Benalla Art Gallery has launched its latest major exhibition, Always and Altered, presented in partnership with the University of Melbourne and Winton Wetlands.
An enthusiastic audience of more than 80 members of the community attended the official opening of the show.
The exhibition features work by artists Lauren Berkowitz, Judith Nangala Crispin, Sebastian Di Mauro, George Egerton-Warburton, Paul Fletcher, Dr Treahna Hamm (Firebrace), Ernest Marcuse, Rene Martens, Andy Pye, Jen Valender, Yandell Walton, and Stephen Wickham.
Benalla Art Gallery Director, Eric Nash, said the contributions of the artists and exhibition partners were vital to the project’s realisation.
“Put simply, this exhibition would not have been possible without the incredible contributions of our participating artists, and the support of both the University of Melbourne and Winton Wetlands,” Mr Nash said.
“The seeds of this exhibition were sewn originally in considering the Gallery’s idyllic position, nested between the heritage listed Botanic Gardens, and Lake Benalla – both much-loved, constructed environments.
“There are many ways we interact with, shape, and impact upon the land, and the motivation for developing this exhibition was really to ruminate on those interactions and how these play out socially, culturally, and environmentally.”
Always and Altered was officially launched by Professor Su Baker AM, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Cultural Partnerships at the University of Melbourne.
She spoke about the importance of the project in exploring the intersection of art and science, and also in the context of the work being undertaken by the University in the Goulburn Valley and surrounds.
“The University of Melbourne values this two way connection in the Goulburn Valley region, forging new relationships around the Dookie campus and now in Benalla through the creative arts,” Ms Baker said.
“The recent pilot of the ‘Art + Ecology’ residency at Dookie allowed artists from around Victoria to spend a month at the campus and explore its history and the surrounding environment.”
“This residency program is part of a larger priority in cross-disciplinary ‘Art + Science’ activities which started a few years ago through a partnership between the Centre of Visual Art and Science Gallery Melbourne at the University of Melbourne.”
Dennis O’Brien, Chair of the Winton Wetlands, spoke on the evening about the work being undertaken through the wetland restoration project.
“Winton Wetlands is an internationally significant wetlands restoration project, but it is also a place with many layers of history, with much of it difficult and even tragic,” Mr O’Brien said.
“It has many stories of dispossession involving people, families and communities who have come and gone, each loving the wetlands in different ways and for different reasons. An exhibition like this helps remind us of those layers of history.”
Always and Altered will be on display at Benalla Art Gallery until September 17. Admission is free.
In conjunction with the exhibition, Benalla Art Gallery will be hosting a free, two-day, youth workshop by moving image artist Yandell Walton, and a talk exploring art and ecology presented by Dr Suzie Fraser and artist, Jen Valender.
Details about programs are at benallaartgallery.com.au/