be a highlight, with children creating hundreds of paper butterflies to hang in fruit trees, on which they invite the public to write an action to reduce our carbon footprint.
Visitors to Gasworks Arts Park will receive a map of the free exhibition so they can embark on a self-guided tour around the gorgeous parklands on a spring day or evening. They can then vote for their favourite creation, giving their chosen artist an opportunity to win $4,000 for the annual People’s Choice Award.
The new $4,000 Jury Award will be selected by curator Tracey McIrvine; head of sculpture and spatial practice at VCA Dr Mark Shorter; and CEO and director of Gasworks Tamara Jungwirth. Both prizes have been generously donated by the Gasworks Patrons Foundation.
From Nature 2018
Gasworks Arts Park, 21 Graham Street, Albert Park
Exhibition: 3 – 11 November 2018
Free admission
For more information, visit: www.gasworks.org.au for details.
Image: Kim Simon, The World is Your Oyster, 2016 – courtesy of Gasworks Arts Park