Compiler

Darren Siwes, She Gave Her A Brown Transfusion, 2006, Cibachrome print, edition of 8. The exhibition Mum, I want to be Brown is at Turner Galleries, Perth, from 11 April to 10 May and is part of FotoFreo 2008: The City of Fremantle Festival of Photography. Image courtesy the artist and Greenaway Art Gallery, Adelaide. www.turnergalleries.com.au  www.fotofreo.com

Western Australia

Joy of Discovery

A must-see is Multicultural Cosmology Artworks in the new Cosmology Gallery at Gingin’s Discovery Gravity Centre. The gallery is designed to promote scientific and cultural understandings of the creation of the universe, and this unique collaboration between scientists, artists, and cultural groups is an interpretation of the universe inspired by the cultural beliefs of Indigenous Australian, Christian, Buddhist, Islamic, and Hindu cultures. Via the largest projection dome in Australia, the gallery also recounts how the numerous artists involved in this project created their works.

Eye to Eye

The past decade of Brook Andrew’s practice is featured in Eye to Eye. The exhibition includes photography, neon lighting, and installation, through which Andrew explores Indigenous issues of identity, and simultaneously challenges historical constructions and omissions. John Curtin Gallery 4 April – 30 May. At Goddard de Fiddes, see New Paintings by Christopher Pease. A highly reflexive series of works with historical landscape references, Pease also provokes us to rethink how history is harnessed. Until 5 April.

The Age of Consequence

In Games of Consequence, Polixeni Papapetrou explores facets of childhood via a contemporary social landscape viewed symbolically through nature as a space without constraints, and a place where children can explore and define their individuality. The scope of the natural world, from the Arcadian ideal to the sublime, provides a way of reflecting on complex aspects of growing up. 4 – 24 April. www.johnstongallery.com.au

Counting chickens

This month, the Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts (PICA) celebrates the emerging talents of Australia’s top tertiary graduating students from 2007. The annual Hatched National Graduate Show (11 April – 25 May) is the most comprehensive survey of emerging artists in Australia and features a diverse selection of artworks including sculpture, painting, installation, printmaking, ceramics, textiles, jewellery, animation, sound, photography, and video. The related Hatched 08 Industry Forum for Artists on April 12 presents emerging graduates, artists, and industry professionals with information on how to establish a professional art practice after art school. www.pica.org.au/view/Hatched+National+Graduate+Show/31/

Pleasure in Motion

Until 6 April, Material Pleasure at Heathcote Museum & Gallery features Mandy Harwood, Natalie Williamson, Melissa Carey, Katie Martin, and Gemma Dodd. At Spectrum Project Space, Dress in Motion will show garments and digital works which explore the draped cloth and body in movement. The soft or gusty effects of wind, the fluid and meditative motion of the body, cloth in water and the twisting of shell-like forms around the body are some of the areas explored. 25 April – 4 May.

In-depth Surfaces

At Mundaring Arts Centre, 18 April – 18 May, Surfaces explores the notion of surface / landscape through printmaking and photography. Brian Luxford investigates the aesthetics of derelict man-made materials and environments, Daniella Van captures contrasting textures of the Northwest, Sandra-Lee Murphy explores textural qualities inherent to her local environment, and Shelley Cowper examines geological and organic forms through collagraph and dry point techniques.

Hot properties, cool partnerships

A partnership between Artsource, the City of Fremantle, and the Department of Housing and Works has resulted in the Henderson Street Cottage International Residency. The first artist-in-residence is Jhinuk Sarkar from England. Another new artists’ space is the Perth Central Studio, a short-term space developed in partnership with the City of Perth and Hawaii, and located in the Parmelia Arcade on St Georges Terrace, Perth.

Cheque Ignition

The Hon. Sheila McHale MLA, the WA Minister for Culture and the Arts, announced a new package for arts and culture – the biggest single State government arts funding injection in the State’s history. A total of $73 million over four years includes $51 million of new one-off and capital initiatives comprising the Ignite package. Delivery of Ignite will be managed through the Department for Culture and the Arts. The program will be delivered from 2008, with further details made available early next year.

More at the Moores

At the Moores Building, 4 April – 4 May, as part of FotoFreo, City of Fremantle Festival of Photography, international and local photographic exhibitors take over most of the building. Included are ‘mesmerising’ images by Spanish artist Jodi Bieber, award-winning Australian photojournalist Stephen Dupont and Gilbert Bel-Bachir. Also on exhibition are photographs from the Nikon-Walkley Photographic Awards, highlighting the best in current Australian photojournalism. Also at the Moores Building 10 – 18 April is Artists for Peace, an exhibition of thematic artworks by 26 prominent WA artists, including Leon Pericles, Evelyn Kotai, Brian McKay and Naomi Grant.

Errata

New works new faces at Gallery East and Perth Galleries should have mentioned 14 recently graduated artists from Curtin University, Central and Midland TAFE and UWA.

Introducing me I’m an artist and a lecturer in visual arts at Edith Cowan University, and I’m thrilled to be the WA correspondent for Artnotes. I am particularly keen to hear from regional centres, collectives, small galleries, and individual practitioners. Please contact me by the 25th of each month at j.schwarz@ecu.edu.au with any material to be considered for inclusion in the following month’s WA Artnotes.