Three new exhibitions open at the New England Regional Art Museum, Armidale, tonight: Quiet Existence by Kate Durack, Imperial Reminiscence by Caroline Garcia, and BIG!
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Quiet Existence
Quiet Existence, Walcha-based artist Kate Durack's first solo exhibition at NERAM, is a revival of the joys of nostalgia.
"This body of work references art history and the style of work we see in our Hinton Collection, as well as Durack's own childhood," NERAM director Rachael Parsons said. "The result is a series of stunning paintings that are both sentimental and contemporary."
Durack's paintings depict luscious interiors and garden pond scenes that revisit her childhood memory and imagination.
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At the centre of her remembrance is her grandparents' goldfish pond, a quiet, murky and secret world that Durack once spent hours contemplating. She brings the mystery of the external garden inside, placing opulent flower arrangements among treasured domestic objects, but even here the influence of the pond still lingers for those who look closely.
Kate Durack was born in Brisbane. She completed a Bachelor of Graphic Design from Griffith University (Queensland College of Art) in 1990, and has worked as a graphic designer in Brisbane, Kuala Lumpur, and Sydney. In 2011, Kate and her family relocated from Sydney to Walcha.
In 2016, in collaboration with local author John Heffernan, she illustrated a "Tale of Two Brothers of Ancient Mesopotamia". She has held sell-out solo and group shows at the Walcha Gallery of Art, and won local art shows.
Imperial Reminiscence
Caroline Garcia, an interdisciplinary artist from Sydney, works across live performance and video, and investigates popular culture and colonial imagery.
Imperial Reminiscence explores the politics of identity, visibility, and representation through the history of 'whitewashing' in mainstream cinema. In an attempt to reclaim these ethnographic images, Garcia inserts herself into the dance sequences in Hollywood films to critique and mock the stereotype of the exotic 'other' and the use of white actors to perform the roles of non-white characters.
Garcia is based in New York City, and has presented work at Judson Memorial Church, The Vera List Center for Arts and Politics, Spring/Break Art Fair (all NYC), The Luggage Store Gallery (San Francisco), The Manila Biennale (Philippines), Art Central Hong Kong, and was one of the eight artists selected for Primavera 2018: Young Australian Artists at the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia.
BIG!
In BIG! visitors can view some of the biggest artworks from the NERAM collection, some that have been rarely seen before.
The exhibition features larger than life contemporary works by artists such as John Coburn, Two Bob Tjungurrayi and Tjampitjinpa, Karen Papacek, John Peart and more.
"The show is only open for a short period, so it's a BIG little show," Ms Parsons said.
Quiet Existence runs until September 22, Imperial Reminiscence and BIG! until September 15. NERAM, 106-114 Kennedy St, Armidale, is open Tuesdays to Sundays, 10am to 4pm.