Recreate Your Ideas on Gender: Be Bold for Change
To celebrate International Women’s Day this year, the Cad Factory and Charles Sturt University will present the exhibition RE//CREATING, featuring the work of 22 female Riverina artists at the HR Gallop Gallery in Wagga Wagga.
Each year on March 8, people around the globe celebrate International Women’s Day; a time to highlight the social, cultural, economic and political achievements of women. The theme this year is Be Bold for Change to help forge a better working world with more gender inclusivity.
Co-curator’s of the exhibition, Julie Montgarrett (Charles Sturt University) and Sarah McEwan (Cad Factory), have taken this theme seriously by working with women to highlight strong regional voices through visual culture.
Sarah McEwan says, “This is the third and final exhibition in our series that provides opportunities for regional female artists. The artists in the exhibition represent emerging and more established artists in dialogue with contemporary art, who have pushed themselves much further in 2017. You will see ambitious work in the gallery that speaks about current world issues, Wiradjuri culture, rural life, landscape and spirituality.”
Young emerging artist Kate Allman reflects on her participation in the exhibition by stating, “After working in the same space as so many talented, funny and smart women, I learnt that artists do not go in boxes. There is not a set protocol that deems you an artist. I learnt that when I feel something, I should explore it with consideration and let my passion for concepts, history and process guide me.”
Aunty Lorraine Tye, artist and Wiradjuri Elder, has been in every exhibition since 2015 and commented, “Through these series of exhibitions I have strengthened my knowledge of Wiradjuri Culture and empowered my artistic practice. I would like to thank both Sarah and Julie for the experience.”
The exhibition is open until the 10 March from Monday to Friday, 10am – 5pm, at the HR Gallop Gallery, Charles Sturt University.
To celebrate the achievements of the artists, there will be a ‘closing’ event on Friday 10 March from 5pm – 7pm at the HR Gallop Gallery. Melbourne artist Elvis Richardson will be a special guest speaker for the event.
Before the ‘closing’ Ms Richardson will give a public lecture from 4pm – 5pm on her arts practice and seminal research, the Countess Blog - that counts art world statistics. Much like other industries, the Australian visual arts sector has suffered from a lack of female representation in high profile solo and group exhibitions, wage disparities and fewer top level management positions in key institutions. Ms Richardson’s work is a powerful reflection of the inequalities in the sector and her research is creating real change. RE//CREATING is the Riverina’s small and localised way of addressing and changing some of the statistics Ms Richardson has captured.
This exhibition will tour to the Narrandera Arts Centre in May. It has been supported by the NSW Government through Arts NSW, Regional Arts NSW, Western Riverina Arts and Wagga Wagga City Council.
RE//CREATING
HR Gallop Gallery, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga
20 February - 10 March
Closing: Friday 10 March, 5pm - 7pm with guest speaker Melbourne artist Elvis Richardson
