Inspired by the old, the new and the enduring

13 November 2020

Art of the region at Tweed Regional Gallery

This summer, Tweed Regional Gallery & Margaret Olley Art Centre is delighted to host new exhibitions by the region’s leading artists.

Photographer Justin Ealand and embroiderer and sculptor Wendy Powitt have collaborated on an exhibition titled Mary Shelley – A Seditious Heart.

The exhibition is a continuation of the concepts the two artists have explored in an earlier collaboration. This new exhibition will re-create three imaginary rooms from the house of Mary and Percy Shelley that foster radical ideas and communicate the social difficulties of their time. The artists hope to inspire audiences to contemplate today’s society.

Mary and Percy Shelley were writers and poets of the early 19th century, with Mary writing the legendary gothic tale Frankenstein at the age of 18. Mary and Percy lived a radical, passionate and itinerant life in Europe.

This exhibition highlights the difficulty of life when as individuals we are not completely in tune with our community’s belief system of acceptable behaviour.

The source of inspiration for Gabriela Soelkner’s solo exhibition ROCK FACE is much closer to home. Soelkner currently works from her creek studio next to Wollumbin National Park, the source of much of her inspiration.

For this exhibition she has drawn on the giant boulders that surround her home and studio, the hidden rocks found when walking remote areas of the forest, and their shape and textured surface.

“I am most interested in the permanence of stone and the ephemeral nature of our human relationships both past and present,” Soelkner said.

“The ability of stone to endure is reassuring as their timescales are beyond our imagining, beyond our limited life cycle.”

Gallery Director Susi Muddiman OAM said, “I am delighted to showcase the work of three diverse and talented artists of the region over what is sure to be a busy summer. The work of these three artists are great examples of the immense creativity that is abundant in the Northern Rivers.”

On Sunday, 15 November, 10am-4pm DST, artist Gabriela Soelkner will be at the Gallery for an ‘Artist at Work’ session, where visitors will be inspired to try the mixed media processes demonstrated. Soelkner will also be presenting a virtual Meet the Artist talk which will be available on the Gallery’s website from 13 November.

Today (Friday 13 November) Tweed Regional Gallery will be hosting a sold out Sunset Session with artists Wendy Powitt and Justin Ealand on site. Bookings are essential and no walk-ins will be accepted.

Mary Shelley – A Seditious Heart and ROCK FACE will both be on display at Tweed Regional Gallery from 13 November to 3 January 2021.

Downloads

Photo 1(JPG, 106KB)

Caption: Justin Ealand, Spirit, Patience, Gentleness 2020, archival inkjet print on 100% cotton rag, 100 x 80 x 5cm. Image courtesy the artist.

Photo 2(JPG, 89KB)

Caption: Gabriela Soelkner at work in her studio next to Wollumbin National Park. Courtesy the artist.