Art Monthly April 2008 Number 208

NT

Artists here

An artist who comments on the NT housing futility, as well as her Anglo-Chinese heritage, is Min Wong with her piece, The Package, in the Box Set window at 24 HR Art. Pam Lofts, also showing at 24 HR Art with her work Requiem For Another,
is a long-time resident of the desert regions. James Geurts’s multi-screen video installation, Artesian, and Andrew Hazewinkel’s piece in the Monitor, Turbulence, are also showing until 3 May … Darwin Visual Arts Association’s Wood St Gallery continues its stunning line-up with the group show, Mimicry, curated by Rebecca Arbon from 2 to 19 April (opening night 4 April); Malcolm Mauchline has work in DEAF Space and Sarah Pirrie’s solo show, Helen’s Wreath, runs from 23 April to 10 May (opening night 24 April) … A curious show at Framed Gallery from 24 April to 5 May, Imagine the Art of John Lennon, comprising 60 limited edition fine art prints of John Lennon’s sketches and handwritten song manuscripts that Yoko Ono has been selling since 1986. Will we see Yoko at the opening? Perhaps it should be coincided with Elton John’s visit?

Artists there

Recent graduates Abby Holt, Rebecca Arbon and Kasia Wzukowski are exhibiting this month in Hatched, the fantastic annual national graduate exhibition at the Perth Institute of Contemporary Art. The exhibition showcases selected graduates from 2007, and runs from 11 April to 25 May. Opening night will be a hoot on Thursday 10 April, followed by a symposium/forum on the Saturday 12 April … Tobias Richardson and myself will be finishing up on 21 April as artists in-residence in the historic town of Hill End in rural NSW. We had the good fortune to have our visit funded by the Bathurst Regional Art Gallery and Arts NT … Well-respected Darwin artist Adrienne Kneebone has made the move to Katherine and is the new Project Officer of Territory Craft. With her knowledge and experience in the worlds of NT craft and art, she is especially suited to this position. Contact Territory Craft Katherine for details about their exhibition program and workshops this year, email: terrcraftkath@bigpond.com.

Whinge

Did you know that with the change of government, our Arts Minister Marion Scrymgour has six portfolios, including deputy Chief Minister? Now the chance of seeing her face at any art events is even slimmer. Also, the meeting last year which the NT’s very organised and vocal arts sector attended with then Chief Minister Clare Martin, to voice our concerns and wishes regarding ‘Creating Darwin’s Future’, now seems like a momentous waste of time. Dreams of an arts precinct, let alone designated artist studios, are a distant wish. As Darwin real estate prices climb and renters are pushed out, artists are saying goodbye to the RTL (relaxed tropical lifestyle) and scattering to cooler climates at an astounding rate …

Deadlines

24HR Art – Northern Territory Centre for Contemporary Art is currently seeking proposals from artists and curators interested in exhibiting work as part of the 2009 Annual Exhibition Program. Proposals due COB 30 April 2008, proposal guidelines available by email: 24hrart@24hrart.org.au or visit: www.24hrart.org.au … Proposals for DEAF Space at DVAA are accepted all year round. It’s a smaller exhibiting space/project room encouraging all manner of disciplines, exhibitions, projects and events at a weekly rate. Contact Talitha at DVAA for details, email: info@dvaa.net.au

New digs ‘n’ festive gigs

The Tiwi Art Network, a non-profit organisation owned by Tiwi artists, is now located at 3/3 Vickers St, Parap (open Wednesday to Saturday), showing artworks from the three prolific community art centres: Jilamara, Munupi and Tiwi Design. Start planning this month for your trip to the Indigenous Art Festival - Mwerre Alpeme (Arrernte for ‘good return’), a 3-day event 15km out of Alice Springs on 9,10 and 11 May. The Amoonguna Art Centre is organising the festival that showcases sculptures in recycled materials. For information, contact coordinator Chris Simpson, email: amoongunaart@bigpond.com

Progress in Works

The Charles Darwin University Gallery gets cosy with its postgrad students in April with a show featuring work from six studio-based research theses. CDU Post Grad in Progress, curated by Caroline Rannersberger, includes Daphne Cazalet, Aly de Groot, Gary Lee, David Rolfe, Birut Zemits and Rannersberger herself (a Ph.D student). Their media and concerns may be disparate but the artists are ‘bound by tenuous threads across culture and place’. Runs 3 April – 25 May 2008 (opens 3 April, 6pm). [ed.]

Hello I’m Hayley West, your friendly new Art Notes NT contributor. As I live in Darwin, the Top End will have an obvious sway with my notes, until someone from the Centre is able to raise their ‘red earth’ hand. However, I’ll try to cover this vast Territory as best I can meantime. Relevant info can be sent via hayley_west@yahoo.com